What’s for dinner at your house today? Leave a comment below so we can inspire each other! Or does that question strike fear into you, ha ha! Happy Thursday from Copenhagen where we’re enjoying some hot September sunshine. Helene and I love an early morning dip! It’s been a wee while since we’ve talked about menu planning so…
…I’m here with a few tips! But first up, here’s what we’re eating this week at Casa Copenhagen!
- CHICKEN Butter Chicken with basmati rice (made in my beloved ricecooker) and hot naan bread (I use this simple but tasty recipe for butter chicken)
- MINCED MEAT Homemade spaghetti bolognese (I use half minced beef, half black lentils and a ton of veggies for the sauce to save money and also to give it more flavour)
- FISH Baked cod fillets with lemon cream sauce, served with roasted rösti potatoes from the freezer and flash-fried Danish summer cabbage
- LEFTOVER NIGHT Usually a frittata or quiche with whatever veggies need using up, or good old Danish smørrebrød (rye bread open sandwiches with various toppings)
- PASTA Speedy wholemeal fusilli pasta with spicy ‘Nduja paste, cream, peas and parmesan cheese
- FREEZER/EASY MEAL FOR FRIDAY NIGHT Build-your-own-beef burgers with a big salad and homemade fries
- VEGGIE OR EGGS Stir and bake crustless courgette pie. See how I make it in this video! (The original recipe uses meat but I often just replace that with more veggies.)
If you’re new to menu planning, just take a few steps today. Write down 2–3 easy dinners your family enjoys, check what you already have in your fridge or freezer, and slot those meals into your week. And remember—you don’t have to go from all takeaways to cooking everything from scratch! Keep some balance. It’s perfectly okay to buy a ready meal or two (my motto is Keep It Simple, Sweetie) for those days when plans change. Or decide that one day each week will be a takeaway night—no guilt, and you can really enjoy it!
Menu planning doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy—I keep our plan simple and flexible. However, I guarantee that a few minutes of advance planning you will save time, money and mental energy. Yay!
Velbekomme! Bon appétit! So, what’s for dinner at your house? And don’t forget—if you haven’t grabbed your FREE ticket yet for this year’s Get Organized Conference, time is running out! As well as cleaning, digital organizing, crafting, wardrobe and Christmas planning, there are lots of great classes this year on food budgeting and menu planning – so you won’t want to miss it. Click here to register today!
Plus don’t miss my class on Decluttering without Guilt: Host a Swap Party! That’s next Tuesday – mark your diaries for 9 September! I will also be chatting LIVE with Tasha from Get Organized, where you can ask questions!
Hugs
Diane in Denmark
PS: Want more easy dinner inspiration? See our family’s favourite recipes and some Danish classics!