Easy steps to planning menus

If it seems like a struggle just to get dinner on the table every evening, consider planning menus in advance. Planned menus can help you organize grocery shopping and speed up dinnertime on those busy nights. Menu planning does not have to be complicated, it can be as simple as choosing a theme for one night a week or a cyclical menu that repeats every month.

If you choose a theme; Italian, breakfast items, or soups, it makes planning easier since you have already narrowed the categories. Think of your families favorite meals and while you are planning, jot imagedown those items you would not typically have on hand. Remember to balance the meal and include fresh fruits and vegetables. Typically there is not much preparation needed with fresh produce, especially if it can be eaten raw. Frozen fruits and vegetables are  also very nutritious and sometimes easier to have on hand, especially if you like to grocery shop only once or twice a month.

Designating one night a week to eat leftovers will help eliminate food waste—unless someone in your home consistently takes leftovers for lunch.

Designing your own cyclical menu may take a bit of time at first, but since you will be reusing it on a regular basis, in the long run it will be worth the time invested. Remember to work on your grocery list as you plan the menu. Cyclical menus typically repeat once every month to six weeks.  You may want to plan a cyclical menu to have on hand and vary the routine by planning menus for several weeks between uses of the cyclical menu.

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

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