Hello All,

I'm looking to start SB and am reading the book and looking at the sample menus in the book for each phase. In phase one, there is a new meal for each dinner, if I am to go and buy produce + meat for each of these meals for each of the 14 days it's going to cost a fortune! I used to be a pot of stew/chili/lasagne/leftovers for a couple days kind of gal. I can see that this is not going to work on SB. Is it ok to repeat the same dinner for a couple or three days? For example the roasted eggplant and peppers serves 4 but I'm feeding DH and I so we can eat that for two dinners.

I know this may sound like a silly question but I like to do things by the book if I'm following a plan and I feel like if I don't follow the SB book I'm not doing it "right". I'm definately not liking the idea of having to buy meat for every single day of the week.

Also, two nights a week I don't get home until late (8.00 p.m.) is it ok to switch meals around for example I could have a salad that night because it's easy to prepare and fast?

How did you manage your menus in the beginning?

They are just sample menus - illustrating proper use of dairy, inclusion of veggies, snacks, etc.

Feel free to peruse the recipe section here and make your own menus based on your budget and personal tastes.

When I first started, I used the menus as exactly what they are intended to be - examples. I removed things I didn't want, or things that would be too costly and replaced them with something a little more friendly to my lifestyle and budget. There are a TON of really good recipes here and even more on the net. It shouldn't be hard to make a weekly menu, just stick to the basic principals of the menus provided.

breakfast - protein and veggies
snack
lunch - protein and veggies
snack
dinner-protein and even more veggies
snack/dessert

Follow the principals in the book and the restrictions (dairy, fats, etc.) and you should do just fine!

Thanks Zeffryn, I knew I was reading too deeply into it. I have a tendency to do that when taking instruction!

My menus are super simple. Basically bean and veggies, bean and veggies and more beans and veggies. Some of those veggies being salad.

I don't like breakfast so I drink a little soy milk in my morning tea.

Lynne: Welcome to the SB forum! You'll find lots of helpful info here as long as great support from long-time SB vets!

I agree 100% with Zeffryn. DH and I work out a lot after work, so cooking a different meal every night isn't an option. I usually cook a night then eat leftovers the following night. I'll be honest with you, some weeks I repeat the previous weeks' menu exactly. I eat the same breakfast every morning as well which cuts down on prep time and makes planning more simple. Cook what fits into your budget and what you like. This will work for you!!

There are some really great menus in this forum. I wasn't too impressed with the recipes in the book. And if you need help with daily menus, the weekly "what's for dinner" thread will usually give some great ideas.

I am so with you! I was reading the sample menus thinking, boy if I'm supposed to vary it every single day this is not going to work! I'm already drawing up my own menu plan with plenty of leftovers in sight. I've been menu planning my meals for a few years now and often repeat the same menu for a couple of weeks and I also eat the same breakfast every day. Which was oatmeal by the way haha.

I'm chanting the mantra "protein and veggies, protein and veggies" as I type...

isn't there a meal template in the stickies?

I for one have never once bought flank steak on SB. Eat what you like that is within the guidelines. I never cook for just one meal, who has time for that. Leftovers are always part of my plan.

Here it is!! (I think this is the right sticky! )

Genius!!

Thank you for that link!!

I usually try to vary my foods, especially the proteins. I use an excel spreadsheet to plan my menus. I only plan 3 days in advance, since it's only hubby and me, and I live 1 mile from a Whole Foods. The book is really a guideline, and once you get familiar with the diet, which will come fairly quickly, then you can customize the diet.

I see our Chickies have already given you some great advice, so let me just say to South Beach, Lynne!

What I noticed was that dinner in the sample menus seemed to rotate through red meat, chicken, seafood - then repeat. I rotated through the three, with some adjustments, and used leftovers for lunches. A lot of the lunches seemed to be salads with lean meats. I used the leftover cooked vegetables and meats on the salads. But if you want to plan leftovers for dinners, I'd see no problem with having the same thing two nights in a row - or cooking two nights in a row and having leftovers the next two nights. It's whatever works for you.

Ehhh.....I glanced at the sample menus in the book, but didn't follow them at all.

I planned my week's menu last week for the first time in my life - made things so much easier!

I'm single, live by myself, and work a lot of hours. No way am I cooking a full blown meal every night! I often have leftovers. Or I'll grill 2 or 3 chicken breasts at once and have them a couple of meals in a row.