Calendar Method Monthly Meal Planner
Ranked #11,127 in Food & Cooking, #198,927 overall
Plan your meals, eat healthy and save money
Are you searching for a better system in planning a family meal without wasting food and at the same time saving money?
In my family, we often waste food especially vegetables, sea foods, meat, sausage, hot dogs, eggs, canned goods etc. I know it is really hard to organize food in the fridge. But I need to take action and be responsible or else I am hurting the household budget.
The calendar method meal planning works for my family. I hope it will work for yours too. This is easiest method and you don't have to buy any meal planning software of create meal planner template. All you have to do is to look for an extra big calendar in your house and write down all the meals.
Image Credit: My Favorite Recipe Binder by golden_oldies
Make a custom printed 3 ring binder on zazzle
In my family, we often waste food especially vegetables, sea foods, meat, sausage, hot dogs, eggs, canned goods etc. I know it is really hard to organize food in the fridge. But I need to take action and be responsible or else I am hurting the household budget.
The calendar method meal planning works for my family. I hope it will work for yours too. This is easiest method and you don't have to buy any meal planning software of create meal planner template. All you have to do is to look for an extra big calendar in your house and write down all the meals.
Image Credit: My Favorite Recipe Binder by golden_oldies
Make a custom printed 3 ring binder on zazzle
Contents at a Glance
Organize your Freezer or Refrigerator
Weekly, Bi-weekly, or monthly
Can we plan without knowing the available foods stored in the refrigerator? No, we can't. So, whether you like it or not, spend time to go over your fridge. Use your day off, or weekends for this activity. You might need a notebook or paper and pen to list the following:
1. all vegetables and spices
2. all seafood (fish, squids, octopus, crabs, etc)
3. chicken
4. meat
5. beef
6. and so one and so forth
Divide and bag all frozen vegetables into serving size or cooking size. This way , you can just grab one bag at a time when you need them. Do it with chicken, meat, beef, fish, etc.
If you have pasta, cook the noodles, put it in food container per serving, refrigerate, take it out from container, then bag it. It will be easy for you to prepare quick meal, since you will just need to microwave it for 3 minutes or so and add meat balls, sauce, etc.
The Good news is that if will follow this method of meal planning, you only need to organize your fridge once a month.
1. all vegetables and spices
2. all seafood (fish, squids, octopus, crabs, etc)
3. chicken
4. meat
5. beef
6. and so one and so forth
Divide and bag all frozen vegetables into serving size or cooking size. This way , you can just grab one bag at a time when you need them. Do it with chicken, meat, beef, fish, etc.
If you have pasta, cook the noodles, put it in food container per serving, refrigerate, take it out from container, then bag it. It will be easy for you to prepare quick meal, since you will just need to microwave it for 3 minutes or so and add meat balls, sauce, etc.
The Good news is that if will follow this method of meal planning, you only need to organize your fridge once a month.
The Calendar Method
Monthly meal planning for Dinner
Now, that you have organize your fridge and identified all food in it. It's time to search for a bigger calendar in your house. The kind that has a table or grid to write your all the meals for the month.
Sample Calendar Meal Planner: May 2010
Saturday 1 - Calamaries, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Sunday 2- Costco Roast Chicken, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Monday 3- Stir fry seafoods and Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Tuesday 4- Artichoke and Baked eggplant, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Baked Potato
Wednesday 5- Lasagna and Vegetables (cooked and salad)
Thursday 6- Pinoy foods Humba, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Friday 7- Fish and Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Saturday 8- Beef Steak , Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Sunday 9- Chicken Nuggets, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Monday 10- Sardines, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Tuesday 11- Shrimp, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Wednesday12- Salmon, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Thursday 13- Pea soup, ham,Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Friday 14- Pizza, Vegetables (cooked and salad)
Saturday 15- Chicken thighs, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Sunday 16- Sausage, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Monday 17- Baked Potato, ham, Vegetables (cooked and salad)
Tuesday 18- Stir fry pork, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Wednesday 19- Clams and Oyster, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Thursday 20- Squid, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Friday 21- Lasagna, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Saturday 22- Steak Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Sunday 23- Baked Fish, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Monday 24- Broiled chicken thigh, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Tuesday 25- Rice noodles with seafoods
Wednesday 26- Pizza, Vegetables (cooked and salad),
Thursday 27- Tuna casserole with potato chips
Friday 28- shrimp stir fry, Vegetables (cooked and salad), Rice
Saturday 29 - Corned Beef , cabbage, potatoes
Sunday 30 - Grilled steak and corn
Monday 31 Chicken noodle soup with egg
Recommended Reading
Reader Feedback
-
-
GrammaLinda
Aug 11, 2011 @ 11:25 am | delete
- I enjoy making calendars like this. It saves money on grocery shopping trips, too, since I only buy what I need.
-
-
-
scss Apr 16, 2011 @ 11:00 am | delete
- what a great idea - now I just have to make the time to create one! Big Thumbs Up from me for this helpful and informative lens
Helene Malmsio
-
-
-
bossypants
Apr 2, 2011 @ 1:45 pm | delete
- This is a great idea. We waste too much food, too, and no matter how much food there is, it never seems like we know what's for dinner! I l1ke this lens and will check back to see what you've added!
-
-
-
Alohagems
Feb 3, 2011 @ 6:22 am | delete
- I am still trying to add more information in this article about menu planning tips.
-
by Alohagems
Aloha. My name is Shirley and I am known as alohagems in Squidoo and the blogosphere. I was a High School Mathematics teacher, elementary school teach... more »
- 162 featured lenses
- Winner of 30 trophies!
- Top lens » Free ESL iPad Apps
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- What To Do For Dinner? Make A Meal Plan With Quick & Easy Supper Recipes What To Do For Dinner? Make A Meal Plan With Quick & Easy Supper Recipes
- Complete Make-Ahead Summer Dinner Menu & Recipes Complete Make-Ahead Summer Dinner Menu & Recipes
- Easy Menu Planning | Save Time and Money with Meal Planning Easy Menu Planning | Save Time and Money with Meal Planning
- Meal Planning on a Budget Meal Planning on a Budget
- A Week of Meals A Week of Meals
- Living Cookbook 2011 - Recipe and Meal Planning Software Living Cookbook 2011 - Recipe and Meal Planning Software
Featured Lenses
Daily Meal Planner
Amazon Price: $11.96 (as of 05/30/2012)
The Ultimate Diabetes Meal Planner: A Complete System for Eating Healthy with Diabetes
Amazon Price: $13.92 (as of 05/30/2012)
