How to Plan a Menu

Planning a menu for a meal is easy if you maintain focus and know how to organize. Follow these steps.

Things You'll Need

• Recipes
• Calendar

Instructions

1. Create a list of all your favorite mealtime recipes. This list will serve as a weekly/monthly guide for planning a menu.

2. Decide how many days you plan on making a meal for dinner. Circle these days on the calendar and pencil in a meal for each day.

3. Stock your pantry with cooking and baking basics. Soups, spices, flour, sugar and any other items you frequently use for cooking should always be on hand.

4. Scan the recipes for perishable items and any basics that you may be out of. Make a grocery list with these items.

5. Shop for perishable items weekly. Non-perishables can be purchased for your meals weekly or monthly.

6. Stick to your list when grocery shopping. Mark each item off once it is in your cart. Check the list before leaving the store to avoid any last minute trips back.

7. Save menu plans and grocery lists. Recycle the lists each week or month. After a bit of practice, menu planning will be a cinch.