Menu Planning (and some) Monday

I thought it would be fun to show you how I menu plan, grocery shop and keep up with my appointments during the week. For the last couple of years I've been going through planner after planner because they just didn't meet my specific needs. About a month ago, I came up a simple design to combine my weekly appointments, menu plan and grocery list and it has worked like a charm. I keep it above my stove and since I'm at my stove at least 3 times a day, this keeps my schedule only a glance away. I decided to add my grocery list because I am always forgetting what side dish I planned for a main meal. While shopping, if I see that Italian diced tomatoes are on sale, I just look quickly at what I needed diced tomatoes for (this week it's stuffed tomatoes) and I know if I can get that instead of regular diced tomatoes!!! I put the exact measurements of what I will need that week to help me better judge when I need to get more of a certain item. I transfer any meals not eaten from the week before onto my new menu planner in red, helping me to remember that I really need to get this meal cooked or find a different way to use up the main ingredients for that specific meal.

Sunday B Waffles L Leftover Chili D Hamburger Helper			Church AWANA
Monday B Waffles L leftovers D Southern Style Pork Chops & potato salad			Drop off train table
Tuesday B cereal L mac n cheese D Mexican Corn Chowder			10 SFST 2:30 Glen Care b-day party 3:15,3:45 gymnastics 6:00 Glen Care
Wednesday B Breakfast Cookies L homemade pockets D Macaroni & sausage bake			3:00 dance Family Fun Night
Thursday B Oatmeal L sandwiches D Stuffed green peppers
Friday B Pancakes L leftovers D Potato Supper
Saturday B Cinnamon Rolls L Sandwiches D Minestrone
Baking Brown sugar 1 1/3 cups Vanilla 2t All Purpose Flour 4 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup Quick cooking oats 2 cups Wheat germ ½ cup Baking soda 2t Yeast 1T Sugar 1t Miscellaneous Peanut butter 1 cup Velveeta 1 ½ shredded Oatmeal packaged Pancake mix Beverage		Canned Goods Creamed corn 2 c.o. celery diced tomatoes Frozen Cinnamon rolls Mixed vegetables 1 ½ cup Bread 2 loaves		Dairy Butter 1 cup + 2T Milk 2 cups ¼ cup parmesan Half and half 2 cups M.Jack 3 cups Eggs 5 Mozzarella 8 slices Meats & Seafood 3 chicken breasts Bulk sausage 1lb Gd beef 1lb Smoked sausage 1lb Sandwich meat	Produce Onion 2 Garlic Green peppers 8 large Potatoes 6 Pasta, Beans & Rice Elbow 1lb + 1 ½ cup Rice 1 cup	Condiments, Spices, & Oils Garlic salt 1t Chicken bullion 1T Cumin 1t Salt 4 ½ t Cinnamon 1t Olive oil ¼ cup Pepper 1 t Parsley 1T Garlic ¼ t thyme Cleaning supplies

On the left is a print out of what is above, in my post. On the right are the recipes I will be using this week.

So this is a bit of work this year but I'm hoping that when this time comes around next year all I will have to do is add a couple of new recipes or if I'm in a rush I wont have to even plan, it will all be done!!!! At any rate it is what is keeping me sane at the current moment and that is all that matters right!!!!! Well I'm off to get some more ideas for recipes next week and you can too if you check out Menu Plan Monday!!!