Making Menus: You'll Thank Yourself Monday

My mom did it, and I never understood. Why did we have to have a plan for dinner every week? Why not just wait to see what you're hungry for? Now I get it.

It's a new idea I've been giving a try - the dinner menu. Every weekend, I sit down and plan my dinner menu for the upcoming week - based on what food I already have and what food is on sale. Then I figure out what ingredients I don't have but need. I do one trip to the grocery store with my list for the week. What works is that I no longer wander looking for what sounds good, wondering what I have at home and what I may need. I shop with a mission.

What I've found is that I've been saving money. Rather than making 3 or 4 "small" trips per week, I make 1 main trip. You may need to understand that grocery shopping for me is like some people shopping at Target. You go there for one thing and come out with ten. So cutting down on the number of times I set foot in the store helps save money.

Not only does it help me shop better (and smarter) and save money, but it saves the debate each night of "what's for dinner?" (yes, sometimes it IS beef) Because I have a plan, a plan to eat better, I avoid those last minute decisions to get fast food or dine out. And that's better for my health.

So all in all, I'm really enjoying it. Maybe that makes me "old" to some of you, but let me reiterate a few things. First, it is great to have the answer to the "what's for dinner?" question. Don't you like to always have the answer? Second, I'm no millionaire. I don't make a lot of money - well not enough to have the luxury of spending whatever I want on food. So having a plan to shop smarter (and use coupons) saves me money, money I can use for other things like health insurance, gas, rent...you know. All those other things. Third, it helps me eat healthier. And that's great in itself.

This doesn't mean I don't buy things not on my list. I don't pass up a good sale. If it is fresh and can be frozen, I freeze it and keep it for another week. With a menu, I know what I need to thaw for meals. I've considered planning two weeks in advance but haven't done it yet. My mom used to plan most of an entire month at once!

What do you think? Do you use a menu? How has it helped you?