one of my goals for 2009 is to be better at menu and meal planning. because i realized i needed a solution to the 4:30pm what's for dinner delimma. i'm sure i don't even have to go into it. most moms know exactly what i'm talking about.
so for the past 6 weeks i have dedicated Sunday to menu and meal planning. i am just planning one week at a time since that's about all our pantry and freezer can hold.
i literally sit down at the kitchen table with my favorite cookbook and recipe resources {currently this and this}, and a pen and paper. on one piece of paper i write down M, T, W, H, F, S, U. i just plan dinners for weekdays and both lunch and dinners for the weekend. there's always one night that we have pizza and usually one night we go out to dinner. but i plan for them anyway, just in case. i like to have a back-up plan for my always hungry family!
i find relatively easy recipes that my family will eat, and on another piece of paper i jot down the ingredients we need. i take both pieces of paper {and my coupons} with me to the grocery store, usually Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings.
my plan has worked great so far. it has really taken away that 4 o'clock anxiety because i know what we're having and i know we have all the ingredients! and i think it's savig us money because i'm only buying food we need, not just buying food.
there are so many good ideas for family menu and meal planning. if you dread the "what's for dinner?" then i strongly suggest you try it!
