My Meal Planning Binder is something that I look at least a couple of times a day!\u00a0 I know… I get little nuts about it… but I am always looking for new recipes to add to my binder.\u00a0 I love to try new recipes!\u00a0 I have discovered some amazing meals by experimenting with my own created recipes, along with ones that I have been given by family, friends, and those I find right here<\/a> by our “GCH:What’s on Your Plate?” page, and\u00a0Pinterest.<\/p>\n Instead of giving you directions on how to make my own binder, I\u2019m going to reference a couple of Pinterest links that will give you all kinds of binder ideas!\u00a0 It\u2019s really up to YOU how you want your binder to look and feel.<\/p>\n For my own binder, I include sections that include my Menu Planner for the Month, and for the Week, along with a Grocery list, Pantry\/Freezer List, and a Recipes section.\u00a0 I also keep a zippered pencil holder (like they use in school) to keep all my coupons in.\u00a0 Personally, I am not a big coupon person!\u00a0 I like them, but I do not go crazy with them!\u00a0 I pick out a few that I know I will use, for products that I know we love and use on a regular basis!\u00a0 You may\u00a0be different than I am.\u00a0 I have seen women who have coupon binders that are in 3-inch 3-ring binders, and it\u2019s loaded with baseball card protector sheets that hold their coupons.\u00a0 Way more effort than I want to put into my grocery shopping!\u00a0 We\u2019ll talk about this further in a later blog!<\/p>\n But before I forget, here are the Pinterest links to the Menu Planner binders:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/pinterest.com\/search\/pins\/?q=Meal+Planner+Binders<\/a><\/p>\n http:\/\/pinterest.com\/search\/pins\/?q=Menu+Planning+binders<\/a><\/p>\n .<\/p>\n Now, let’s start with the first things that will be placed inside your binder: \u00a0Monthly Menu, Weekly Menu, Freezer \/ Pantry List, Grocery List, and of course, your coupons. \u00a0But for now, let’s talk about your Menu Planner.<\/p>\n In looking through tons and tons of Pinterest links for the perfect Menu Planner, I stumbled across one located at: www.amybayliss.com<\/a>. \u00a0She offers customizable Menu Planners such as the one below.\u00a0 I love this because I can type this up on my computer and make it look nice and neat!\u00a0 I can change it anytime I want, and create new meals each month.\u00a0 Sometimes, I leave certain meals on the menu planner because they are some of our favorites!\u00a0 So this is really a convenient planner for me to us.\u00a0 You may choose the planner that allows you to write in the meals for the month, or the week.\u00a0 Again, it\u2019s just a personal preference.\u00a0 There is no right or wrong way to do this!\u00a0 It\u2019s all about doing it, and then finding the system that works for YOU<\/strong><\/em>!<\/p>\n This exact form was found on: http:\/\/amybayliss.com\/2011\/08\/planners-goals-calendars-church-and-ministry-sections-part-2\/<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 I just used the \u201cCalendar<\/i><\/b>\u201d download.\u00a0 You can change the name of the month, so you have a new form to use each month.\u00a0 Amy\u2019s site offers a lot of awesome free printables!<\/p>\n In my meal planning, I always start by making a list of what I have in my pantry and freezer.\u00a0 That way I know what I have on hand, and what I will need to purchase.<\/p>\n My next step is to make a list of all of the meals that we love. \u00a0Each week, I also include a “Leftovers” night and I add this to my Menu Planner!\u00a0 I hate to see food go to waste!\u00a0 Nothing gripes me more than to have to throw something away just because I didn\u2019t add it into a new meal!\u00a0 So I plan at least one night a week for leftovers!\u00a0 Some people don\u2019t like leftovers\u2026again, personal preference!<\/p>\n We also plan for at least two nights a month for going to a restaurant.\u00a0 This might include our Date Night meal, or a meal out with friends; whichever one it happens to be, it gets put on my Menu Planner.\u00a0 So what that means is that I have to plan ahead for these nights.\u00a0 My husband has the craziest work schedule where he works 3 days on, and 3 days off.\u00a0 So we never have a normal weekend like most couples do!\u00a0 We take our weekends as we can get them!\u00a0 So I take his work calendar and sit down and choose one night a month for our Date Night, and leave room for at least one more night for eating with friends.\u00a0 Again…put it on your Menu Planner!!<\/p>\n Once I have my list of groceries on hand from my pantry and freezer, and I have written down all of my favorite meals, I start making my menu for the month<\/strong><\/em>! \u00a0My freezer, pantry, and favorite meals lists can just be updated as I go!\u00a0 This is the first time-consuming activity that you will have, but once it\u2019s done, it\u2019s pretty easy to maintain!\u00a0 We\u2019re getting you closer to Menu Planning success! \u00a0 Trust me, once you make your binder and a monthly menu, it will make your life so much easier for the remainder of the month! \u00a0No more planning for another 30 days!<\/p>\n After you have completed your Monthly Menu, your next step is to break down the Monthly menu into a Weekly menu.\u00a0 Here is where you will see just seven days of menus. \u00a0Write out a Weekly menu for every week on our Monthly menu. \u00a0Once you do it, it’s done for the month, and for each week; then it’s just a matter of grabbing the next weeks form to see what’s on the menu. \u00a0You can even just use a simple piece of notebook paper to do this, if you wish. \u00a0You really don’t need any special forms, etc. \u00a0You’ll be glad you took the time at the beginning of the month to do this! \u00a0Trust me!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n For Meal Planner forms, do a search on Pinterest for \u201cfree weekly meal planner printables\u201d; there are many of them out there. \u00a0I use a lot of Amy\u2019s<\/a> forms from her site because they are customizable!\u00a0 I just love the way she has formatted them, and makes it so easy for me to input my own information! \u00a0Again, you will want to search for forms that are going to work for YOU!\u00a0\u00a0If they don’t work for YOU, you won\u2019t keep up with it!<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 So find something that works for you and one that you enjoy working with!<\/p>\n Now that we have our meals planned for the month and week, it’s time to put together our Shopping List. \u00a0We’ll discuss our Shopping List and coupons next week. \u00a0You will store all of this inside your Menu Planning Binder<\/strong><\/em>, in the proper sections.<\/p>\n I hope you are enjoying this series.\u00a0 If you want, please share a link to the Menu Planner that you use!\u00a0 You never know if someone else will find your Menu Planner convenient for them, as well!<\/p>\n See you next week!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Christi<\/p>\n ********************<\/p>\n![\"Monthly](\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Monthly-Menu-Planner.jpg\")
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