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Fun Printable Menu Planner

I, for one, DESPISE making multiple trips to the grocery store in one week! The lines, the crowds, the parking lot, the "People of Walmart". It all makes me nervous and I'm not shy to say that I highly value quiet time at home! So anyway, for mostly the purpose of making a complete shopping list, I've been planning my meals by the week for almost 3 years now. This way, I go to the store once a week (unless Bobby needs candy or I forget something) and I have everything I need. I can avoid awkward moments with strangers.

Now, I'm super lazy, and meal planning has become a bit of a chore, so I decided I'd just plan 5 weeks of meals and rotate them! I got crafty with it and papercrafted a weekly planner, and then scanned it in blank since I didn't feel like making 5 different ones (again, lazy). I used Picasa to superimpose the meals onto each week and printed them out onto cardstock. I cut them out and used my Bind-it-all to make a book. I added magnets and VOILA! A meal plan that I can flip every week and we only eat the same thing once every 35 days :)

And for your own personal use, here's a free (FREEEEEEEEE!) printable in case you want to join in the fun. Remember, if your family doesn't approve of the meals, tell them "You'll eat it and like it!"

Enjoy! Happy Tuesday!

Planner Printable 2

6 comments:

Vanessa R-A said...

Very cute! I'm trying to be better about meal planning as well. I don't mind grocery shopping, but if I don't have a meal in mind, we eat out... and that is not only expensive but bad for us! I just bought 2 weeks' of dinner groceries yesterday. Still need to sort out everything but I'm pretty proud of myself. In our house, my husband will eat whatever I make him. I think only one meal he didn't like and I didn't like it either. lol.

Kaotickrafter said...

Great idea! I am fortunate enough to be able to choose my grocery shopping time, so I can go when the store opens on a Wednesday morning if I want. I usually don't, but I could if I wanted. And I only cook 3, sometimes 4 meals a week. We really like leftovers. And cereal. We love breakfast for dinner at least once a week. Oh, and mac and cheese for the kiddo.

Thanks for the free printable! I am off to play with it now:)

Allison said...

Kira! I'm finally here (after how long saying "I need to look at your blog!"?). Love it. And this meal planning craft is doable for people like me who are craft-challenged, and I think this will simplify my life, too. Thanks! (Getting ready for some yoooooogurt? We'll shield you from any awkward stranger situations :-P)

Amy O'H. said...

Thanks for sharing this- makes a dreary task into something pretty!

Kaotickrafter said...

So we have been using this for 2 weeks and I love it! I add a menu to each week in my altered journal/planner. At first I wasn't sure I would like it because I have to fold the menu either before or after Wednesdays tag, but I just discovered tonight that if I tape up the folded paper, I am left with not only a well fitting menu, but also a handy little receipt holder!
Thanks again for this great tool :)

Kira Nichols said...

You are so welcome! I'm glad to hear it's been useful in your household :) And flattered to hear it has a place in your altered journal!