Since school started, I’ve taken the lead in meal planning because I have the time to do it. I’m also the Master Calendar Keeper, so any meals need to conform to that schedule, anyway. For a couple of weeks, I e-mailed JG the events for the week and my ideas for who would cook what, and he responded with his revisions. I printed out the plan and put it on the fridge, and we created the subsequent shopping list. Nice job, team.
Then I started wondering about a more long-term solution that would allow me to not only exchange meal suggestions with JG, but also track the frequency that we ate certain items, the cooking division of labor, and grocery bills. If we’re in the position to cut back on our spending, our monthly food bill is definitely an area where we can afford to scrimp, but we won’t have any data on that point unless we start collecting it now. Of course, I had no choice but to make a spreadsheet and, and subsequently, hit a new low. Or high, I guess, depending on one’s perspective.
My spreadsheet helps to address a lot of my needs, especially being able to share the document with JG and tweak electronically as the week progresses. I have a slot to plug in this Saturday’s grocery bill, and I’ve noted that Wednesday’s frozen chili dinner only produced one serving of leftovers. Even so, making the transition from week to week and having a historical account of what has happened is clunky. I know I’m trying to create a database from a series of tables, which is never graceful. In an ideal world, I would like a piece of software or an online interface that would:
- Sync with my calendar
- Allow me to drag and drop recipes into certain days of the week with the day’s events and notations visible
- Have a separate menu option for party planning or mass production
- Contain a searchable database of recipes, including the cookbooks I have at home, online sources, and allow me to import recipes from other sources
- Allow me to tag recipes that are favorites, easy, or create a lot of leftovers
- Automatically populate a grocery list that I can sort by grocery store section (produce, dairy, meat, etc.), recipe, and day of the week
- Archive my meal plans from previous weeks and provide trending information on frequency of dishes made and ingredients bought
- Keep account of grocery bills over time, including a notes section for unusual purchases or stocking staples
Of course, there are a few sticky logistical details to hammer out, like getting all of the recipes from every single source, granting licensing permission, and coding each ingredient, but just go with me, here. Are there any programmers out there who want to make my meal-planning, recipe-filing, personal finance-tracking life more efficient?
What’s that? I’m thinking too hard about this? Oh, fine. My spreadsheet and I will just carry on with planning for the week after next, thank you.
14 comments
Damn you would be so crazy organized.
This post makes my head hurt.
ooohh… a programming challenge. If you had presented me this idea in college and I could have somehow turned it around for credit, I would be all over this… unfortunately, since I haven’t programmed in years, and no way have the time to do it I won’t be able to help you! but great idea!
Even though you’re doing way more planning than I ever would, I’m impressed at all the thought you put into it. You’re so smart.
Wow, and here I thought we were doing good with our hand-scrawled list of meals suggestions (not assignments, ‘cuz ya never know if you feel like eating chicken on Wednesday, right?) stuck to the fridge with a cute magnet. I bow down to your organizational skillz.
I am in love with your love of spreadsheets. It’s just too cute.
I am impressed. And a little scared. But mostly impressed. (And thinking I may have to go with a scaled-down version of this myself)
If I had taken a bet as to who would come up with this idea first – you or Dad – I would have seriously bet on Dad. He’d be so proud of you right now.
You should bounce it off him and see what he says. Then all of a sudden we’ll hear about poor Mom having to enter all this info into a spreadsheet…LOL!
yeah I agree with the head hurting from this post. But I kinda wish I was organized like this
Oooh! If you get this program, please let me know! I can totally do with one of those!
If you do get this developed and produced, I would totally buy it. Although, most of the time I don’t even know what I’m making for dinner until five minutes before I decide to make it, so this may be just another expense that could have been a pair of shoes…
I would love one of these, too! I keep spreadsheets to track how much I spend on certain things (clothes, cats) (the cats one is really nerdy – I have it broken down per month and per cat!), but I’d love one to track how much I spend on groceries too….
Wegman’s has a feature on their website, where if you’re looking at a recipe you can just click “add to list” and it automatically adds all the ingredients to a printable shopping list. And it’s broken down by shopping aisle.
RA… I’m relieved that I am not the only person running her personal life via Excel. I’d also like the application to determine what I can actually make based on what I have on hand. You know, for when I forget to go to the store.
I LOVE this idea! I would become so obsessed though and probably spend more time playing with my menu than actually preparing food which is what I’m supposed to be doing RIGHT NOW. :0
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