Once every two weeks, this is what my kitchen table looks like.
Depending on my mood, my family's upcoming schedule and the time of year, my cookbook/recipe selection may be different but the process is always the same.
I sit down with a variety of recipe sources and a notebook and pen. I also keep the family calendar nearby so I can see who is going where and at what time on any given day within the next two weeks. Then the planning begins.
I write down main courses and side dishes - at least eight meals. I make sure that I have a few crockpot meals and at least one breakfast for dinner (omlets, homemade waffles, sausages, oranges). I don't plan specific meals for specific days because our schedules are always changing so I need to be flexible. I just make sure to have a variety of meals based on ease of preparation.
I make sure that I write down the name of the recipe, what cookbook it came from or if it came from a recipe card/magazine page, and the page where I can find it. I always try to write down side dish selections too even if it's something that doesn't require a recipe like mashed potatoes, veggie sticks, grapes, wheat bread...... It just makes the entire meal much easier/faster to prepare.
As I write down each menu item, I also make a grocery list. This way, I make sure that when it comes time for me to make the meal, I have all of the ingredients I need. I try to make the meals that require a lot of fresh ingredients soon after I go grocery shopping. Then I'm not wasting any food by having to throw out fresh items that spoil. This menu planning method has made the five of us sitting down to dinner together more often a reality than wishful thinking!
"If it doesn't taste good it doesn't go on the menu." -Heston Blumenthal
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