Meal Planning Can Be Easy

One of our events this week was to take out our calendars and plan a week's worth of meals. Here are the menus that I used to use. I took things that my family already ate on a regular basis. I made up 4 menus, along with the shopping list to go with those meals. Then I rotated those weeks, so we would repeat once every four weeks.

Here are my sample menus:

Menu 1
Jambalaya, Rolls
Tacos, Refried Beans, Spanish Rice
Lemon Chicken, Rice, Veggies
Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Gnocchi, Garlic Bread, Salad

Menu 2
Chili Boats
Fried Burritos, Spanish Rice
BBQ Baked Chicken, Salad, Rice
Hamburger Helper, Salad
Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Apple Sauce
Spaghetti, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

Menu 3
Stew, Rolls
Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans
Mushroom Chicken, Corn, Rice, Salad
Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Chips
Stir Fry
Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread

Menu 4
Tortilla Soup, Tortillas
Cheese Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Spanish Rice
Herb Roasted Chicken, Green Beans, Salad, Rice
Tamale Pie
Crockpot Pork, Corn, Mashed Potatoes
Fettuccini Alfredo, Garlic Bread, Veggie

During the summer months, I would replace the soups and stews with salads. You might have noticed that there are only 6 dinners listed. That left night 7 for leftovers or dining out/take out. Also, I am not posting my shopping list because your list would be different based on the recipes you use.

Take some time to write down the recipes your family already enjoys. Then create a master shopping list and take the time to put it in order by the layout of your grocery store! The extra effort now will save you a lot of time later.