I have been trying to plan a menu for at least a week at a time, usually 2, but for January I planned the entire month in an effort to use up what we have “in stock” and to gain some freezer space.
I always use MS Word when making a menu. This way I can have as many columns as I need. One thing that helps me save time is having a column for what’s going on that day and how many people will be eating dinner here. With 4 kids who come & go to their other parents’ houses, have jobs, sports & activities, it’s hard to keep track. A little note next to the date lets me know exactly who/how many people will be home for dinner that day.
By doing this, I can either stick to the menu as planned or I can swap out one day for another based on the # of people who will be home for dinner that night. I wouldn’t want to make something for all 6 of us that I had planned for just DH & I (there wouldn’t be enough) or make an easier meal on a day when I have a lot of time & then be stuck having to make an involved meal on a day when I’ll be at softball practice for 6 hours, know what I mean? Listing our activities for each days lets me quickly see what I can & cannot make for dinner on any given day.
Allison
I would love to see a sample of one of your sheets!!