Am I the only person who doesn’t menu plan?
How does anybody know what they might want to eat a week down the road?
My son and daughter in-law are HUGE menu planners. They’re good at it. They both love to cook and find it easier, more economical to plan ahead, shopping only for necessary ingredients. They take comfort in knowing what meals they’re going to eat during the week. Meal planning started as a way to help pare down their grocery bill, but it also reduces the need for decision making when dinner time rolls around.
I get it. I totally get it. It makes so much sense.
I want to be good at this kind of menu planning. It seems as satisfying as creating a to-do list, crossing off the tasks as they’re completed, basking in the afterglow of accomplishment.
I used to be good at menu planning. It was a major requirement for my work.
When I was a personal chef to the president of Mt Holyoke College in my early twenties, it was required that I plan the weekly menu. I cooked for the president’s family as well as all the official events that took place at her on-campus residence.
There were many events. Some were all about asking for donations, others held in honor of a visiting lecturer. Trustee dinners for 30 people were held quarterly and there were constant overnight guests. The smallest event was a luncheon for two. The president said, “Spare no expense. I’m going to ask this alumnus for a million dollar donation.” On the menu that day was cold poached lobster salad plated on the best set of china in the house. I’ve forgotten what I served as a starter or what I made for dessert, but the food worked its magic. With the last drop of coffee sipped, the luncheon over, the president came into the kitchen. I could see the triumph all over her face. We high-fived as she told me she got her donation.
Planning those menus, the ones for official college functions, was fun. Sometimes, I had so many cookbooks and magazines piled up on the counter around me as I gathered ideas and inspiration, it was like I was back in college researching a paper.
I still love planning special event menus. Sometimes, I think up events and occasions to celebrate, like the forsythia blooming, just so I can plan an imaginary menu. Here’s the Forsythia in bloom menu:
Asparagus Crepes with Goat Cheese and Dill
Grilled Radicchio with Lemon Vinaigrette
Lemon Pound Cake
It’s the planning of everyday menus that still feels like drudgery.
Seriously. How am I supposed to know what Friday’s dinner should be when I’m planning the week’s menu on Sunday? And what happens to the plan when I see something at the grocery store or farmer’s market that isn’t on the menu? Does that mean I have to forgo it, or put it on the following week’s menu, fingers crossed that it’s still available? Do you see my problem? Are you with me on this?
Maybe, and this is a real possibility, I’m overthinking everything.
It wouldn’t be the first time overthinking has gotten me into trouble.
I’ve decided that it’s ok for me to hate menu planning. That there’s nothing “wrong” or “bad” about deciding at 5:00 pm what to cook for dinner based on what’s in my fridge or what I feel like eating. Maybe after working as a caterer and personal chef I’m just sick of menu planning.
I’m trying to steer away from putting labels on things, or ideas or people. It’s hard! When I started writing this post I made a note at the top of the page. I deleted it almost immediately, but it read, menu planning good/not menu planning bad. I must be doing something right because here, at word count 594, I decided I’m just fine as a non-menu-planning person.
Here’s the thing. I can be judgmental. And there’s no one I’m more “judgy” about me than me. When my judgments get in the way of my ideas or prevent me from having empathy for myself and others, then I know I’m in trouble. Being judgmental is tiring. Exhausting at times. Labeling is fine for nutritional information or clothing content. Otherwise, assigning labels, and judgmental thinking are behaviors I’m working on doing less of.
Anyway, that was a bit of a rant. At the moment, I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of planner. At least as far as meals and everyday menus go. I prefer to see what might strike my fancy at the grocery store or what recipe inspires me from a favorite website. Here’s a perfect example from NYT Cooking which I just took a peek at. It’s a streamlined version of the Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella that perfectly melds sweet, dried prunes with tangy capers and olives. It might sound like an odd combination, but the final result is like a party just kicked off in your mouth. I’m making Chicken Marbella for dinner tonight. There. Done. Menu planned.
Here’s the recipe and the link for Weeknight Chicken Marbella: nytcooking.com
1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2½ pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½cup pitted prunes
½cup pitted Spanish green olives
¼cup drained capers, plus 1 tablespoon caper brine
3fresh or dried bay leaves
2tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
2tablespoons dark brown sugar
1cup dry white wine
¼cup red wine vinegar
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high until shimmering and tiny wisps of smoke are visible, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, skin-side down, cover and cook until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Covering the chicken speeds up the cook time and prevents the oil from splattering all over your stovetop.) Flip chicken, cover again and cook until golden on second side, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
Step 2
Arrange prunes, olives, capers and brine, bay leaves and oregano in between chicken pieces. Sprinkle with brown sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; pour wine and vinegar over top and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer chicken to a serving platter and return pan to high heat. Cook sauce, swirling occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Spoon pan sauce over chicken and serve.
My menu planning looks SO different than it did when I lived in the US. I used to plan my menus a week at a time, and shop once a week accordingly. I can no longer imagine doing that. Now, I plan a few days at a time, and shop for just what I need about as often. I am a lot more freeform in how I plan; because my fridge is so small, I really have to think creatively about how to use things up. And, because things just simply spoil faster here, time is always of the essence. I think I would find it really difficult to go back to planning and shopping just once a week.