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Project Life Recycled: Menu Planning

RebeccaH

RebeccaH

Life is exciting, yes it is!
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
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Hey girls! I thought I'd share what I've been working on over the past day or so...

I know we've had lots of conversations about menu planning here at the pad. Well, again this week I found myself super frustrated with feeling like i was 'reinventing the wheel' when it came to putting my weekly menu together. i don't know why every week it feels like such a chore and it takes SO long! gaaah!

So I had an idea, and I put some PL materials to work to test it out...

I used 4x6 pages to mark places for each day of the week (I went out 6 weeks, so if I'm feeling ambitious I can be super planner!... PLUS, I started with Sunday, and 6 weeks out ended on Saturday, so I can just keep rotating the pages. I like that... I'm OCD like that).



Then I used the 3x4 cards to jot down different meals. I didn't list the recipe, but I DID list out the ingredients, so I can glance and see whether or not I have everything I need to make that meal. Then I used the pages that have almost all 3x4 slots to hold these cards. Of course, the OCD in me has them organized by meal type...
such as pork...

and soup...

I also made cards to mark planned Eating Out, or leftovers, or those days when we totally cheat and eat whatever we can find...


So, here's what my week menu looks like for this week:


What I like so much about it is (1) It was SUPER quick & easy to put together, plus (2) I have commitment issues, so this will make it super easy for me to switch up my plan at the last minute and still stay organized. I like that a lot!!

So anyway, just thought I'd share!
 
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This looks so cool! What a great idea. I have recipes in a ton of different places (digi in about three different places plus in my cookbooks, file folders, binders..etc). This might be the perfect solution for me since I can't seem to gather all my favorites in one place (and believe me I've tried). I can list on the back of each card where it's located so I can get to it easily when it's time to cook.
 
Sarah, that's what I did too! That way I didn't have to worry about consolidating all of my recipes... I just pointed myself in the right direction! ;)
 
I love this idea Rebecca! :) I've been trying over the last month or so to add in a new recipe each week because we've gotten stuck in a rut of the same 5-8 meals for awhile now. Of course my boys (including my hubby) aren't always willing to try the crazy stuff that I find sometimes, but I've found a couple new meals that I love that way and since I cook... they'll have to deal with it! HA HA! :)
 
This is an AWESOME idea! I love to menu plan and the major thing is being organized! This would be perfect to get it all together in one spot. Thanks for sharing!
 
I was really good at menu planning for awhile. I was even up to doing 3-4 months at a time (through the end of 2011). Now I suck. I need to dig my binder out and start again.

Thanks for the inspiration and good ideas. I could never keep up with that type of a system, but it is super cool. :)
 
This is a really good idea! I need to find me some of those 3x4 pages :)
 
What an awesome idea!!! I need to find a system that works for me.
 
You are freaking genius. Could you just make me a copy of yours though? I want your recipes too! LOL
 
I will NEVER ever be good at menu planning. I come home from work, and if there's nothing planned...I'm going out! CPK tonight!
 
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