Meal Planning

Menu index cards are great for when I can't think about what to cook. They have a whole menu, one menu on one index card. Since they are sorted into the index card file, I have them sorted by what types of meat (chicken, beef, ground beef, pork,vegetarian, etc.). This is great when the latest grocery ad shows which meats are the best prices, so I can choose from several menus from the meat with the best prices in my menu index file. I also usually just add vegetables or fruit in the menus, so that I can pick out which ones are the best deals too.

Also, on the other side of the index card, I write down any possible ingredients will be needed for that menu, and then I can check to see what I need to make the menus on my shopping list, and which items I already have. This helps me tremendously to not have to think what is needed for the menu, they are right there on the back of the index card, and I can then add anything needed in my shopping list, and I have a less chance of forgetting everything needed for each of the menus. It also saves a lot of time as well. So, the menu cards can not only save money, but also for saving a lot of time as well.

Source: The menu index cards were from a book for organizing (sorry I forgot the name of the book, but, I know it was at least 20 years ago) and when using the menu cards, I started adding ingredients on the back of the cards, to help myself to remember what was needed for the menus.

By Kathryn Visser from Grand Rapids, MI