Efficient and organized is how I like our household to be and with an attitude of, “good for you, good for the environment, and good for the pocketbook,” is my approach to making it happen. If there’s an opportunity to make a new chart, implement a routine change, or save time with a new tactic, I say bring it on! But monthly meal planning is not part of my routine. I marvel at families who do this.
I meal plan weekly but I only share it here monthly. If you’re a monthly meal planner, hats off to you! Well done.
If you’re ready to get started meal planning, head to the “downloads page” and you’ll find the PDF that I post on our refrigerator. I print these back-to-back so each sheet of paper gives me 4-meal plans. Both PDFs are the same but the titles are different – Dinner Menu or Weekly Meal Plan.
Meal Plan
Meal planning saves money and reduces food waste. It also helps me ensure that my family is eating healthy, home cooked meals. Meal planning is my frame work, or agenda, of what home cooked meals we’re going to have for the upcoming week or month. It takes a few minutes to meal plan every week and involves a quick view of the week ahead and checking to see what staples I already have at home in the refrigerator, in the pantry, and the freezer. Once the meal plan is made, then I make a grocery list of what items are needed.
With a meal plan there’s an efficient plan of cooking for the week and I know what nights we’re having leftovers.
Weekly meal plan from Monday, April 29, 2013 to Sunday, May 5, 2013
Monday: fish, brown rice, green salad
Tuesday: pinto beans and brown rice bowls with fresh salsa and guacamole
Wednesday: pinto beans and cheese burritos with fresh salsa
Thursday: eggs in a basket with vegetables
Friday: picnic chicken sandwiches with cole slaw (these resemble a fast food sandwich that was viewed on a billboard recently)
Saturday: whole wheat pasta with fresh herbs and green salad (my daughter made dinner this night)
Sunday: homemade pizza with spinach, onion, mushrooms, ground pork and green salad (my son made dinner this night – I had made the pizza dough ahead of time)
Weekly meal plan from Monday, May 6, 2013 to Sunday, May 12, 2013
Monday: fish, brown rice, salad (actually, we had clams because they were on sale)
Tuesday: pinto beans, Mexican pulled pork (from freezer), cheese burritos with fresh salsa
Wednesday: eggs in a basket with ham (from freezer – leftover from Easter) with vegetables
Thursday: white beans and collard greens
Friday: white beans and collard greens (leftovers)
Saturday: Mediterranean quinoa salad (my daughter made dinner this night)
Sunday: shrimp scampi with whole wheat pasta and green salad (my son made dinner this night) Mother’s day
Weekly meal plan from Monday, May 13, 2013 to Sunday, May 19, 2013
Monday: Sushi – Saburo’s – this was my birthday and we went out to dinner! It was divine and was an absolute treat.
Tuesday: fish, quinoa, green salad
Wednesday: pinto beans and brown rice bowls with fresh salsa (my daughter made dinner this night)
Thursday: oven roasted whole chicken, quinoa, green salad
Friday: chicken noodle soup (leftovers and broth made from chicken) with vegetables
Saturday: chicken noodle soup (leftovers) with vegetables
Sunday: whole wheat pasta with fresh herbs and green salad (my son made dinner this night)
Weekly meal plan from Monday, May 20, 2013 to Sunday, May 26, 2013
Monday: ground pork with sauteed cabbage and onions
Tuesday: egg strata with spinach, mushrooms and onions
Wednesday: fish, brown rice, green salad
Thursday: pinto beans and brown rice bowls with fresh salsa
Friday: “street tacos” with pinto beans, Mexican pulled pork (from freezer) and fresh salsa – We have these with fresh tortillas from our neighborhood market – delicious!
Saturday: whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, herbs and green salad (my daughter made dinner this night)
Sunday: oven roasted whole chicken, quinoa, green salad (my son made dinner this night)
Weekly meal plan from Monday, May 27, 2013 to Sunday, June 2, 2013
Monday: pork country spare ribs and potato salad
Tuesday: chicken noodle soup (leftovers and broth made from chicken) with vegetables and white beans
Wednesday: chicken noodle soup (leftovers and broth made from chicken) with vegetables and white beans – the noodles I added were huge by the 2nd night!
Thursday: pinto beans and brown rice bowls with fresh salsa (my daughter made dinner this night)
Friday: fish (wild flounder, pan seared – this turned to mush while cooking), quinoa, green salad
Saturday: dinner group for my husband and myself – my kids cooked whole wheat pasta with garlic sauce and munched on carrots (that’s what they told me!)
Sunday: egg strata with bacon scraps, spinach and every type of green from our garden that was ready to be picked! (my son made dinner this night)
Since camping season is officially upon us, don’t forget to check out “Meal Planning for Campers” – yes, I meal plan when we camp, doesn’t everyone?
What’s for dinner at your house? Does billboard advertising inspire you to cook like it does for my kids?
Go Gingham related links:
Home swapping and eating like a local – foodies will love this!
Want to keep food costs low while traveling? Try these tips!
Home swapping and how to prepare your home for one
Vacation meal planning
Frugal grocery shopping and slowing down for family eating
Go Gingham 
Love that you have Cornish ware! 🙂 I love mine … they use such a gorgeous blue.
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Meagan, it’s so pretty! Thanks for writing in and your dinner sounds lovely. 🙂
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I love reading other people’s meal plans and getting inspired to widen our dinner repertoire! Since getting the bread machine out after a 1.5 year hiatus (I have an 18-month-old – coincidence?), I’ve started doing pizza dough at h ome again, and it’s SO delicious and easy that way. Love it.
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Andrea, you get to use that 18-month-old card for several years! Simply adjust accordingly. 😉
Good for you on making pizza dough! It is really easy to make and I like to do a double batch and freeze one for later use. Super easy to do and easier if you grease the bag a little with olive oil before putting the dough in. Thanks, Andrea!
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Such a great idea to plan for a month-even a week, I’m terrible at that. Something I definitely need to work on more. Thanks for the great tips!
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Lisa, you’re so welcome! Whenever I get lazy and don’t feel like doing it, it comes back to bite me in more trips to the store. It really is a time saver, money saver and keeps me from tossing out food.
So great meeting you (both) in Austin!!
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Nice monthly plan. We have never been able to plan that far in advance and there are benefits. Love some of your recipes and meals; very creative. Thought the fish dishes and thing like quinoa were very good ideas. Thanks for the tips, but I know my wife will not want to plan for a month. We got too much unpredictable stuff going on.
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