Home Ec 101: Menu Planning

I've said it before, and I will likely say it a million times more. Menu planning just makes your life easier. Picture this. You've had a hectic day of playing soccer mom, running errands or tending to a new baby. It's 5:00 and your husband is due home at 6:00. What's for dinner?

Do you rush to take something out of the freezer and pray that you can get it defrosted and prepared in time for a nice family meal? Do you order pizza? Do you call your hubby and say "stop at McDonalds"? Do you announce to your family "I've had a long day, help yourselves."

Imagine if you never had to do any of those things. Imagine that you could serve home cooked, nutritious food to your family every night. If you ask me, planning and preparing food is part of a homemaker's job.

Menu planning not only helps you to be prepared on a daily basis for what you'll need to do. It will save you lots of money at the grocery store, too. Last month, I went to the regular grocery store once and to Sam's club once. That's it. Two stores. I saved tons of money, too. I am able to feed my family of four for about $60-$75 a week. I could not do that if I went to the grocery store with no concept in my mind of what I really NEEDED for the upcoming meals. If I don't have a prepared list in hand, I tend to purchase whatever looks good to me at the time. And let's face it, that's what the grocery stores are counting on. There's a reason they are a $547 billion a year industry!

Getting Started

Let's get started together with a baby step. Today is Wednesday, which means that "Inventory your pantry/ fridge/ freezer" is on your schedule for today.  So go ahead and do that. When you're done, sit down and write down 5-7 meals that your family really enjoys (and that you feel you have the time to make). Here's a handy little form you can use.

Be realistic

Take a look at your schedule for the upcoming week. If you know that next Tuesday you have to shuttle kids here and there for after school activities and won't be home until it's time for dinner (much less time for prepping and cooking) then Tuesday is probably a great Crock Pot day.If on Monday you have lots of errands to run and won't have too much time time to prep a meal, it's a good day to plan a 30 minute type meal.

Start with 7

Start with planning 7 days of dinners. Tomorrow is Thursday, which is errand and grocery shopping day. Take your list of 7 meals and decide what ingredients you are going to need. Now look at that great pantry/fridge/freezer inventory you made today... do you see where I'm going here? Compare the lists. Now make a grocery list with the ingredients you don't already have.

Look at your accomplishment

Look at what you now have! You have a plan for 7 great family meals, you know what is in your cupboards and you have a grocery list so you are prepared for your shopping tomorrow.

Now imagine what you are going to do with all your extra time!