Menu Planning

I have a system for planning menus that I have been working on. It is a really nice system. First of all there are many really nice websites that offer menus already planned with a shopping list for you ready to go, such as:

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/kitchen/weeklymenu/

These are fantastic and a real time saver sometimes. But for myself I found that I wanted more. I wanted breakfast and lunch menus also. I also found that on a tight budget these menus were sometimes more pricey than I could afford. And sometimes the recipes were not something my family would eat and I would have to make substitutions. So I have come up with my own system that I would like to share.

1. First I took a small 6x9 inch 3 ring binder. Then I made 26 tab dividers and labeled them Week 1, Week 2 etc., I made 26 because that would mean that each menu would not have to be repeated each year as each one is for two weeks. You of course could make however many you think are nessessary.
2. Next I planned meals for each of breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also included snacks. For example I have list like this for breakfast: 1. Oatmeal (4), which means that we will eat oatmeal four times. I plan each meal that way until I have planned 14 menus for each meal. I do not list them in the order that we will eat them because I am a free spirit and like to have flexiblity. I just make a list of the planned breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks available.
3. Next I list EVERY item I will need to make this menu. Even if it is something I keep in stock I list it. Then I can just look through what is required and cross off the items that I have already.
4. I then print the menu on one side of the paper and the ingredient list on the other side and place it into my binder.
5. My next step is to type up any and all recipes needed for that menu and put them behind the tab with the list and shopping list. Now all I have to do is grab the one binder and I have what I need for all my meals.
6. In the back I have a 6x9 manilla envelope that I store recipes that I want to try etc.
7. I also plan leftover nights into my menu so that if we want to eat out or try something new there is flexibility.

It has really simplified things for me and as I finish making all of the menus things will be so much easier during mealtime.

Beginning Weight: 186

Current Weight: 185 (much better than yesterday)

Goal Weight: 135