Creating Menu Cards and Meals

Creating Menu Cards and Meals

For years I tried to pull out recipes and organize them for my weekly meals and it never worked for me. Also what was I supposed to do about things I did not need a recipe for - like hamburgers? It was too confusing for me and I needed something that was reusable like a recipe card. One day it came to me! Who says we have to just put recipes on recipe cards - why not meal cards?

Starting out I just used index cards and then I got tired of writing all the same basic line information over so I created Menu Planning Cards which are offered through the Christmas Organizing site. (All of the products offered through Christmas Organizing have been designed by me because of a need I had.) Whichever method you choose is fine with me. On the card there should be a place to put down the main dish, ingredients needed and additional comments. Make sure you have around 50 cards.

Now think about what meals your family likes. Go through the cards and just write down the name of it on the main dish line. This is things that you eat often and can even include your favorite restaurants. Example: (each on a different card) hamburgers and french fries, Spaghetti, baked pork chops, meatloaf, beef roast, BBQ chicken, fried chicken, soup and salad, pizza, McDonalds, KFC, Shoney's, etc. Work at this until you have around 50 cards. This may seem like a lot of cards, but it really is not that hard to do. If you get stuck as some friends for some ideas or look through some cookbooks.

Now place your cards into a recipe box or index card box. If you actually plan menus each week you can use these to help you plan out your week or even the entire month with out getting into a dinner rut! You may also just use them as a reference guide when you are stuck on something "different" to have for dinner. As you use each card place them to the back and turn them backwards until you have used all your cards. Not only can this help during the busy holiday season, it is also useful year-round! Below you will see my list. If you have any questions feel free to submit them through the online contact form.

1. All day baked beans and hot dogs
2. Ashley's Wok Meal
3. BBQ (made from left over beef or pork roast)
4. BBQ Chicken
5. BBQ Ribs
6. Beef Burgundy
7. Beef roast
8. Beef Stroganoff
9. Can Night (everyone chooses a favorite canned food like soup, spaghettios, ravioli, etc.)
10. Chicken and Dumplins
11. Chicken and Rice Bake
12. Chicken Cordon blu
13. Chicken Kiev
14. Chicken Nuggets
15. Chicken Patrick
16. Chicken Pot Pie
17. Chili
18. Crescent Chicken Pockets
19. Crockpot chicken
20. Eggs, sausage, bacon and biscuits and gravy
21. Fettuccini with Chicken and Mushrooms
22. Fish and Chips
23. Ham
24. Ham and potato casserole
25. Hamburger Stroganoff
26. Hamburgers
27. Hawaiian Chicken
28. Hot Dogs
29. Krisann's Cheesy Rice Roll-ups
30. Lasagna
31. Meatloaf
32. Minute Steak with gravy
33. Omelet
34. Oven Baked Chicken and Gravy
35. Oven Fried Chicken
36. Pancakes
37. Pizza
38. Pork chops
39. Pork Loin
40. Pork roast
41. Quiche
42. Rigatoni Casserole
43. Salad with Crispy Chicken
44. Sloppy Joes
45. Soup and Sandwich night
46. Spaghetti
47. Steak
48. Steakum sandwiches
49. Stew
50. Sticky Chicken
51. Stuffed Shells
52. Sweedish Meatballs
53. Sweet and Sour Meatballs
54. Sweet and Sour Pork (crockpot)
55. Tacos
56. Torengo Casserole
57. Tuna Salad on Croissants
58. Tupperware Chicken
59. Turkey