Anyone who has started exploring ways to cut down on grocery costs knows that menu planning is essential. Not only that, but unless you’re one of those people who has gobs of free time (ha), you probably don’t want to run to the grocery store every few days to pick up that one ingredient you forgot or suddenly realized you need.
Enter the Menu Plan.
I know. It’s nothing new or exciting. But here’s the reason menu planning is so common in all those articles, seminars, and books about organizing our lives: it works. It really does.
Since I grew up in the middle of Nowheresville, USA, and the nearest grocery store was 20 minutes down the dirt road, the whole concept of menu planning was ingrained in me from a young age. To this day I still plan our menu, even though we practically live in Wal-Mart’s backyard (yeah, classy, I know). And it still saves me tons of time – especially now that I have a squirmy toddler to bundle up against the bitter cold.
I don’t think there’s any right or wrong way to plan a menu, as long as it works for you and your family. I’ve used several methods in the past, but the one I’m using now is by far my favorite. When used in conjunction with my grocery list method (more on than later) it saves more time and money than any way I’ve used in the past. And did I mention it saves brain power? With just a little bit of prep work, my menu and grocery list is extremely streamlined and requires minimal effort to put together.
So here’s how my menu plan works. I’ll warn you it’s nothing genius or fancy. But it works for us, so that’s what I go with.
Right now I plan our meals for two weeks in a row – seems fitting since we fill up the grocery envelope every two weeks. Additionally, if I plan for two weeks I can get exactly what I need at each store without needing to go back there again until the next cycle – assuming I don’t forget anything, or find any fantastic deals in the store’s ad next week… or start craving ice cream.
I have seven “themes” for my meals that I chose based on both Chris’ and my preferences and what we might be doing that night of the week. The themes are things like “pizza”, “soup”, etc. But the specific meals change from week to week.
Here’s a sample of my dinner plans for two weeks in a row:
Week 1
- Mexican: Tacos
- Beans & Rice: Mush with Salad
- Soup: Frugal Vegetable Soup with Crackers
- Sandwich: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Salad/Baby Carrots
- Pizza: Chicken & Pepper Toppings
- Chris:* Rice Pasta Spaghetti with Salad and Garlic Bread
- Leftovers
Week 2
- Mexican: Black bean burritos
- Beans & Rice: Better Beans & Rice (suspiciously similar to the meal above…)
- Soup: Beef Stew with Salad/Rolls
- Sandwich: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Salad or Baby Carrots
- Pizza: Frugal Gourmet Pizza with Caesar Salad
- Chris: Beef Hot Dogs with Whole Grain Buns and Salad (I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that we eat hot dogs every now and then. But it’s Chris’ favorite meal ever, so I can deal)
- Leftovers
*Since my man is such a good sport about eating gobs of healthy homemade food, I try to make at least one meal a week that isn’t necessarily the healthiest but is one of his favorites.
Lunches and breakfasts are a lot easier. Since Chris doesn’t care about eating more or less the same meal every day, I usually get enough ingredients to make 2 or 3 different lunches over the next few weeks, then I switch them up and periodically pack leftovers instead. Go here to read more about my easy, healthy lunch box meals.
Breakfasts usually involve things like oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and of course leftover pizza (why is that such an fabulous breakfast food?!?). Lately all three of us have been slurping up green smoothies, another favorite.
Like I said, this is a pretty basic, easy way to plan a menu. However, the real magic happens when I use it along with my grocery lists. That’s where I really save time, money, and most importantly brain power.
More on that later.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
I kind of grew up menu planning, but I’m curious about whether or not you did. When did you decide to start? How has your method changed since you first learned?
If you don’t plan a menu, I ‘d love to hear why you don’t and why that works for you.
Cheers,
10 comments
3 pings
Susie Bee on Maui (Eat Little, Eat Big)
01/10/2011 at 1:28 PM (UTC -6)
I do less than I did when working full time but I still roughly plan out the week, check what’s in the pantry, freezer etc
Because we get our veggie delivery on Wednesday evening, I usually do this on Thursday.
I do like the ability to be spontaneous though when I see a recipe I MUST try or something good-looking at the store!
Lisa Robertson
01/11/2011 at 6:56 AM (UTC -6)
This is great stuff, Steph! Thanks for sharing. I love the “theme” idea and I’m going to try it out at our house. I’ve only recently started meal planning, and so far I’ve really seen a positive change in not only our budget, but my sanity in not having to come up with something every night!
Darcy
01/11/2011 at 7:59 AM (UTC -6)
I create a weekly menu based on what I was able to get on sale at the grocery store. I find this is the best way to keep within our small grocery budget. Sometimes we eat pretty much the same things for a couple of weeks, but it helps us keep the goal of putting as much as we can toward paying off debt.
Steph
01/11/2011 at 9:35 AM (UTC -6)
Darcy – Way to go sticking it out to pay off debt! You’re a rockstar.
Karen @ Abundance on a Dime
01/11/2011 at 8:00 AM (UTC -6)
I gave up traditional meal planning years ago. I am more of a “Pantry Principle” kind of gal
I shop each week to restock the pantry/fridge/freezer with whatever’s on sale at rock-bottom prices that week, rather than shopping for ingredients for specific meals that I’m making that week. I tend to plan meals about 24-48 hrs in advance, based on what’s starting to wilt in the crisper, what leftovers are in the fridge, and what else we have a surplus of or needs to be used up soon. I’ve found this way works a lot better for me, keeps my grocery bill as low as possible and minimizes food waste.
Steph
01/11/2011 at 9:33 AM (UTC -6)
Karen – Great concept! I love that you don’t let anything go to waste. Yeah, I follow the “pantry principle” too, and am planning to go into more detail about it in a later post. Of course, I’m sure you’re already a pro, miss “Abundance on a Dime!
Daisy
01/12/2011 at 1:24 PM (UTC -6)
My mom was a single mom who worked full time and was my brownie leader, soccer coach, & never missed a karate or soccer practice for my brother. While I didn’t pay attention, really, I’m sure she planned her menus, cause she always had dinner on the table.
When I moved out and started grocery shopping, I came home with ramen noodles, KD, maybe a few mismatched fruits, juice, etc. Nothing to cook with. So when I had a meal to make, I’d almost always have to go to the store. I know better now!
Mirjam
01/19/2011 at 3:42 AM (UTC -6)
I plan my menus per week, and do my grocery shopping on friday afternoons if possible, and otherwise on saturdaymornings as early as I can get to the store. That way I can enjoy the rest of the weekend in peace
I tried themes too, but I tend to fall back on the same set of meals more and more, also because we have four nights that we’re in a hurry because of everybody having sports training and such (why do they always plan training hours around 6 pm? maybe when the kids get a bit older this will resolve itself…)
Do any of you have the same problem? How do you solve that?
Steph
01/19/2011 at 10:29 AM (UTC -6)
Mirjam – I remember having that problem while growing up (when I was the one with sports practice). I think at least one of those nights was Chicken Caesar Salad Night, almost without fail. It was an easy meal to prepare, was light enough for the soccer kids to eat before practice, but substantial enough for those whoe were staying home.
Mary
03/08/2011 at 2:19 PM (UTC -6)
I grew up 60m from the nearest stoplight. My mother worked up The Master List with everything we could possibly need printed on it. She had lots of blank copies-it filled the clip board she carried. Once a month, we would check inventory and highlight the items needed. When I got to be old enough, we would split the list between us when we got to town. She would go one way and I, the other (I usually got the staples end of things, not as easy to mess up on those). We did this with great success for several years.
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