Know what’s for dinner every night with this printable weekly menu planner.
The worst part of my day is 4pm. I know I need to start thinking about what I will be cooking for dinner, but usually don’t have a plan.
Even though when I go grocery shopping I buy things with a few meals in mind. But for some reason when 4pm comes around my mind goes blank.
Not anymore! Now I have a place I can write down the menu for the week and you do to with this cute printable weekly menu planner.
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How to use a Weekly Menu Planner?
A menu planner is a place for you to write down the things you will be cooking for dinner (you can also use it for other meals too) for the week.
This printable menu board has a spot for each day of the week. The space is large enough to include the main dish and any sides. Or use it write down multiple meals for the day.
You can print one new menu planner for each week. Scratch out your menu and then toss when the week is over and it’s time to plan the new week.
Or to save paper, print it out and laminate it (I have this inexpensive laminator and it is so helpful). Then you can use a dry erase marker to plan out your meals each week. And it will easily wipe clean when you are ready to plan the next week.
Expert tip:
Glue a magnet to the back of your laminated menu planner and it will stick right to the front of your refrigerator.
Tips for Planning a Weekly Menu
Planning a weekly menu means you never have to worry about what you are making for dinner. You know you already have the groceries and the plan. All you have to do is cook!
Pick your Recipes
- Think seasonally
- Look at what produce is on sale and pick recipes that use them.
- Pick recipes that work with the weather: warm meals that cook in the oven in the winter and salads or meals cooked on the grill in the summer.
- Keep a list of your favorite recipes
- Sort your favorite recipes by season so you can quickly find things to cook that week.
- Use a binder or app to keep your recipes organized.
Write your Recipes on your Menu Board
- Think about what activities/timelines look for on each day.
- Put quick recipes on days where you have less time.
- Plan more time consuming recipes on days you have the time for them.
- If you will only be grocery shopping one day, plan recipes that use items with a shorter shelf life close to the grocery shopping day.
Expert tip:
Plan one day as a “leftover” day to use up any leftovers from the previous meals.
Get your Groceries
- Make a list of all the groceries you need to prepare all the recipes.
- Go grocery shopping or have them delivered.
- Organize your groceries in the fridge by day it will be used: put things you need later in the week towards the back and things earlier in the week in the front.
- Make sure to use up items that will go bad earlier in the week or plan a second quick trip to buy those things closer to when they will be used.
Download the Weekly Menu Board
I am sharing the two different colors of this weekly menu planner in my subscriber library until 07/01/2021, then they will move to the shop.
Click here to subscribe to my newsletter and gain access to all the freebies. If you already have your password, click here to go to the library download them.
Now I can enjoy the day knowing I will no longer have to stress about what to cook when dinner time comes around.
Happy planning!