I’m a firm believer that everyone needs to plan out their weekly menu. After all, failing to plan is planning to fail, right? Simply planning out your weekly menu not only saves you money, it saves you time and can even save your sanity. I hope you enjoy these three printable weekly meal planners that will make meal planning a breeze!
I know everyone is different when it comes to planning menus for the week. That’s why I made two different versions of one printable. You can download a dinner only meal planner or menu planner that includes all meals and snacks.
Free Weekly Dinner Menu Printable
I’m the type of person who only needs to plan out dinners. I’m fine winging it for breakfast, lunch and snacks. That’s why this printable is my favorite.
Let’s face it, I only have the brain capacity to plan 7 meals a week. Ask me to do 21 plus snacks and my brain might explode.
Weekly Meal Plan Printable for All Meals + Snacks
If you are more organized than me and like to plan 28 different options for meals and snacks, then this meal plan printable is for you.
Then again, if you are that kind of organized, I bet you made your own printable. You did, didn’t you? Stop reading this post and go learn how to start a blog so you can start sharing your amazing printable with the world, okay?
Download Your Menu Planner Now!
What’s for Dinner menu planner printable
How I Use My Printable Meal Planner
As an environmentalist, I hate the idea of printing out a new piece of paper each week for planning my menu. That’s why I laminate mine and use a dry erase marker. I love using my laminator to make anything and everything into a dry erase sheet.
For years, I used a chalkboard. I’ve also been known to use the notes on my phone to plan my weekly menu.
Basically, I’m not organized enough to use the same thing each week. But I’m trying hard to get back into a good meal planning routine so I’ve got my weekly meal planner printed, laminated, and on my fridge ready to dictate my meals for the week.
Watch out world. I might be unstoppable now that I’ve put this thing on my fridge.
Benefits of Using a Weekly Meal Planner
If you are on this page, you probably already know the benefits of using a weekly meal planner. But just in case you are new to meal planning, here are my top reasons for planning a weekly menu.
- Reduces food waste- when you carefully plan what you cook, you have less waste. I’m a huge fan of wasting less food. Learn more about food waste reduction here.
- Saves you money– not everyone plans budget friendly meals. I for one don’t. I’m a foodie, so planning my menu doesn’t necessarily save me money. However, not being tempted to buy take out or convenience food does save me money. Planning my meals, and even planning emergency back up frozen meals, saves me tons of money.
- Helps you eat healthier- once again, not everyone eats healthier just because they plan their food. I plan plenty of fried chicken dinners. Not healthy at all. At the same time, frying my own chicken is a whole heck of a lot healthier than driving through Chic-fil-a and getting fries and chicken nuggets.
- Takes away stress- hands down, this is my favorite reason for meal planning. When I plan my meals in a weekly menu printable, I’m more likely to feel prepared for the week. Just feeling prepared for the week does wonders for my soul.
- Saves time– if you do it right you can bulk cook and freeze entire meals ahead of time. Not me. I’m just not into that. But I do still feel like planning my weekly menu saves me time. I’m less likely to spend 20 minutes just trying to figure out what to eat each evening when I plan it all out at once.
How to Meal Plan with Weekly Meal Planner
Well, it really is pretty simple. You sit down and you write out your meals for the week. Easy, right?
Not really.
It’s actually a little harder than it sounds. Coming up with 7 meals that everyone in your family will actually eat is almost as hard as finding the Holy Grail.
If you do find 7 meals that your family will actually end, then my friend, you actually have stumbled upon the Holy Grail. Put those 7 meals in your weekly rotation right now. Then pour yourself a glass of wine and celebrate.
If you don’t actually have 7 meals that your family loves, then you will probably love my tried and true trick for meal planning with themed nights. Think “Taco Tuesday” but more fun.
Head here to get all the details on menu planning with themed dinners.
Why I don’t have a Weekly Meal Planner with a Grocery List
Well, I do. You just have to go here to download it.
The reason I didn’t make a new one is because I don’t like the idea of putting my grocery list on the same sheet as my weekly menu.
Need more meal planning tips?
Head here to get all my favorite tips for meal planning and scheduling your weekly menu.
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