Creating a Weekly Dinner Menu

Set aside time once a week to plan seven dinners.  Let your children help with planning.

• Start with a three ring binder.  Print off 10 copies of the weekly menu planner and 10 copies of the shopping list and put them in your binder.  Weekly Menu Planner (Word | PDF) | Shopping List (Word | PDF)
• Gather recipes, cookbooks, previous menus and weekly store flyers.  Print off copies of your favourite on-line recipes. 
• Take out one weekly menu planner and write on it any activities for the upcoming week.   
• Choose seven dinner recipes.   If necessary, add side dishes or a salad.  If you are having a hard time choosing meals, click on “Tips for Choosing Meals”. 
• Write the meals on the weekly menu planner. 
• Put copies of your printed recipes directly into the binder, in the order they will be used.  For recipes in cookbooks, add the cookbook name and page number directly to your menu planner.
• Post this week’s menu planner on the fridge or on the cupboard for everyone to see.
• Keep the binder in a location where all family members can access it.  Whoever is home first can open to the recipe and start preparing the dinner meal.