Well we have made it a quarter of a year working towards a year of monthly meal plans! Yes, monthly!
Last year, we did weekly meal plans. Well we did weekly meal plans most of the time. I say most of the time because some weeks we forgot to plan. Life got busy, school work was out of control, the preschool business started, the family all got sick. You name it, life happens. When I suggested a Monthly Meal Plan late last month, I was sure my husband would declare me nuts for good. BUT … he was on board. He was on board so much he tried to find a monthly meal planner online. There were none to be found that worked for what we wanted though. So being the Excel junkie that he is, he made a calendar he could fill in a meal for each day.
Part of my accountable in doing this is posting our Monthly Meal Plan each month.
Still working with the same clunky format for now …
| Date | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
| 3 | Pancakes | Leftovers | Spaghetti and Meatballs | |
| 4 | Oatmeal | Soup and Salad | Chicken Pasta Cooking Cream | |
| 5 | Sausage Muffins | Soup and Sandwich | Slow Cooker Chicken + Rice Veggie |
|
| 6 | Cereal | Soup and Salad | Pork Stir Fry Rice |
|
| 7 | SEC Muffin | Salad and Sandwich | Shrimp Skewers Cous Cous Veggie |
|
| 8 | Oatmeal | Soup and Fish | Tacos | |
| 9 | Bacon & Eggs | Out | Bachelor Night | |
| 10 | Pancakes | Leftovers | Steak Box Potato Veggie |
|
| 11 | Oatmeal | Soup and Salad | Rice and Beans | |
| 12 | Sausage Muffins | Soup and Sandwich | Ham and Rice Stuff | |
| 13 | Cereal | Soup and Salad | Fajitas | |
| 14 | SEC Muffin | Salad and Sandwich | Leftovers | |
| 15 | Oatmeal | Soup and Fish | BBQ Chicken Box Potatoes Veggie |
|
| 16 | Bacon & Eggs | Out | Fried Chicken Waffles and Fried Veggies | |
| 17 | Pancakes | Leftovers | Chuck Roast Braise Potatoe & Veggie |
|
| 18 | Oatmeal | Soup and Salad | Pork Chop Stuffing Veggie |
|
| 19 | Sausage Muffins | Soup and Sandwich | Turkey Macaroni (p. 45) | |
| 20 | Cereal | Soup and Salad | Shrimp Scampi Rice Pilaf Veggie |
|
| 21 | SEC Muffin | Salad and Sandwich | Leftovers | |
| 22 | Oatmeal | Soup and Fish | Tacos | |
| 23 | Bacon & Eggs | Out | Breaded Pork Chops Rice Veggie |
|
| 24 | Pancakes | Easter Dinner | Leftovers | |
| 25 | Oatmeal | Soup and Salad | Shrimp Stir-Fry | |
| 26 | Sausage Muffins | Soup and Sandwich | Taco Salad | |
| 27 | Cereal | Soup and Salad | Chicken Pasta Cooking Cream | |
| 28 | SEC Muffin | Salad and Sandwich | Leftovers | |
| 29 | Oatmeal | Soup and Fish | Pork Tenderloin Frozen Potatoes + Veggies |
|
| 30 | Bacon & Eggs | Out | Roast Chicken Rice Veggie |
A few notes …
- Yes, breakfast and lunch repeat each week. That was for ease of planning to be honest. After we planned all the dinners, we were tired! My husband plugged in the breakfast and lunch plans on his own!
- The breakfast and lunch plans are mostly for my husband and I. The kids dig their cereal and muffins in the morning. Plus if they didn’t have mac and cheese and apples for lunch on a regular basis (their chosen combination!) there would be a revolt around here!
- The dinner plans are simple. This month we dug through our freezer and pantry again and the menu came from there. We should need 1-3 things a week for dinners!
- Want to know a secret? We cheat. Sometimes whatever it was doesn’t happen. That is fine. We swap days around if messed up meal planning times or even don’t want what was on the menu. It all works out and we eat out way less than we were even when we limited our eating out! YAY for the budget!
If you are looking for answers on monthly meal planning, ask the questions you have! I don’t know that I have the answer for you but I will look for them!
If you want the empty Excel spreadsheet formatted like a calendar, let me know and I will send it you via email. Just send me an email at simplybudgeted at gmail dot com.
Have you tried monthly meal planning? How did it go? Any tips or suggestions?
How can I find your exact recipes for these meals? I need HELP!!!
This has been really helpful – it's a great base that I adapt for my family 🙂
– Amber
These are all great. Also a way to start eating healthier. Thanks!
seems great but some days seems heavy…like the 23rd….so much pork and eating out…if we know we are eating out its an oatmeal day and a soup evening or a light salad but great planning-
I only WISH I could be THIS organized and make out a meal plan like this — and then actually STICK to it!
Spaghetti and Meatballs is a classic!
I like the variety!
[email protected]
I love Pork Stir Fry
Rice.