Meal planning

Meal planning at our home can some times be a challenge. Even though I make all the meals it is always nice to have some input. I personally like to plan for the month, that way the meals are thought of and written on calender. Making adjustments for me is a lot easier then coming up with dinner meals/ides the day of, and I don't get in a rut of making the same thing every week.

 The boys...Thomas more then Sup... really like to help plan but sometimes if is not in a picture form I tend to get little input. When we visited family for Labor Day weekend we noticed they had a picture menu for their meals. Eric and I thought this was a really good idea, so we borrowed their idea...thanks guys ;)

Eric put his little twist on it and made this wooden food calender for us. He used one medium sheet of wood and then cut out thin wooden pieces as dividers for the days of the week. Then he cut out small wooden squares that slide up and down the slots. We then had to sit down and come up with all the meals, I think we came up with like 50 some dinner ideas between the two of us. Then we just found pictures and printed them off and glued them to the squares.  

 Since we just finished before November started we were able to use it for this month (not all the 50 some foods but enough to do the month ;). The boys thought it was the coolest thing. They sat at the table and admired all the foods thinking what they wanted. Sup would just pile his picks over to the side. Thomas was a little more picky where he went he wanted the foods (ex. pancakes on Wednesday, big chicken on Friday). Lets just say this was a really good idea! It took a lot of the planning out of my hands and the boys thought it was so much fun.  

Eric made the side so we could put up our grocery list that way I can know what I need to get at the store of that week. We haven't done this yet but we were going to put the main ingredients that we need of the recipe on the back that way it makes it even easier for the grocery list. As you can see Sunday's are left blank..this will be our leftover day. Eric is not crazy about this day but as much as I like to cook it is nice to have a lets say more restful day. To be honest it is the clean up that I am not a fan of ;) And we don't like to waste food so this is a nice way to use up what didn't get eaten, and we haven't thought of a picture to represent leftovers...Eric suggested a trash bag. I haven't made it yet but for our blanks and the food we don't pick for the month we will hook a little fabric bag under the grocery list. This way everything stays together and can add more foods as we think of more or try new recipes.

The boys really like to look at and like to know what is going to be for dinner that night. Of course we did this before lunch. It had the same reaction if you go the the grocery store hungry. So nest month we will have to do it AFTER we eat ;)