To read tips and ideas from other bloggers, check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer!
Menu planning is really wonderful way to help stretch your budget, as well as hopefully saving some sanity so that you aren’t always scrambling around at 5:15 pm thinking, “What are we having for dinner?”
Menu planning works for lots of families — but what works best for us is monthly menu planning.
For many years now, my huband has just been paid once a month. That was a huge adjustment for us, and I have to admit that I probably still wouldn’t be use to it, but thanks to my working a few hours a week (and being paid weekly), it helps us out. When Eric moved to be paid only once a month, we did realize, however, that what would work for us was to plan our menus an entire month at a time.
To do this, I do the majority of my shopping all at once, after planning out about 32 meals or so (and then figuring in things for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks), I head out for that one major 
trip. I do, however, make smaller trips to the grocery store throughout the month for things like milk, bread, and produce.
When I plan our meals, I make sure to plan some things that will throw together easily and other things that may take longer.
After I have my large list, I work from that to plan exactly what we’ll have each week. (This also helps to occasionally add in things that go on sale, or perhaps I put off actually buying steak until they go on sale at Kroger, and then put in my steak meals after that point in the month.)
Here is an example of what is on our latest monthly list (sometimes there is a notation behind it that indicates we’ll have it more than once in the month):
Teriyaki Chicken (x 2)
Teriyaki Steak Kabobs (x 2)
BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Spaghetti (x 2)
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Spanish Rice
Cheesy Potato Soup
Corn Chowder (x 2)
Turkey Breast
Spinach and Egg Fettucini with Chicken
Beans and Cornbread
Salads with Chicken, Hardboiled Eggs, and Bacon (we had this tonight — we picked the lettuce and spinach right out of our garden just before dinner, and then I made artisan bread this afternoon as a side)
Club Quesadillas
Honey Mustard Ham Sandwiches
Pancakes (x 2)
Macaroni and Cheese with Tuna
Mushroom Cavatappi
Grill Out (one time chicken, one time burgers)
Eggs, Toast, and Bacon
Steak (we cut it up, so Eric and I shared a steak), Pioneer Woman’s Crash Potatoes, & Mushrooms
Roast
Steak Stir Fry with Rice
Quick Chicken Teriyaki (from Kraft.com)
Beef Noodle Bowls (ditto from above)
Creamy Rice, Chicken, & Spinach Dinner (yep…Kraft.com again)
Chili Cheese Hot Dogs
Steak Soft Tacos
Meatloaf
Photo from WayTru
No related posts.
