I know, I’ve gone a bit meal planning mental this week but I promise this is the last post on the subject (for at least the rest of the week anyway).
Usually, I have our week’s meals written on a scrap of paper, stuck on the front of the fridge if I’m feeling particularly organised, somewhere at the bottom of my handbag if I’m not! This led to us not sticking to the plan on lots of a few times as we couldn’t remember what we were supposed to be eating so as part of my New Years resolution to be more organised, I decided that from now on we’re going to have the meal plan where everyone can see it – on the kitchen wall.
It took me all of about ten minutes to make and seeing as it turned out OK-ish, I’m going to show you what I did (along with the things I wish I’d done) so you can make your very own version. I’ve even included the labels that I made all pretty and nice but then couldn’t print off as my printer was out of ink – AGAIN….
First of all, cut a piece of pretty paper to the same size as the old picture frame you’re going to use for your wall planner. I bought mine from Paperchase because I loved the design but now I think it’s a little too busy for this so I may be making a second version of this when I find the ‘perfect’ paper.
Taking the paper back out of the frame, glue labels on for the title of your menu – I imaginatively called ours ‘Menu’ for this version – and for the days of the week. Mine are far from impressive due to the printer ran out of ink, half way through printing them. Another reason why you can expect to see version two sooner rather than later.
When you’ve done glued on your labels put the paper back in the frame.
Using a dry wipe marker, write your meals on your new fancy planner. At the end of the week, just give it a wipe and you’re ready to go again with the next weeks meals. I bought my dry wipe markers from Wilkinsons and they were about 75p for 4 of them.
And because I’m so nice, here’s the labels I was in the process of printing out in case you decide to make your own version:
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we go to a catering butcher for our meat once a month(factory prices and much bigger trays than supermarkets), then we section it all up into meal size portions in freezer bags and label them (we have 5 in the house during the week and 7 on a weekend so some portions need to be bigger) It's then stored in our shed in the chest freezer and a bag taken ot each night for the following day. We have a magnetic meal planner on the fridge so we can all see what needs taking out….mince,chicken breast,chops,offal etc. Often its cheaper to buy half a lamb/pig but I have neighbours who have smaller families so they go halves with other families.
Wow, loving this thread! Also Ruthiej, I'd love to know more about how you manage to shop for £80 a month!
I've been meal planning for about a year now and have found that it really saves money on our family shopping budget. Each day has a meat allocated to it eg. Sunday = Lamb, Monday = Meat Free, Tuesday = Chicken, Wednesday = Beef, Thursday = Fish, Friday = Whatever you feel like and Saturday = Soup. This has made shopping so much easier. I tend to do my shopping online and get enough for the MONTH ahead (only pay one delivery charge, tuesday is cheapest with Tesco at £3) but I know that I need 4 family meals worth of a meat a month. I buy whole chickens too and butcher them up myself as they are cheaper than chicken peices. We are a family of 3 and I have got our food shop for the month down to £80 by planning ahead.
A very good idea. Besides saving both time and money, one can also involve the whole family.
Thank you x
Brilliant! Love this meal. Do you think my kids will eat it daily?
Thanks very much x
I really like this, it looks far more stylish (even in it's 'prototype' state) than shop-bought dry-wipe planners (which usually are very basic and not at all very pretty to look at). Even if you "forget" to plan your meals one week – its still going to look great on the wall!
I really need to knuckle down with the meal planning this year as our food bill is spiralling out of control!
If you don't mind, may I ask what font that is? I love it too,
As if I'd foget to plan our meals *cough*
The font is You Are Loved and I got it using http://www.picnik.com – my favourite site at the minute. I'm sure it's one of the free ones aswell x
Fab idea – and pretty too, always a bonus. I need to get organised with meal planning so may just have to make one of these! Thanks! x x
Thanks very much ;-D
Just found your blog through MSE, looking forward to following your adventures!
Hi
Good to have you hear, I hope you pop back every now and again
xx
What a great idea, thanks for sharing. i shall aim to produce one of these this weekend.
x x
http://pleasemayi.blogspot.com
Hi there
I hope you had fun making it if you managed to get around to it x x
What a lovely idea.
Thanks very much x x
Oh this is adorable. I'll be making one lord willing, this weekend. I get tired of the family asking me "what's for dinner" This will end that nagging question!
I get my daughter to sit and write it for me aswell lol
Happy New Year! I’ve nominated you for an award over on my blog. Sarah http://lifeloveandliterature.co.uk
happy new year to you too and thanks for the award x x
Oooh that's a great idea… I might even manage to meal plan if it was on my wall prompting me each week!
Thanks very much – it is motivating me so far 😉