Menu Planning

Can be such a pain in the butt!! I bought this pad of paper about 6ish months ago from Target.  It had the days of the week listed on it and I have been using that as my menu planner.  It has worked great but the paper is flimsy, small, and would often tear.  That never worked with me trying to keep my menus instead of trying to reinvent the menus each week. 

While system worked, my system of a grocery list was sorry and just didn't work.  I didn't know how to come up with a system that would work for me.  Or better yet, I shall be honest and say I was too lazy to come up with an idea to work ;) 

The past couple of days I have been searching all over the Internet reading ideas and looking at lists and charts people have created.  Man there are so many out there.  I jumped over to Tip Junkie and realized I should have started there first!!!  On her Blog she has planning of meals, chores, activities, etc. already sorted, charted, and in such easy access.  Within a matter of a few minutes I found my weekly menu planner and my new grocery shopping list.  I did stop myself before I started picking out chore charts because I needed to go to bed and Gabriel is not quit old enough for a chore chart.  However, tonight I hope to find a cute system to help me with daily cleaning so I'm not stressed and cramming it all in on one day. 

Back to meal planning - I was doing twice a week menu planning but I am back to once a week for now.  Reason being is I really like to plan my meals according to what coupons I have or get in the Sunday paper.  As well as what is on sale that week for groceries.  Sometimes I still plan two weeks and just adjust to what is on sale.

I thought I would share the two systems I printed out for FREE....yes free.  Some people like to charge for their creation but since this is the year of getting out of debt I only looked at freebies.

For my weekly menu planner I am working with this chart -

This chart is a freebie and can be found at Issa Sarza Creative Living Blog.

For my shopping list I am still wondering why I didn't get off my butt and create this!  It is amazing, simple, and helps me NOT look like a lost person roaming the grocery isles -

This chart is also a freebie and can be found at Finding Home Blog.

With these two easy, simple, and free charts, I hope you will have some inspiration to start planning your meals.  I can honestly say it is such a peace to know what we will be eating each day for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.  Then not to mention the money we have started saving by going to the grocery store with a list of what we need.  Before I would go to just walk up and down the isles and buy things that when I got home, ask why did I buy this??

If you have a Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping List in place, share!  I love learning new things and see if someones way is better and easier.  Happy Shopping Everyone!!