Making a menu for your dinners not only helps you stay organized it helps you save money.
I try to sit down twice a month to plan out my dinners and grocery lists.
By doing this it helps you stay organized and not wondering what you’re gonna make for dinner each night especially when your pressed for time.
Keep it in a notebook so that you can also look back for ideas of what to make especially the things you tried that’s new and enjoyed. Give a rating next to new things, if it didn’t go over well cross it out. I try to try something new once a week to help broaden my dinner menus plus it also helps you in your cooking skills.
So plan out your weekly menu. Leave a day for leftovers and a day for a night out. When you have a menu for 2 weeks make up a grocery list of items you need. You will most likely have a fresh produce list that you might have to get each week a long with milk, bread and whatever things you go through quickly, but some produce will last longer than others so plan accordingly for your days and you might not have to go again until second week.
Other than that you can buy everything you need for your menus and won’t end up buying extra stuff that sounds good that you never get around to making or it spoils before you make it. So 2 big shops a month isn’t bad. You will also not spend extra $ when your going shopping hungry and buying all kinds of stuff with good intentions. Also make sure you look through your pantry see what you already have on hand or that’s getting close to expiration and plan meals based on that. Another nice thing about having a menu planned is that if you don’t feel like what is planned for let’s say Monday you can switch days around because you already have the necessities. Another important factor is a well stocked pantry it is a great helper.
Some necessities to always have in your pantry are:
Tomato sauce
Cans Stewed or diced tomatoes
Chicken broth Powder
Beef broth powder
Refried beans
Rice
Pasta of a few kinds
Taco shells
Soy sauce
Large assortment of spices
Coconut milk
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Assortment of beans – can be canned
Worcestershire sauce
Vinegar, balsamic, red wine, white
bread crumbs
Cornstarch
Cornmeal
Flour
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sesame oil
Salt
Pepper
When I start getting low I just remember to write it on my grocery list then I always have what I need when I need it.
Some of my menus might look like this :
Mon-stuffed flank steak
Teus- fontina chicken with mushroom sauce
Weds-lamb curry
Thurs- left overs
Fri-eat out
Sat-ceviche tostadas
Sun-lasagna
Grocery list
Fontina cheese
Flank steak
Spinach
Mushrooms
Fish
Bell peppers
Avocados
Mozzarella
Cilantro
Romaine
I hope this helps you it has helped me greatly and I have been doing it since I got married. It has been a valuable time and money saver.
