Home => Menu and Meal Planning => 3 Planning Lists to Organize Your Meals
Related Articles: 8 Steps to Organized Meal Planning | Meal Planning and Dinnertime Preparation

3 Planning Lists to Organize Your Meals
by O Quinn

Description: Three checklists that will make grocery shopping and meal planning easier.

With just three checklists you can bring your meal scrambling days to an end and serve your family nutritious delicious dinners.

1. Grocery Shopping List: With a grocery shopping list you are less likely to stray and buy things that might catch your eye. Grocery shopping lists keep you on task and that saves you money. You won't buy what is not on your list. Your grocery list should sit in a prominent place all week. A place where all the members of your family can see it and access. As you notice things needing to be replaced add to the list. When you get to your menu planning ingredients add them to the list.

2. Pantry List: With a pantry list you know what ingredients you have in the house. If you have guests drop by or need to make a last minute meal knowing what you have on hand saves a lot of time and trouble. To use a pantry list have a chart of the food items you use on a regular basis in your home. Have a slot next to those items. In each slot mark how many of that item you have on hand. If none then you know you need to add that item to your grocery list.

3. Meal Planning List: Meal planning saves time and money. With a meal planning list you don't have to think about dinner, just do it. Your groceries have already been purchased from your time and money saving grocery list so you know what you're eating for dinner. Just follow the recipe and you have a great home cooked meal your family will love. To use a meal planning list get a piece of paper. List your days of the week in a column and then make three more columns next to that. The three columns are for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Use each column to write in what recipe you will serve on that day at that time. Some people omit the breakfast and lunch because the dinner hour is the big worry. That's okay too. On the day you will be serving your meal refer to the list and you will know if you need to thaw any meats or prepare any items in advance.

More Details about meal planning here. For complete checklists for home and life visit Household Notes and for information on organizing your home visit Homemaking Organized.