When it comes to deciding what to cook for the family, I’d rather poke my eyes out with a spork at times. That’s why it’s great to plan ahead.

This week’s Monday’s Momma, Marina Vesela from Parental Journey shares five great tips. Check them out!

5 Great Tips for Easiest Menu Planning

When you have kids, you have to be all about planning or you won’t make it. Without strict plan you will not be able to focus on anything. Having a plan helps me to remember all I have to do and to do more in my short day.

One thing that I find really useful is weekly menu planning, so I wanted to share my tips with you.

1. Every Monday, Thursday, Sunday or any other day that works for you sit down, take a piece of paper and a pencil and write down lunch ideas for every single day.

2. Try to include one new meal every week. You can find ideas for new meals on numerous food blogs that you can find on internet. It’s easier to do that if you decide that one day a week will be your “New Meal Day”. When I read food blogs, I bookmark all the recipes I like, so when it’s my New Meal Day, I just browse through my bookmarks and find something I like. If the meal is successful then I put it into my cookbook.

3. When you finish your menu plan, put it on your fridge, so you can’t forget about it. And then, when you go shopping for groceries, buy only what you need for that week planned meals. I guarantee you that you will spend less money and the less food will be wasted!

4. At the end of the week, when you have to write new menu plan, look into your fridge and see what groceries can you use for next week meals.

5. If you want to save more money, then look online what kind of sale does your supermarket has this week, so plan your meals in the way that you include things on sale. My favorite supermarket has sale on chicken, so I will definitely have chicken two times this week!

That’s it! Simple as that! And don’t say: “I will do it next week!”… Do it now!! Now is a perfect moment to start a new habit!

*This post originally appeared on The Parental Journey.

About this week’s Monday’s Momma:

Marina Vesela is from Croatia, born and raised, but planning to move soon, probably to UK, her favorite country in Europe. She has been blogging for 10+ years. Parental Journey is her new project where she wants to share interesting activities she does with her 2 year old girl. So, just another mommy blog 🙂 She is a work-at-home mom, ideation researcher, freelance writer and a journalist. Jack of all trades! Journalism was always her biggest love, but at the moment she is working in the marketing field. She loves new experiences and is always looking to try and do something new and exciting.