Meal planning is the backbone of your day as a stay at home mom. Without it, you never feel in control or on top of things. You always feel like you are scrambling, hurried, stressed. In fact, I feel so strongly about this that I would encourage you to take a look at your meal planning FIRST if you are feeling overwhelmed by your life right now. Get the backbone in place and work from there.
Over the years I’ve followed many different methods of meal planning.
I really like to shop once a month and plan an entire month’s worth of meals at once, but sometimes that isn’t feasible. Sometimes a rotating list of meals needs to be put in play in order to simplify your life. Sometimes you need to only plan a week at a time. Sometimes you are lucky to get a few days done and send your husband to the store for those items!
Recently, I decided to change from my old method of a grab-n-go meal list to a more formal meal plan. (See an example HERE – the photo below is also an example of that list.)
My grab-n-go list was easy to plan and convenient to use. I could choose a meal based on what kind of day I was having. However, it did not allow for any meal forethought, so if I hadn’t thawed the chicken or put the roast in the slow cooker, I was up a creek. In a large family, this doesn’t work out so well. I also ended up only choosing the easy, no-prep meals and left the other (potentially more healthy) meals for “another day” – a day that never seemed to come.
While visiting a friend, I noticed her weekly menu plan posted on her refrigerator.
Lo and behold, they were from my friend Jamerill’s blog! They were exactly what I needed! As a homeschool mom, I need breakfast, lunch AND dinner planned. And it helps tremendously to have snacks in place as well.
So, let me give you some tips on meal planning that will help you pull together one that provides a great backbone to your day:
1. Choose where you will get your recipes from. Sometimes I use cookbooks I have on hand, sometimes recipes from my recipe binder, but lately, I find most of my recipes are coming from my Pinterest boards!
Sometimes I can knock out a menu in an afternoon. When planning several weeks, it can take me several days to get the whole thing finished. I never wait until I’m out of food and desperately needing to head to the store. Start early and avoid the stress!
2. Write in pencil! Your meals will change due to unforeseen circumstances. Our stove stopped working a couple of weeks ago, so I had to revamp our menu to reflect this. Also, any meal you don’t end up using can be erased from its day and written in a new day or at the bottom of the page to carry over to another time if so desired.
3. Make notes as you go.
Remember, I said this is the backbone of your day. Your meals are a direct reflection of your life. Write in notes about your day on the menu plan itself. I have piano lessons and my Weight Watchers meetings marked. I also have notes like “order Azure” and “make ranch dressing” noted at the top of my page. But also mark down things like “thaw hamburger” and “soak beans” in the appropriate places. For instance, say I want to serve beans on Wednesday night. I need to soak them overnight on Tuesday. I make a note to myself off to the side of the Tuesday Dinner box so I remember to do this. Having these little notes is KEY to making your meal plan work.
4. Make your grocery list as you go. Don’t wait until you are finished with your menu to go back and input all you need. Do it together. Find a meal, list it in a good spot on your planner, scan ingredients and mark down what you need. I use a Master Grocery List that helps me keep track of staple items as well as new things needed to make the meals on my list. (Note: You can find my Master Grocery List HERE, but be aware that your list will probably be different. In fact, this list is 5 years old and is VERY different from our current list! Use it as a guide to create your own!)
5. Plan everything! Plan your sides, your snacks, even your beverages! Put Special Night on there and Potluck on there. Do your very best to pull together a “backbone” that can withstand the pressure of your day.
6. Look at your menu plan every day several times a day. Mine is on my refrigerator. It has to be in a prominent location where you will be able to glance at it over the course of the day to be sure you are on track. (Mine is next to the Table Chores list and my At-a-Glance Schedule.) Do you need to get something out of the freezer for tonight? It’s on there! Need to prepare for a coming birthday? It’s on there! Again, this is your backbone for the day. Using it to its full advantage is necessary!
Looking for more meal planning related links? Try these:
Large Family Recipes
Once a Month Shopping Series
Menu Planning ebooks from Sheri Graham – I love her stuff and yes, that’s my affiliate link!
My ebook Creating a Peaceful Home has a section on meal planning too!
Click here for more ideas from other bloggers:
Amy from Occupation: Mommy says
I would need seven drink bands. This would be great for our family! I always find that the top rack of the dishwasher (glasses) is full much more quickly than the rest of the dishwasher.
JULIE BERSANO says
THANK YOU! I COULD USE (4) DRINK BANDS 🙂
Mari K says
Thanks so much for this! I was just telling my husband last night that I need to do better with our meal planning and grocery shopping- especially since we will be going back to one income in a few weeks and baby #5 will be arriving in a few months. It will be nice to have some kind of menu planning in place before the little guy gets here! And those drink bands are fabulous, Our youngest 3 are just starting to change from sippies to “big girl cups” and there is a lot of arguing about which cup belongs to which one as the sippies were color coded but the other cups are not! Have a great day!
Mandy says
I would really only need 4 drinks bands right now for my family, but these are perfect solution to a dinner party with friends! We are constantly trying to figure out whose glass it whose. Definitely beats the red Solo cups with names written in Sharpie.
Rachel~At the Butterfly Ball says
Well, I guess for our family we’d need a minimum of 8 drinkbands in appropriate sizes, because that’s how many of us there are. (Well, soon will be, #8 is due in about 10 more weeks! And she’ll grow up way to quickly and need a drink band of her own in a flash! ) Thanks for the chance!
Sonja Z says
I need at least 4, but with neighborhood kids coming over, more would be nice!
Sara says
Thanks for the giveaway! Never thought of doing this.
Shan says
We would need 6 drink bands! Thank you so much for this giveaway!
blessings,
Shan
Cindy says
I would need 11 drinkbands. I was going to place an order for these, and now here you are with a giveaway!!
Hilda says
this is genius!!!
Leah Williams says
So far, I’d need 7, but ya never know 😉
A Semresky says
Thank you! I enjoy following your posts and I feel I learn so much even though I am just starting out with my family.
Stacy says
There are five of us so far, but our family is still growing.
Melanie says
I’ve been using colored rubber bands on my kids cups, but thinking about getting some drinkbands as a more permanent solution!
Jillian says
I wold love to win these and give them as gifts! Thanks for the chance to win. 🙂
Brandy says
Been working on meal planning myself. Revamping my pinterest boards. My recipe binder is a MESS! As for the drink bands, I have been thinking about those things for over a month now. Have been so tempted to order them, but we’ve been working on our savings so I haven’t bit the bullet. YET. We have 4 kids and a perpetually empty glass cabiniet and full sink. Drives me CRAZy!
CW says
I would need eight. Thanks!
Sarah says
I enjoy seeing how other people plan their meals. I’ve always wondered how those who shop once a month buy produce? There’s no way most fresh produce can last that long. 🙂 do you shop weekly for fresh produce?
We rely on fresh produce for snacks, most sides for all meals, and sometimes as meals in and of themselves, especially using hummus as a dip for veggies. I’m amazed that your lunches look like dinner meals. They sound good. Do you ever do simple lunches from leftovers or have meatless lunches, or even sandwiches with fresh fruit and veggies as a side? Just curious. 🙂
Enjoy reading your blog everyday!
Take JOY!
Kelsey says
We shop bimonthly, which has been perfect as far as minimizing grocery trips/planning but giving us fresh fruits and veggies. Most things last that long for us, but sometimes I’ll have my husband pick us up a loaf of bread or gal of milk if we run out.
Amy says
That is an old meal plan (from about 5 years ago), so yes, my lunch meals now are pretty simple. I do get fresh produce every week, but other families choose to do the fresh first and then move to canned and frozen. If we were really in a budget crunch, that’s what I would do.
Kelly @ In Everything says
When I had 3 littles I planned meals just to get through the dinner prep without too much drama;) But as we went into home schooling I thought planning school was more important than having the detailed plans…
and I’ve been feeling the “meal stress” this year:( Thanks for the reminder and how to implement!!
Sande says
I think I would need at least eight right now but more in the near future! I have really wanted these!
Cynthia says
We so could use these with 6 kids and mom home all day!
karyn says
I would need at least 6 bands for my family.
Karin Owens says
We have 5 people in our family and we use glass glasses so this would be so great. We often have the problem of losing track of whose glass is whose. However, we also regularly host a home church in our home using the same glass glasses and that is REALLY difficult to keep track of whose glass is whose. It would be just fantastic to win these. How ingenious! And how simple! Thanks for having the giveaway.
Jill says
We need nine!
Barb says
We are a family of ten with one due in January. Ten would use drink bands. They are a great idea.
Kathleen says
What a great idea! We would need 6 for our family. Thank you!!
Kimberly Vogel says
I’ve tried making my own “drink bands” but having nice pretty ones would be so nice! Our family needs 6, plus a few more for friends…
Angela says
Very timely… your once a month series started me on monthly planning, but we are in a slump and I need to revamp. Trying to help health by doing more ‘Real’ food.
Amy says
We’re much real food than we used to be too. And with both Ty and I losing weight, our menu looks different too.
KJ says
I would love drink bands!
Tara H says
We need at least 7. This post is very helpful to me! I struggle with meal planning…probably because the devil knows that it’s the backbone of my day! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Kristen says
I would NEED only 2 right now since I only have two boys, but would take as many as I could for future necessity 😉
Jennifer says
I so want to win these! I have seen them around the web. I am imagining what I’ll do with all the time I save searching for cups.
Jen says
I love this post – meals truly are the backbone and the more our family grows the greater the need for me to be on top of what really is in the fridge and just how we are supposed to eat it! I would love to try the drink bands – what a great way to cut back on dishes and eliminate the “that’s my cup” conversations multiple times/day. Thanks!
Eugenia says
Thank You, I needed this!
Janey L. says
Need 5 for everyday…extras would be nice when friends or family are over to visit!!
Darla says
What a clever product! We would need eight of these and I am sure they would get a lot of use. 🙂
Kristin says
7 is the number (for now) that we need 🙂
Katheryn F says
It is such a great reminder on how helpful it truly is when we are a little more disciplined life seems to move a little more simply. When we take the time to plan, life moves more smoothly. I was just doing my menu for last night and have tried the once a month, 2 weeks, but I like 1x a week because it helps me stick to a budget a little better. Thanks for sharing.
Elizabeth S says
I need 7 drink bands please and thank you!
Suanna says
We would need 10 drink bands right now and that doesn’t account for any guests. I like to make my notes for what I need to do for food prep on my kitchen white board. I need to get back to menu planning, it is usually one of the first things to go by the wayside when we get busy.
Sarah says
These would be great! We’re never quite sure whose glass is whose and end up with a million dirty ones at the end of the day. We’d use 10 every day and it would be great to have extras for guests!
Teresa Locklear says
I have wanted a set of these since I first saw them I don’t know how long ago!! I think we end up with at least twice the amount of cups at the end of each day:) We are a family of 5, but my mom spends a lot of time with us. I’d love to have a set of 6, so that when my mom is here she would be able to use one too:) Thanks for doing this!
jo says
I’ve tried once a month meal planning before and failed but I just didn’t know what do to or where to start. I’ve been thinking about having a go at it again so this post is timely 🙂 love the drink bands, we use little glass stickers when we have company over but these would be great for the kids.
Jennifer says
I would love the set of 18, since we often host our small group from church and have at least 20 people over.
Jessica Cash says
I would currently need 5 but could use 10.
Michelle says
For our family, we would need 9 drink bands. Thank you for the opportunity to win some!
Allison Green says
I am so tired of our dishwasher being FULL of cups! I definitely need drinkbands!
Sarah says
I have been really interested in trying these!
Kassiani says
I have received so much encouragement from your blog! As a first-time homeschool mom this year you have provided a wealth of resources and have helped with my confidence as we move forward. Thank you so much and please continue to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)
Amy says
Oh, I’m so thankful! 🙂
Sabrina says
Ooooo! What a great idea! I could use any organizing help I can get with my large brood. Six littles & counting??? So, I would need 8 bands.
Amy P. says
We’d need at least 7 for our family, but we’d love the extra for when we have guests!
Teresa Schilling says
These would cut the washing of cups in at least half at my house.
Kelsey says
I love meal planning. I also have it posted on my fridge so I can see it often. I have a dry-erase board so it makes it easy to erase or plug in reminders as needed. We always have leftovers for lunch, and rotate between the same 4 things for breakfast, so I don’t really plan those, but planning dinners and snacks have been a lifesaver! As for thawing/prep, I have spot in my morning to-do-list reminding me to look over the needs of tonight’s dinner so nothing gets forgotten! Thanks for the encouragement, Amy!
Vanessa Stout says
I would love some of these! We would need 4.
Christine says
There are seven of us! I’d love the extras for guests.
Christine says
There are seven of us! Extras for guests would be great.
ShellySinAZ says
We have a 4 week rotating menu for breakfast and lunch. I find it very helpful. I also love I don’t have to answer “what’s for lunch?” questions all day.
Patricia says
Great advice and information! Looking forward to reviewing the planning options 🙂
Laura says
I would love to try these. I would need 8 of them. It would be wonderful not to wonder whose glass is whose.
Sarah says
We would love some Drink bands. We would need 11 for our family.
I love meal planning! It is what keeps me sane. The Donnayoung.org.
Web site has great meal plan and shopping list printables .
I enjoy reading your posts!
Jane G says
I’m a big fan of the Cozi app. It allows my husband and I to have access to shopping lists and has a menu planner and calendar. We use the free version and love it.
Amy says
That’s what we use when my husband is doing the shopping! 🙂
Holly C. says
Menu planning is what makes our day go smooth in our house! And yeah, not having to wash 20 glasses every 2 hours because all 7 children have no clue who just took a sip from someone elses cup so they NEED a new one and sheesh…I need those drink bands! lol
Maureen says
Our family needs 7 drink bands 🙂 been wanting to try them to cut down on the number of unclaimed cups I find on the counter each day!
Nancy says
For a big get-together, we would need 11 drink bands.
Stef Cunningham says
We’re a family of 5 but sometimes we have extra kids here so we’d need at least 5.
Courtney Lemon says
Would love to win the drink bands!
melissa says
I love the idea of writing in pencil. I always stress out if deviate which is so silly. 🙂
Bridgette says
I could really use 10 drink bands! Thank You! I love your Blog! You’ve been so helpful and inspirational to me!
Mrs. Cliff says
This is one of my weakest things! Hoping to work on menu planning more over the school year :).
Would LOVE to win :)!!
Janelle Gordinier says
Yay for a Drinkbands giveaway! Thanks!
Natalie says
Thanks so much. I’m always looking for ways to meal plan to better serve my family. 🙂
Sarah Heaston says
Thanks for the give-away….looks like a very useful thing to have in the cupboard! 🙂 Love this post about meal planning as well….it does help, a great deal! 🙂
Becky says
I’ve wanted a set of these for a long time! Would love to win!
Monique says
I used to make menus, though now I am now more at the mercy of what is on sale. But my biggest problem is finding time to make these plans?
Aymee T says
I would need 6 bands please
jgg says
Our family of 7 (and hopefully more to come!) is constantly trying to keep track of which drink belongs to which kid/adult! These look wonderful!
nancy says
We frequently have guests, and there are 7 of us- so maybe 12 total we would need.
Thanks!
Nancy
Bevin says
I can see how these would be a big help!
Tasha says
I would need 8 drink bands.
Jade says
Thank you for this! I have recently started planning by the month, but shopping every two weeks (due to pay schedule) and it has helped SO much! Now, to figure out how to keep the children from going thru so much food! 🙂
Lisa says
What a wonderful giveaway. With six precious blessings, these drinkbands would go over well in our home and ease some of the dish pile up, as none of them want to run the risk of drinking after someone else!
L Hollman says
Thanks so much for your helpful tips!
Jessamyb says
We have 4 in our house, so I guess 4 drink bands! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Halannah Hartman says
Do you use an excel spreadsheet to make your meal planner or did you purchase a calendar somewhere? Love to know. Thanks : )
Halannah Hartman
laura says
6 for our family… but we often have quite a few guests, so total around 16 or so. 🙂 I usually take the tacky “name on a piece of tape” route… but these are way cuter.
Alison Nygaard says
I would need at least 3 for everyday use, but I really want them for our regular family BBQs where I would need at least 16!
Jessica says
We could really use these in our house! Thanks for the giveaway!
Amanda says
What perfect timing for this post. I’ve done once-a-month and weekly menu plans before, but lately menu planning has fallen to the wayside and I’m not thinking about meals till I’m in desperate need to go to the store! Thanks for the post!
CabotMama says
With four young kids graduating to non-sippie cups, these color coded bands would be awesome!! We’d need at least six, but more would help with guests.
Emily says
I would need 7 drink bands (so far!)
Angela says
I would need 5 for my family!
Lynn says
My hubby wants me to start planning weekly meals.. The drink bands would come in handy when the kids, hubby or me are sick so no one drinks out of our cups
Yemi Brown says
We would need eight bands
Tanya-Lilyofthevalley says
For our family I’d need 9. 🙂
Menu planning that is something I really need to start doing.
jami says
We need 9!
Rebecca says
I’ve been thinking of graduating our little kids to some large water bottles and using drink bands so that we don’t need to find several different colored bottles. Keeping everyone’s little cups filled through the day is getting to be pretty demanding!
Rebecca says
Forgot to mention…we would need 5 in total.
Carma says
I’m currently re-working how I do menu planning, so this post is timely. Thanks for the reminder to use a pencil so I can be more flexible. 🙂 Using Drink Bands would also be a sanity saver.
Hannah says
4 for immediate family
Hannah says
4 for us!
Jeanette Van de Bruinhorst says
We would need 11 drink bands! Wow. I know! We are a large family indeed, but love almost (LOL) every minute of it! Jeanette
Tiffany Marston says
We have 3 adults and 6 kids!!
Meg says
We would need 11 drink bands, thanks so much for the giveaway! 🙂
April says
We would need seven!
Becky Tolf says
These would be cool to win. I would need 6!
Theresa says
I was just discussing this with someone today! When I have a plan I usually can follow it, when I don’t . . . everything’s a mess! I’m encouraged to plan now!
Allison R says
OH this is great~ I’ve seen these before used for toddler sippy cups but not for glasses for the whole family! Brilliant! I’d need 5 of each size!
Rachel says
I would need 9.
Keri says
I have 4 kids 7 and under. I would love to have 8! Thanks for the chance to win!
Kayla says
We would need about four drink bands. Thanks for the great entry! This would help in knowing who left their glass on the floor!
Danielle Vinsant says
I have a list of some of our favorite meals. I also have a weekly meal plan. I made 6 different ones. They are numbered 1-6. I typed each up with grids for the days and a meal in each one. Then on the bottom I typed all of the ingredients for all of the meals. I put this in a sheet protector. Put them all on a key ring and hung it on a peg in my kitchen. I flip to the meal plan for the week. I can write on the sheet protector and erase if needed. Don’t forget to plan by season though. Or have something you can fall back on. You don’t want it to be 100 degrees outside and meal plan is roast chicken in the oven. <—nope wasn't me!! 🙂
Danielle Vinsant says
Oops I was so excited to share how I do my meal plan I forgot to add I would need 7.
Amy says
Great idea!
Robin E. says
We would need four. Thanks! What a neat idea! 🙂
shelley quiroz says
we are a family of 5. Extras for company would be great too. thanks.
Michelle says
I needed this! I’m right in the middle of meal planning….or should I say putting off meal planning. 😉
Debbie says
So far we’re a family of 8, but I would want an extra couple or more for guests. So I’d want at least 10.
A. Wiegman says
Thanks SO much for the time you put into your blog. It is such a great encouragement and practical help when I don’t have anywhere else to turn for advice on “running” a large family! God bless you and help you continue in this ministry. We would need 8-10 drinkbands if we got some. Thanks so much!
Jennifer says
I would love to have 9 drink bands for my husband and I and our 7 kids. I have tried buying colored cups but we seem to break or lose them so quickly, this looks like a great tool to put around our mason jars which is our current glass of choice.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Emily Q says
I would need 7 so each of my kids and me and my husband had one. The baby and toddler don’t quite need one yet but soon enough they will.
Tessla says
What a cool idea! 10 would be lovely.
Jessica says
I love your blog! I am a homeschooling mom of 5 kiddos and find your posts very encouraging! The drink bands are such a great idea! I would need 7, but would love 8 because I am hoping for one more child. 🙂
Sherri Y. says
I love meal planning & can’t wait to implement some of these ideas & see how I can make them for our family.
Tina H. says
We have 8 in our family right now, but it is always nice to have extra bands for when friends are over. Thank you!
Amanda says
I would need 6 for my family; however, we always have guest, so the others would be used 🙂 Would love to win these 🙂
Sherri Y. says
I do some meal planning, but my system could use refining 🙂 Thanks for these tips!
Shana says
I would need 6….so cool!
mamashortcake says
I would need 7! Thanks for the giveaway.
Christa L. says
Right now I would need 9 drink bands, but you never know how many more blessings the Lord has for us in the future! 🙂
Heather H says
I would need 7!
Cathy says
I have heard so much about these drinkbands, I think they would make any mom’s life easier. Small family or big family, we all use a lot of cups 🙂
Tara says
I have some generic bands with our last name on them for travel, but I see the benefit of having on for each child!
Patti says
The drink bands are a brilliant idea. We would love to win some of them. It would save me countless hours washing glasses. Love, love, love this idea!!!
Jessica says
We need 6 here. Probably in both small and large sizes.
T. Gates says
I would need 8 drink bands. These would be great!