Menu Planning Made Easy

It's almost time for school to start, and this year I'm beginning a new adventure: my oldest is starting school (insert  *gasp* emoticon). I'm actually really excited about this new phase, and it's given me an adrenaline burst to get certain facets of our lives a little more organized - or at least, more functionable (that's a word, right?). So, when I saw this idea posted on facebook a few weeks I ago, I immediately took a screen shot of it and quite literally burst out "That's it!" It's the menu planning option I've been looking for for years. Believe me, I have done them ALL: the notebooks, the day planners, the special meal planners you can download, writing out the week's meals on a chalkboard, writing out the week's meals on an old picture frame and glass with a dry erase marker. Nothing has really ended up working that well. But THIS. This is genius. And right up front I'm not taking any credit for it, since some person-whose-name-I-forget posted it originally. I'm simply sharing what I did, so that if this helps you, you can do the same. 

Here's my Easy Menu Planner: 

OVERALL CONCEPT: Compile a list of meals that you use regularly and write them on cards so that you can pin them up and rotate them as needed.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: 

• Scrapbook paper
• Adhesive of some kind (tape, glue, etc.)
• Various decorative stickers
• Sticky Letters (or really awesome handwriting)
• Notecards
• Magnetic Clips (like these)
• Sticky note pad
• Magnetic cup/container (like this)

INSTRUCTIONS: 

First, I started out by compiling all my recipe cards that I regularly use for meals and writing out each meal name on my menu-planning cards, with just the ingredients needed on that back. That way, as I'm making a shopping list, I can just flip the card over to see what's needed. 

Then, I created a little "board" out of scrapbook paper and used my awesome sticky letters from the Target dollar bins to label everything (including the magnetic clips for each day). 

After that, I simply clipped a few menu cards onto each day's spot and put the rest into the magnetic cup (along with my writing pen and a pad of sticky notes for making shopping lists each week). 

For breakfasts and lunches, I didn't really need "meal cards," since we sort of rotate the same few things. So I just pinned them up as a reference point. 

And that's it! Each week (typically on Sunday afternoons), I'll just go through my cards and clip up the ones I want to use for the week. And if I know we won't be there a certain night I can just leave it blank (e.g picture below). Then I can make my shopping list off of the ingredients (before shopping Monday or Tuesday). 

Hope this helps some others of you who have also been looking for news ways to menu plan. Feel free to let us know if you have other suggestions or additions to this as well! (Or simply awesome recipes that I should add to my own stash. Good food ideas are always welcome :-) ). Here are some of our favorites. 

Megan for The Sisterhood