Meal Planning Change Up!

Every summer I fall off the meal planning wagon... Okay, maybe even every spring.  

I'm way better at meal planning when it's cold outside! 

So in an effort to keep up on meal planning, I'm changing how I do things!

Here's how I used to do things before: 

(And it worked, but took some time and seemed redundant after a while)

Sit down plan out the month, make a grocery list for each week.

And if you noticed by a couple of my month meal plans, is we eat pretty similar stuff each month.

So why not simplify and change it up even more?

So much so, meal planning is pretty much planned for the year! 

Just by shuffling the weeks around!

Instead of rewriting each month with similar items ( just on different days),

 I decided to use DIY Home Sweet Home's weekly printable, but with a twist. 

Here's how I am using them:

First, I printed out 8-10 copies.

I started plugging in all of our favorite meals, Monday through Friday.  

( just like I used to do on a monthly calendar and bulky binder)

 I filled out the grocery list like I normally do, going meal to meal thinking of every. single. item I need.

Laminated all my sheets.

When I am ready to go to the store, I will double check what we have and check it off the list.

Plus, I can use a post it, on top to add things that we may need. ( Toilet paper, toothpaste, etc)

I'll bring my sheet with me to the grocery store and use a dry erase marker to mark off what I pick up.

Now, as I find new recipes that we like and want to add, I just print another weekly planner, fill out the week and laminate it.  Shuffle it in with the rest and my meal planning is essentially done for the year!

Another bonus: No more time wasted writing things over and over. Or a clunky binder.

Now everything is nice and neat on a clipboard!

Love it! 

Do you  meal plan? 

I am loving how easy this is, and it takes little to no time now that a better system is in place. 

And because I have so many weeks planned, it won't feel like we are eating the same thing over and over!