Meal Planning Resources

I shared the meal planning steps that have been working for my family but I don’t even pretend to have all the answers. I do however love to collect ideas! I hope these will be a jump start towards finding a meal plan technique that works for you. These are just a few of the ideas out there; so thank to all of those awe-inspiring folks sharing what’s working for them!

Since I divided my own meal planning into steps (you can check out my meal plan here), I am organizing these found ideas beneath those same steps.

1. Check your Calendar

Don’t waste time pondering what to cook; incorporate Theme days described by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque on Simple Bites. Theme days as a part of your schedule makes everyday a tiny party! This idea is similar to assigning each day its own type of entrée, but it takes it to a new level.

2.Take Stock of your Pantry

Use this simple pantry listfrom $5 dinners and you will always know what you have on hand. Also if you sign up with $5 Dinners, Erin offers her meal plan every Sunday night in your email inbox complete with the recipes and grocery list. It definitely simplifies menu planning! Hop on over to her site to find some other great printables like this one.

3. Plan around the Sales

Find every imaginable store deal by checking out becentable’s comprehensive list of money saving blogs.

If you are new to couponing, Saving and Givinghas a straightforward couponing tutorial.

4. Collect Meal Ideas

I use a recipe binder to tame all my recipes. If you want to take your binder up a notch, Prudent Baby shares their stylish template for a Recipe Binder

Home Made Simple is a site that gives a variety of options to organize recipes
VisitMmm to get a variety of meal plans from the pros in a collection of some top blogs from around the web.

5. Write the Plan

You can find a plan to fit your style.

For the Techie-

Simple Bites shares how to plan your meals on Gmailas well as other ways to store your recipes online.

Artsy-

One of a kind menu planners from Ollibird.com.

DIY’er-

Try these crafty meal boards:

Fridge meal planner template– from Home Made Simple

Meal Plan Wipe off Boardfrom Organized Thoughts

Menu Boardfrom Paisley Passions

Menu Organizer and Recipe Holder from Crafts and Sutch

Still feel too busy to plan your weekly meals? Organizing junkie compiled a vast list of Meal Planning Helpers that you can subscribe to for a small fee and get the meal planning done for you.

Feel like you got this under control? Try cooking only once a month at Once a Month Mom.

Have you found the perfect fit when it comes to planning the meals for your family? Share away!

grocery cart image by Mike Licht