The Menu Board!

OK, when I say meal planning alot of thoughts come to mind; such as "ugh, I don't have time for that" "is she crazy?" and "This is too overwhelming!" just to name a few.

However let me assure you, once you get in the groove, it is easy!

What you will need:

-a dry erase calender

-dry erase markers

- your recipes (whatever way you have them: cards, ipad app, in your head, find them here, find them online, ect..)

-pen

-paper

optional supplies:

-thumb tacks

-clips

OK this is SUPER simple, you can plan out your meals weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, whatever works best for you.

1. Pick your favorite recipes, write them in which day you want to eat them; I generally schedule in 1-2 crock pot recipes a week, because we are a busy family. ( here is a link to some really cute recipie cards that I use! http://www.thesweetestoccasion.com/2010/12/cookie-swap-recipe-cards-download/)

2. Take the recipes that you are making, using your pen and paper, create your grocery list from there and you are ready to roll!

OPTIONAL: I usually take the recipes and keep them clipped together with my clips and hang them on my menu board so that when I need the recipe to prepare the dinner (or see what I need to pull out of the freezer the night before!)  It is right there, no searching!

The total cost for our menu board was around $40, with the most expensive thing being the board itself. If you want to save money you can always print off a calender or use one you all ready have around the house.

If you are like I was, all of this was staring you in the face. Like most new things it takes a couple of weeks to get use to; but once you start it gets easier and quicker!  I usually spend about an hour on the weekend planning the weeks meals, making my shopping list & shopping for everything I need for the whole week!

I think the menu board, planning & with all the leftovers you will have for lunches (not to mention the occasional night you don't feel like cooking!) you will be pleasantly surprised at the money, time and chaos you will save by not always wondering "What am I going to make for dinner?" Plus, by checking back on our blog you can see all of the recipes we are having (under What's Cooking) each week! 

I will post the recipes we are eating each week to help you with your meal planning and grow your recipe book, so stop back on Sunday's and see what's Chopping with the Chapos!