In the last post, we created a list of foods that our families like to eat. Make sure that list has 36 options on it. I know it seems daunting to come up with 36 things that your family likes but don't feel like you have to do this all on your own. Ask your family for help. Recruit them to add items to your list. I find that if my family can contribute to the menu planning then they are more excited at dinner time.
I pick 36 entrees because I plan for 6 nights out of the week. One night each week is a LEFTOVER night. I hate for food to go to waste so I have this night to clean out the fridge. Most of the time I take leftovers to work for lunch so there aren't a lot of things left by leftover night.
Now create a grid with 6 rows and 7 columns. This will represent 6 weeks of meals. Select a leftover night that works best with your schedule and fill it in on the grid first. My leftover night is Wednesday. My husband used to have to be at church on Wednesday nights before I would get home from work. It was an easy way to make sure he had dinner before he left. On your grid fill your leftover night in for each week. Now you have 6 days to plan for each week.
Fill in your grid so that you have an entree in every remaining square. I like to look at the grid as a whole and see which meals make sense to happen in the same week. If I make beans and cornbread on Monday, I might put nachos on Tuesday or Thursday. I always have beans left over so it makes sense to add them to another meal later in the week.
If you have an entree in every square of your grid you are well on your way to having a meal plan that matches your family and the way you prefer to eat. Congratulations! You can do this. Creating a plan might take an investment in time at the beginning, but once you have it in place it will bless your family with knowing what is for dinner each night.
Using that same grid, let's add some side dishes that pair well with your entree choices. What vegetables do you like? What salad would be nice? If you have hamburgers down for a night, to you want potato salad? Chips? Tator tots?
If your family likes dessert with your meals, add a dessert item to each square of the grid. Sometimes my family likes a slice of cake, sometimes we like a piece of fruit. If it is written down, it is easier to make sure to get the items needed from the grocery store.
To wrap up, make a list of things you like to eat and add them to a grid so that you have a long term picture of your menu.
You are almost completely finished with your menu. If you have made it this far, you will be finished soon.
Happy planning,
Jill
Fill in your grid so that you have an entree in every remaining square. I like to look at the grid as a whole and see which meals make sense to happen in the same week. If I make beans and cornbread on Monday, I might put nachos on Tuesday or Thursday. I always have beans left over so it makes sense to add them to another meal later in the week.
If you have an entree in every square of your grid you are well on your way to having a meal plan that matches your family and the way you prefer to eat. Congratulations! You can do this. Creating a plan might take an investment in time at the beginning, but once you have it in place it will bless your family with knowing what is for dinner each night.
Using that same grid, let's add some side dishes that pair well with your entree choices. What vegetables do you like? What salad would be nice? If you have hamburgers down for a night, to you want potato salad? Chips? Tator tots?
If your family likes dessert with your meals, add a dessert item to each square of the grid. Sometimes my family likes a slice of cake, sometimes we like a piece of fruit. If it is written down, it is easier to make sure to get the items needed from the grocery store.
To wrap up, make a list of things you like to eat and add them to a grid so that you have a long term picture of your menu.
You are almost completely finished with your menu. If you have made it this far, you will be finished soon.
Happy planning,
Jill
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