Making a menu plan is smart way to reduce a food budget. It is also a time and sanity saver!
I have a menu plan that I keep handy in my homemaking binder. During breakfast, I check the menu plan to be sure there is enough time to defrost meat, or start the crockpot.
Why do I use a menu plan?
– It helps me to bring wholesome food to the table
– It saves money on groceries since I shop less
– It helps me reduce impulse shopping
– It saves me time and stress. (Too many times I've been caught off guard, and had to scramble at 5 o'clock to fix a meal for a very hungry, cranky family.)
– It saves me money since we aren't eating out
– It helps me focus on what is available in the pantry, and I'm able to use my pantry more creatively
How to Make a Menu Plan
A menu plan doesn't have to be anything fancy. Keep it simple. List out your favorite meals and then repeat them twice a month (or more). You'll be surprised how fast the month will fill up!
Alternatively, you can track what you eat for a few weeks to figure out what your family likes to eat. Then, brainstorm from there.
Here is a FREE Menu Plan!
Just right-click the image below and save it to your hard drive. Then, open the image and print it off! This fits nicely in a 3-ring binder, or you can tack it to the fridge with a magnet. See how easy that is? *grin*
I hope you enjoy this free printable! I had a lot of fun creating it for you!
Rachael DeBruin
What a great freebie!! Thanks for sharing on my meal planning round up 🙂 Working on getting this out tonight!!