I really love the menu planner that Shelly uses when she does her weekly menu planning video. My husband and I had discussed it and I was all set to order one. I decided to give it my three day test and see what I thought about it after three days. During that three days I found myself thinking about how I had just worked so hard to pull together a household binder and how well it was working for me. Of course, it isn't as pretty as the purchased menu planner, but it is highly functional. After spending some time thinking about what I really liked about the planner, I decided that I have not only the time, but also the skills and supplies to design my own. I hated the idea of buying one once a year. Of course, I am not at home this week and decided to start with an internet search for samples.
What did I find? This great black and white sheet that is very similar to the sheets in Shelly's planner.
Best of all it is free.
A similar planner page is here.
When I get home I'll print a few and see how I like using them. (I already have monthly calendar pages printed for the year, but I know I am not truly interested in planning meals for a month...at least not yet.)
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I like how you took the reader thru your thought process. Yes, make one up at home, if you can, using supplies on hand, time available. Even 1 week at a time, what I first started with when I moved out of my parent's home at 23, makes such a difference! Less food waste, plan for busy evenings to ensure a quick leftover/crock pot night to avoid expensive and not necessarily healthy, take out. TTG!
ReplyDeleteI think my biggest hurdle to one month at a time is that everyone seems to have such varied schedules from week to week. I hate to plan big meals and then only find myself home. Usually I can get a weekend update on each person and try to plan accordingly.
DeleteI think making your planner with what you have on hand is a very smart way to go. My planner is just a piece of paper stuck on the refrigerator. I like to have an idea but not a set plan. If I plan menus then I feel trapped and I like the flexibility of some spontaneous meals. I have found instead of actual meals i like to plan ingredients for the week (Proteins and produce since they are the ingredients with a shorter refrigerator span) For example I will note at the beginning of the week 2 chicken meals, 1 vegetarian meal, 2 beef meals, 1 pork meal,1 leftovers meal or soup meal. Then I list my available produce and mix and match whatever I decide at the last minute to cook. It works for me
ReplyDeleteI like that method of planning meals. I have a tendency to do that mentally. I kind of have a running mental list of what is here. Once in a while I will get surprised and find I have used something up without realizing it...lol. I think my biggest thing is that I am a list writer -- on the back of envelopes, scraps of paper, etc. -- but I often toss my lists. I'm finding that a binder helps me keep up with the things I do much better.
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