Ok, so the title is a lot more tantalizing than the content but, I had to get a great catch phrase to get you to read my post. Don’t you just love bait and switch!

My sister and I were having a conversation today where she told me that I have fantastic luck in picking products and implementing ideas. She mentioned that I never choose anything that isn’t fabulous. Truth be told… I choose unwisely ALL OF THE TIME. I just don’t talk about it a lot. The last thing in the world that I love to announce is that I spend too much money or time on a product or idea that didn’t work. However, I am quite the loud mouth when it comes to ideas and products that I love.

So, in the spirit of sharing amazing ideas, I thought that I would send one your direction. Now, I wish that I could take credit for this one but, I can’t. This idea belongs to my great friend Toni. She happened to mention to me how her meal planning works and I have to tell you, it is genius! I love it and I am saving a TON of money! So, although I won’t take any amount of credit for this, I am so pathetically excited over it that I couldn’t keep it in anymore.

Toni shops once a week and spends a ridiculously low amount on her food bill. This is how she does it. She doesn’t buy anything unless it is on sale and she shops the adds. She will load up on things when they are on sale and incorporate them into her budget. That is not the great part. The great part is her organization. She has a master meal plan that repeats every week. This is how it works.

Monday- Spaghetti (and her husband comes home and makes it)
Tuesday- Casserole or rice dish. I have changed this to be a convenience food: mac and cheese, mummy dogs, hamburger helper, soup and breadsticks etc.
Wednesday- Breakfast for dinner.
Thursday- Mexican
Friday- Homemade Pizza
Saturday- Left overs
Sunday- Big Meal: This is the night we usually go to grandma’s for dinner so, I only plan for 2 sunday dinners a month.

So, once I heard about this, I thought that I would try it. I sat down with my calendar and add and planned out a whole months worth of meals in about 5 minutes. I went grocery shopping and spent a fraction of what I would normally have spent. Literally, I was stunned as to how much I saved. And… here is the big one….. my kids LOVE it. They love the fact that they know what is on the menu for the night.

You can really mix it up as well. Examples: for Mexican night, we have had burritos, enchiladas, tacos and taco salad. All huge hits. Breakfast for dinner has ranged from pancakes and fruit to crepes to oatmeal casserole. The homemade pizza is the best and takes so little time that it blew my socks off. Now, you can certainly mix it up the way you would like to do it but, I just had to share.

This has been one of the best ideas that I have ever heard and incorporating it into my life has made things SO much simpler. Anyway, I just thought that I would share!