Menu Planning & Time Management

January is the month for hunkering down and getting things in order.  It's the start of a new year and with it  hopes and dreams.  A clean slate, a time to focus on our dreams and hopes for this upcoming year.

This is the month for organizing, planning, and laying out our plans.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

This year I want to focus on time management and one of the biggest time thieves is not having a plan.  I can plan almost anything but my nemesis has always been meal planning.  This year I want to be more intentional about meal planning.

Edie, who is a rock star and a mentor to so many of us in blog land, has given us one of the best meal planning tools ever.  The best part is that it is so easy once you get started.  This has been available to us all along.  Google calendars will be your favorite tool in implementing a meal plan.  Edie has posted a tutorial on her blog.

You'll find that you love it once you get started.  My favorite piece is the fact that you can add the recipe to the calendar. Everything in one place makes it easier when supper time comes around.

Second favorite~you can repeat the meals.  Once you input your meal you can edit and choose how frequently you would like the recipe to repeat.

I have started on my menu and it is far from being complete but it is a start.  I have never had a menu plan that I stayed with.  I would start it but, usually within a month, I would stop.  The beauty of this is that once you have your favorite recipes in and you choose how often to repeat them, soon enough you will have a year's worth of meal plans.

While I was working on my menu plan I decided to go through my many recipe pins and bookmarks.  I spaced these new recipes through out the month.  Once I've tried them if they are keeper I will go back and edit it to repeat.  I will adjust the frequency according to how much we liked it.

Having a plan in place is such a help.  No more wondering what's for dinner at the last minute.  Rushing to thaw something and being disappointed in yourself.

Thank you sweet Edie for sharing this nugget of wisdom with those of us who have failed miserably with menu planning.