Creating a menu plan has been on my to-do list for a good two years. I wanted to create one as soon as I found out I was pregnant.
I am a person who strives on organization and structure. Menu planning was right up my alley and what a better time to plan a menu! However, I am also a procrastinator. The menu loomed in the back of my mind and stayed on my to-do list on my white board for nearly two years. My recipe books, index cards, sticky notes and markers sat on our kitchen table for months, then slowly moved into the living room inside my coffee table, where they proceeded to collect dust. It was not until Baby H started eating what we were eating that I made my move and wiped the dust off my sad attempt of a project. And boy, am I ever glad I did!
I cannot believe the difference in our household thanks to creating a four-week menu plan! There is no more, “What do you want for supper?” followed by, “I don’t know, what do YOU want?” or the “I don’t care” statements. Those three statements were enough to cause unnecessary stress in the amount of time that was needed to prepare dinner in the evenings. Not to mention, we had a very hungry toddler who did not understand said statements!
I wanted to create a menu, not only to avoid the stress of decisions, but also to provide my baby with healthy, home-cooked, nutritional foods. I am a believer in making homemade baby food, so it was a no-brainer for me to ensure Baby H received nutritional food on the table every evening.
I wanted our menu to be accessible, creative, and most importantly, easy for my husband to follow! I am, of course, addicted to Pinterest, so when creating our menu look, the website was the first place I visited to look for ideas. I thought this idea was brilliant, and ours looks similar, but with a colorful magnetic board, magnets and index cards.
Planning a menu can definitely be a daunting task, but trust me when I say you will wonder why it took you so long to sit down and do it! Having a planned menu in our family has meant more family time, less stress, a happier bank account (yes, it does save money) and three people who always have a full belly of nutritional, healthy food!