It's What's For Dinner

I have spent the last 11+ years of my life lamenting this question:

What's for dinner?

Now, it's not that I dislike mealtime, or don't enjoy cooking. I just abhor the decision making process, and then nothing is more irritating than starting a meal and realizing you don't have all the ingredients to finish it off. Bleh.
I especially despise this cunundrum when the school year begins. I know the Chickies are going to be hungry, and we've got an intense schedule with homework, sports, lessons, etc. Milling around trying to figure out dinner isn't a good use of my time these days. Thankfully, I was stuck in Deseret Book a few weeks ago while CK1 and the Chicks were perusing and I reached for a sweet little book called, "Simply Living Smart" by Anitra Kerr. It was only about 60 pages long and the cover looked fun and fanciful. I decided to gleen a bit from this organizing book while the others continued their searches. I sat myself down in a big comfy leather chair and began flipping through the pages.
To make a short story long (as only I can), I bought the book after pretty much reading the whole thing there in the store, and brought it home because I enjoyed and thought I could use so many of the ideas Anitra had.
Here's my favorite idea:
It's a meal plan. Here's how it works. Sit down and write out 14-20 of your best and easiest meals. I didn't think I could get that many, but once I sat down and really thought about it, I had more than enough and I'm still adding to the original list! Also, include a few of the ones that are special to your family, or new recipes you've been dying to try out. Write each dinner, along with the sides you wish to include, on a 1 inch sticky note. Use the colors of the sticky note to your advantage. Orange is beef, yellow is chicken...etc. That way, you know at a glance not to have two of one color in a row. (Chicken overload? Yep...we've been there!)
Now, start arranging your sticky notes onto your big calendar. I got my calendar at Costco. It's nice and roomy.
Now, each Saturday afternoon I go to the grocery store. You can choose any day to do your shopping, I just find that inevitably I have to go to the store on Saturdays anyway, so I might as well do it then. Anywho, I glance at my dinner's for the next week and make a list of all the items I need to finish off the menus. You could also check out the week's adds and make meals that include the items on sale for that week!



OK, so once you have made that menu...just move it on down the calender. You can quickly and easily move dinners to a different day if hubby decides to surprise you with dinner out! Also, if you find a recipe doesn't resonate with the family (nice way of saying "ick"!) then just toss the sticky note out.
I can't tell you how this method has changed my life! No more, "Mom! What's for dinner" questions. They know to check the calendar. It has also curbed some of the snacking, because the kids know that something they like is just a few hours away! "I'm just gonna have an apple, 'cause I wanna be hungry for those chicken nuggets Mom!". Music to my ears.
CK1 just said last night. "I love your new menu thing. I feel like I'm back in grade school getting all excited over what's on the lunch menu!"
For me, it's been so nice to put the quickest and easiest menu's on the days that are most intense, and perhaps leaving the bigger meals for Saturday afternoon. I also love knowing all day what I need to do for dinner that night, and having all the ingredients I need to do the job.
Now, many of you have versions of this already in place, and I've tried a few plans in the past. This particular method just works well for me. I hope you can use it too!