Another week of cleaning, cooking, and taking care of kids is coming your way. If you’re like me, dinner is one of those endless tasks that you never feel prepared for. I get so caught up in all the other tasks of the day that by the time my kids are shouting that they’re hungry, I haven’t even thought about what we’re having for dinner. Even worse, all the options I can think of take prep. The meat doesn’t have time to thaw, I have everything but one ingredient, or I just don’t have the time and need something quick… Which often leads to us just eating some quick dash dinner that no one really wanted.
I created this weekly menu to help keep my head above water. Sitting down for half an hour every Sunday got me ahead of the game and the stress for the whole week. I would take some time to look through the freezers, cabinets, and fridge to make a list of all the options I had for the week. From there I could piece together meal options, decide which meals would best fit each daily schedule, and also make note of what missing ingredients I would need to pick up at the store to prepare.
Now, with this printable, I could fill out the plan for the week and use it to better prepare for my day, make sure everyone was fed high quality food instead of dino nuggets every night, and keep myself from the struggle shuffle of every evening. After all, anything I can do to lighten the mental load is more than helpful.
Here are the quick easy steps for making your weekly meal planning a breeze.
Step 1: Take Inventory
Open up the freezers, the cabinets and the fridge, and see what you have as options for the week.
Step 2: Make a List
Write it down! Sort what you have into categories of sides, entrees, and desserts to more easily piece meals together in the next step.
Step 3: Fill in your Weekly Meal Planner
Using your list, piece together what entrees and sides you will use together to create a meal. Choose your day for each meal and be sure to consider what you have going on that day. For example, if you’ve got to work and then go to after school activities for your kiddos, you probably don’t want to plan to grill steak that night. That night is better suited for a quick crock pot meal that can simmer and cook all day while you’re busy.
Step 4: Figure out what You’re Missing
Groceries. We all hate it, we all have to do it. In this step you’ll decide what you need to pick up to complete your meals. Make a quick list of necessities and find time to grab them from the store.
That’s it! You’re all set for a smooth week, at least in the dinner department.
Be sure to snag the free meal planner here. Available in two background options.
