I’ve shown you before how I meal plan for the week (two weeks at a time) which makes my week go just a little bit smoother (there’s a printable too!). Everybody’s busy so taking one more thing off the to-do list during the week is a win in my book.
This weekend on Instagram, I shared my new, favorite way to meal plan and it’s even better than the last way. I know what you’re thinking, but Mary, your last idea was so brilliant, how can you top it?
That’s a very good question.
One problem I had with the old way was how inflexible it was. Not that I didn’t change meals around sometime or drop everything for a last-minute dinner out (yippee!), but in the course of the switching, sometimes meals would get lost. And lately I seemed to be buying food, coming home, and realizing I already had it in the pantry or in the back of the freezer.
Thus, let me introduce to you the post-it note meal planning technique:
Instead of writing all my meal plans down on a weekly calendar, I’ve started putting each meal idea on a stick note and putting it on the side of the refrigerator. As I’m making my grocery list for the week, I’ll go through the kitchen to see what I have, what I need to use, and what I need more of. Then I’ll make up my meal plans based on that, adding things to the grocery list that we need.
So then, when I get home from work that afternoon, I can pull an idea off the fridge, know I have everything available to make it, and not stare blankly at the pantry for ten minutes while my husband children stand behind me whining about being hungry.
Sometimes I’ll get things ready for the slow cooker the night before. Other times I know I’ll be home early and can spend a little more time on dinner. And then other nights, I just need everyone to eat a sandwich and shut up about it. All those options are available on the sticky notes. I come up with a variety of options and preparation time so I know, without a doubt, my family will be fed tonight.
They might not like it, but we won’t go hungry. And sometimes that’s all I can handle. Ya feel me?
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