Weekly Menu Planning Is Easy!!

Weekly Menu Planning is Easy!!

Some of the complaints I often hear from people is that "I just do not know what to cook, I need ideas," and "If someone would just tell me what to cook, I could do it!" If this sounds like you, you are not alone!

A healthy diet habit is planning. Plan your meal types per day, so you have a basic framework to work within. You will never be short of ideas, if you work this way. Here is a basic framework that you can use! You could set up your meal plan weekly, biweekly or monthly, if you really love variety. Me, I like simple and easy, so we will set up a weekly meal plan!

Choose your favorite meal types, and match them to a day of the week! Choose 4 or 5 healthy meals that will fit each theme. I will list a few of them, or you can choose your own category!

• Asian Day - Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese etc.


• Barbeque Day


• Crock Pot Meal


• Leftover Day (Make more food on a couple of days)


• Meatless Meal (Traditionally Meatless Monday) Saves money!


• Mexican Meal (Traditionally Taco Tuesdays at Restaurants)


• Pasta Meal


• Pizza Day


• Quick and Easy or New Recipe


• Salad Meal - See my Super Salad Meal Chart!


• Soup Meal


• Stir Fry Meal


• Your choice of Favorites

These are a few of the categories that you can choose, but you can choose any category that you love. Your aim should always be healthy eating, and to follow the half plate rule. That means if you choose Pizza Fridays, then make a large veggie filled green salad too! Not too hard of a Lifestyle Solution?

Example of a Weekly Menu Plan

Here is an example:

• Monday: Meatless Monday (Beans, Cheese, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggie filled)


• Tuesday: Mexican Tuesday, better known as "Taco Tuesday" (Tacos, Enchilada, Burritos, Taco Salad, Tostados) Sorry, my Mom is from New Mexico, and my Dad from Texas, so this category is big!


• Wednesday: Leftover Day (Mid-week break)


• Thursday: Italian (Spaghetti, Pasta, Pizza,)


• Friday: Stir Fry Friday


• Saturday: Soup and Salad Saturday - Check out my Super Salad Meal Chart!


• Sunday: Barbeque Day for summer, or Crock pot Cuisine for winter

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These are just my weekly menu planning ideas . It works, and is simple. Your kids will know your weekly meal plan themes, and can get into planning also! There is much flexibility. If you have kid’s ballgames on one day or work late, make that your crock pot day. Choose your themes as to what works for you! Stop struggling for ideas. A little weekly meal planning goes a long way!

Freeze your extra's for Leftover Midweek Wednesday meals! Break night rather than grabbing fast food! If you work full-time during the week, take advantage of the weekends, by doing some mass-cooking, and freeze items for the upcoming weeks!