Phoebe is talking about menu planning today, so I thought I'd join in and share a little bit about how I plan meals for my family.
I'm fairly new to menu planning, but I'm really enjoying the benefits. I like knowing what I'm making as it means that I don't have to spend mental energy each day deciding what to make for supper. The thinking part is already done. Planning ahead also means that I can do a little bit here and there throughout the day so that supper prep doesn't all come down to that difficult hour when the kids are tired and hungry. If I'm making stir-fry that evening, I might chop up a few veggies while the kids are eating lunch. Or I can put together bean soup and let it simmer for the afternoon.
Right now I plan my meals one week ahead of time, usually during free moments on the weekend. And although I only plan one week out, while I'm doing that I also jot down some ideas for the following week.
One of the most helpful things is that I have a list of all the main dishes our family likes, and I've split them up into categories: main veggies, mexican, asian, burgers/sandwiches, pasta, soups. So I basically try to do one dish from each category in a week.
I usually go shopping on Monday night, with my shopping list based on the meals I have planned. I may change up the menu slightly depending on what veggies are on sale, or if something I planned on buying isn't available. So it's actually helpful for me to have my menu plan with me as well as my shopping list.
That's how it works for our family, and while I don't necessarily get excited about the task of planning meals for the week, I've found that the benefits are worth it.
