Menu Plan

Plan! Plan! Plan!

If I was the PA on the popular Jim Carey movie Mr. Popper's Penguins I would be walking around saying "People : proper planning prevents poor performance. "

If you fail to plan you indeed plan to fail.

Meal planning for your family impacts on so many other areas including time and money.  How many times have you had to race to the shops to buy one missing ingredient for a meal? Or worse still, had to throw out rotten Veges that were never used up?

You will save so much stress and solve so many issues by planning your meals.

The prime time to plan your menu is on shopping day.

Here is a schedule to follow...

1) Write down a long list of 30+ meals that your family enjoys. Do some research throughout the year to continually update the list. Ask friends for the recipe when you enjoya meal they bake you.

2) Plan 7 meals..actually choose seven meals that create variety for the week. Or more depending on how often you grocery shop. Rather than having chicken three nights in a row have it one night followed by mince the next and vegetarian the one after.

Avoid being spontaneous. Choose a day of the week that you do your shopping and stick to it.

Write down the days of the week and list your meal chpices next to each day. Be proud of yourself for caring enough about yourself to plan ahead. Place the list somewhere visible.  I try and keep the front of my fridge clear so I stick mine on a less visible kitchen cabinet.

3) Write a grocery list based on the ingredients you are missing from your supplies make the meal. If you write down Tacos and you only have the box of Taco shells then add meat, sauces, cheeses, tins and freah vegetables to your list.

Repeat this procedure for every meal you are planning. Put thos list in your bag and head to the grocery store.

4) Now glance back over your budget to check how much you have available for your groceries that week. Or even better do that before you start the process so you can create a plan that works around your budget.  Avoid a seafood platter if your budget doesn't allow it.

5) Go shopping

6) Check your Menu Plan and your supplies.

Every night before you go to bed you will have a clear idea of what you are eating the next evening by checking your list. You can sleep peacefully knowing that your life is under control and wonderfully organised. And if your sister came to visit and ate all your tomatoes that you needed to make your masterpiece you will be able to pick some up in your lunch break the next day. Or if you are a SAHM and don't get that luxury go before school pick-up to avoid buying Oreos and Roll-ups too.


P.S. When you have this process flowing smoothly add lunch and then breakfast into the equation.

I challenge you to get organised today!