Menu Planning Monday - 19 Shevat 5771

I am trying something new this week so that I do not spend so long agonizing over the menu each and every single week.  It is an idea from Mary Ostyn's book which she calls the Two Times Five Meal Plan.  You create two basic meal plans with 5 meals each on them and alternate between the two.  Since our new schedule has a minimum of two nights a week where I am not available to cook dinner it is imperative that we have crockpot meals / leftovers or freezer meals that the Daddy can serve the family.  We cannot afford to "wing it" so many nights. 

The two main things I like about this new menu planning style is that it helps ensure I have something planned and available in every type of food and it has a built in leftover / freezer planning in it.

So here are the steps
1 Pick 10 favorite meals - divide them into 2 lists 5 on each list  -
Each list will have one Shabbat worthy meal and one Vegetarian /fish meal as well as a soup/casserole that makes a batch to freeze

•  tacos
• roast chicken
• Tofu Stir fry
• Split Pea Soup
• Chili (makes 2-3 meals worth in a batch)

List two

• Pasta Sauce
• Coq a vin
• Fish ala Jenn
• Beef Barley Soup (uses leftover pot roast)
• Pot Roast

Each week the breakfast and lunch choices are the same
Breakfast - Oatmeal / pancakes / Scambled eggs/ muffin and fruit
Lunch - Easy Pizza rolls/ Quesadilla / soup / Tuna and crackers / sandwiches / leftovers
Snacks - fruit / yogurt / cheese slices/ veggie sticks

2  Make a complete shopping list for each list.  Include basic ingredients for easy breakfasts and lunches on both lists

Shopping List 1 - does not include staples or breakfast / lunch items since those are always the same and get put on the list as soon as they come close to running out.

•   Ground beef -  Need 4 packets - Purchased in bulk and precooked and packaged into meal packets.
•   Whole Chicken 2
•  1 pkg extra firm tofu
• Turkey bacon 
• 1 pkg Stir Fry vegetables or equivalent fresh depending on availability.
• 1 lb dried split peas
• 3 packets red beans - I cook 1 lb of dried beans and then it makes 7 packets. 
• onions 
• frozen corn
• 12 oz barbeque sauce - I want to learn to make my own but so far this is bottled. 
• 3 cans crushed tomato
• whole carrots
• chicken broth - 4 packets of  homemade

Shopping List 2 

• 1 packet ground beef
• chicken quarters 
• 6 tilapia filets
• 1 lg chuck roast 
• beef broth 2 qts
• barley 1 lb
• onions
• 1 pkg sliced mushrooms
• noodles
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 cans or 1 freezer pkg diced tomatoes
• l loaf italian bread (for garlic bread)

I  feel like there is tons of stuff missing from the second list.  It looks too short but I have reviewed it several times and cannot find any errors.
3 Print the lists on sturdy paper and keep them in your wallet / purse
4 before shopping check pantry, fridge, and freezer and then buy all ingredients for one list alternating lists each time.