Poll: Do You Increase or Decrease Amounts from OAMM Menus?
Okay, this is a little bit of a tricky question so please read carefully before you enter your answer in the right side bar. You are most welcome to explain your answer in the comments section but PLEASE be sure to still put your vote in the right side bar.
A reader commented that it would be nice if I provided the menu in a half portion as well as the full portion for those that are cooking for just one family. Like all valid suggestions, I have been weighing the options and the potential use. I can see several pros but I can also see several things that would cause me extra work. And creating extra work for myself has GOT TO BE warranted and usable by readers. I don’t charge for what is here which is why I don’t usually make adaptions or changes. However, I am always open to consider new options if a majority of readers need it. So that is where you come in.
The question you see in the right side bar is in relation to whether you automatically half the grocery list and recipes or whether you leave them the same or multiply them by another half to accommodate more people. I know there are a million other variations on this question, but for now, this is my main concern. So, time to vote!
If you are reading this on Facebook or as an email please click over to the site and cast your vote in the right side margin.
Yesterday, was my 1st time attempting the OAMM day. I had no problem halving the ingredients list. It seemed like too much work to alter the recipes so I just halved in my head as I went along. With that said and the fact that it’s a free site, I’m fine with it being as is and I can do the extra “work” for myself. Thanks for sharing such a neat idea in a very organized way.
Wow, so far it’s looking like most people adjust it. It really doesn’t surprise me too much. While it’d be awesome to always be able to get together with another cook and prepare all these meals, I think most of us are on our own.
I do adjust them down if I choose to make a recipe, but I don’t make a lot of them. I think anyone who can cook these recipes should be able to cut the recipes in half on their own. I would never expect you to do it.
I’ve tried finding another person to work with me, but our schedules don’t ever work. I end up just doing it on my own.
I usually adjust them down, that said I would think that most cooks could do this themselves…I have never made a full menu, my family has very varied tastes as well as likes variety so I do my cooking quite differently. I do a few 2-3 main dishes such as chicken, beef, pasta at once on a sunday afternoon. Then the next week I do some more. Within a few weeks I have a variety in my freezer. Sometimes I double a casserole during the week or a big batch or sauce. I am always stocking my freezer. Sometimes I do skip a Sunday, but I usually still have meals on hand. I just don’t have time for a full cooking day. I thought I would pass this on in case this helps someone else. LOVE LOVE LOVE your website.
It helps so much for you to give us a starting point. I don’t expect you to accommodate splitting the recipe. Label the amount it makes and then let us adjust as it suits us. We can use one recipe and divide it into several meals and freeze or else we divide it first and make it into one meal. We should be able to accomplish that. If someone is having a problem with the proportions then they should be able to email you and ask a specific question or post it here and we can help as well. Not expected that you will do constant adjustments.
I agree with Quirky Jessi and Holly. I also adjust them down due to the fact I have to cook by myself. Thank you so very much for all the time you take to make doing once a month cooking easier for all of us. But like the fact that if I need to cook alot due to company coming I can do that too. Trica Thanks Again, for all your hard work. I love your site…. God Bless you.
I usually double the recipes, because I’m freezing them anyway, and I cook alone! But, really, it’s no problem for me to do so, and I’d never expect you to figure out the calculations for me! I’d say keep doing what you’re doing, and I appreciate all the work I know you put into these lists.
I have no problem halving a recipe, it is less work for me to do when I want to make one…than for you to do them all. I sure appreciate your site!
I think others should just adjust for what they need.. I cook with 4 cooks and we just figure it out! You should leave it alone as it is free and an amazing site!!!
I cook for only 2 so I almost always divide the ingredients in the recipe in half. Sometimes I cut it down to a quarter, but find that the spices and herbs don’t always translate to just quartering the amounts, but then I always cook and taste and adjust so it doesn’t matter much to have you do it. I sure do appreciate the offer though. Your website and recipes have helped me get through a very rough period this past year…even though money was very scarce, mom and I ate well and very frugally too
Jackie, thank you for your input and I am so glad to hear that the site has helped you through some rough financial times. I wish the circumstances were different but glad that you have been able to use the resource.
I LOVE this website and wouldn’t want you to do extra work. I haven’t done a big once a month cook yet, but have made up to 12 meals (4 different things) in one evening. I usually try the meal on its own first (with the original recipe) and if everyone likes it, I make the version you provide. I’ve even used an extra meal or two for friends having babies.
I love your website and appreciate the menus. I complete my cooking quickly and easy, this is what I like…:-)
First time we did it as is, but eliminated a few recipes. The second time we add a cook and swapped out a few recipes. This time we will do some of our old favs from OAMM and a few of our own. Plus, instead of cooking together we are going to prepare the meals at our leisure and then swap (I hope).
I don’t usually make the whole menu anyway, but when I do I tend to adjust quantities down. However, I adjust each recipe differently depending on if it’s something brand new or if I think it’s something we’ll really enjoy, etc. I can easily do the adjusting myself and would NEVER expect you to do it for me. You put so much effort into the menus inthe first place and it becomes a great jumping off point for me. Your site is free, and as such is a tremendous resource for people like me. I think most people can easily adjust the recipes on their own.
Thanks for all the work you do!
I usually start with what you’ve posted, but then I have to swap out things (for taste, and age appropriateness). Then I have to adjust quantities on the dinners, because we need more. So, I make alot of adjustments. Remember that old saying ” you can’t please everyone, so may as well please yourself”
I am a single mother with 2 picky kids… and as I am the only one interested in doing the once a month thing, I generally cook myself for myself or myself and my family. With only 3 of us I make smaller containers, plus things with any kind of cream or cheese won’t work for my family since I have one guy who won’t eat them.
I basically use the menu to add a few huge batches of things here and there to the menu that I know my kids will eat. I also try to incorporate things that I want for the weeks that they are with their father.
Just a thought here. At the moment, the poll shows that more people adjust the recipe in half than leave it as is or adjust the quantities upward COMBINED. To me that suggests that more of your readers cook alone, as I do. Maybe instead of planning out the instructions for 2 cooks, you should do it for one cook. From my experience, the order of events is different for 1 person than you describe it for 2.
I download the excel versions of the files, then it’s super easy to cut everything in 1/2–I just create a new column and do a formula with the other column/2. copy and paste the formula to all rows and you’re done!
Ok, super easy if you’re a computer geek like me who uses excel all the time! LOL