Veckomeny

Veckomeny is a Swedish term referring to a planned menu for the week. It is used by households, schools, workplaces, and food-service providers to organize meals for the coming seven days. A veckomeny may list dishes for each day and can cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or focus on the main meals of the day.

The purpose of a veckomeny is to streamline cooking and shopping, improve budgeting, and reduce food waste. By anticipating meals, households can buy only what is needed, plan leftovers, and aim for a balanced selection of ingredients. For institutions, a weekly plan helps with standardization, procurement planning, and compliance with nutritional guidelines or local requirements.

Implementation and variations vary by setting. In homes, a weekly plan is often created on Sundays and may reflect family preferences, seasonal ingredients, and leftovers. Some plans include meatless days or theme nights. In schools and municipal kitchens, veckomeny is used to guarantee nutrition, provide transparency for parents, and support consistent meal quality. Many services publish weekly menus online to inform the public.

Criticisms and challenges include perceived rigidity, the time required to prepare the plan, and difficulties adapting to unexpected changes. A successful veckomeny tends to balance structure with flexibility, offering quick options, batch-cooking ideas, and occasional spontaneity while still reducing waste and supporting consistent meals.