Christine Theodore is the busy mom of four young adult children who discovered this system of cooking when she had three kids under three. She says, "It seemed that everyday at 5:00 p.m. when I was planning to cook a meal, they began the "fussing follies." Dinner went uncooked and I was frazzled." While listening to a radio show one afternoon she heard an interview with Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. These two women were discussing a book they'd written based on a system of cooking they observed by their mothers on the mission field and adapted to their families. She immediately ordered their book, Once a Month Cooking, and employed the process in her own kitchen. The results were amazing - dinner hour was saved at her house. That was 20 years ago, and she still finds the process a wonderful time and money saver.
The recipes included on this site are from her personal collection gathered from family, friends, cookbooks, magazines, and websites as well as many original creations. Her primary goal is to share them with her children who now call home for a recipe. Credit is given as much as is possible.
To create a month of menus, use a calendar grid (see download below) or even just make a list numbered 1-30.
Gather your favorite recipes with a variety of entrees. Write one in each box or next to each number. I consider how I buy a meat. For instance, I buy ground turkey in a 4-pack, so I'll plan 4 meals with ground turkey. Chicken breasts come about 15 to a 10lb. bag, so I'll do 2-4 meals depending upon the amount of chicken needed - whether it needs to be shredded, chopped or prepared as a whole breast. I find that "Costco-sized" breasts usually serve 2 people each.
As you are sorting through the recipes alternate meats and pastas throughout the month.
Consider your outside activities, parties and events that will give you a night off.
Once you have filled the calendar or list, then go through the recipes to create a shopping list.
Plan one day or evening for shopping and a separate time for cooking.
My favorite cooking tools:
8 and 16 quart stock pots
non-stick frying pans
crock-pot
variety of mixing bowls
oodles of rubber spatulas
measuring spoons and cups
Vita-Mix or food processor
hand-mixer
For the freezer:
If you have a small freezer like a side by side, you will want to store your foods in Ziploc-style freezer bags that can lay flat and stack easily.
If you have a larger freezer, I recommend storing the menu item in the dish you'll be cooking/serving in.
Meats for marinating can be stored in Ziploc-style freezer bags.
Blank Menu (pdf)
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