Entrees
Side Dishes
Desserts
Soups, Sandwiches and Burgers
Appetizers
Breakfast
You organize your papers at work, bills and taxes, why not your kitchen? Start slow and simple, you don't have to do this task all at once. Print the seven entrees your making this week and build from there.... Get your binder on planning day, take the seven recipes out of the binder and make your shopping list. Many items should be on hand (see the stocking pantry blog) Put the seven day menu on the refrigerator. The added bonus: when cooking you can wipe clean your recipe before returning it to the binder. Planning head allows you to switch days around based on time or mood.
A menu plan improves nutrition. Without the daily dash to the supermarket, there's time to prepare side dishes and salads to complement the main dish, increasing the family's consumption of fruits and vegetables.