The Dinner Rhythm: A Simple Meal Planning Card System
This system is born out of my frustration of having to make a meal plan every week. I would sit down and spend time meal planning, and realize….we bascially are just eating all the same things. What a waste of my time weekly. So I created The Dinner Rhythm: A Simple Meal Planning Card System to save time and energy every week meal planning.
Although I don’t WANT to meal plan every week, I have to because I have to feed all my people and stay on budget. So let’s simply the process we have to do.
The set of printable meal planning cards are designed to take some of the decision-making out of feeding a family. I have chosen a theme for every day of the week and given limited option based off what we are already eating. It’s so simple and saves mental energy for things that you actually enjoy doing.
Meal Planning Cards That Help With Decision Fatigue
I think one of the hardest parts of feeding a family is simply the number of decisions involved. This could be any size of family, too. I have 5 kids that I am feeding 99% of our meals at home, but ever if you have one child, you still have to figure out dinner every night.
What’s for breakfast? What are we having for lunch? What’s for dinner? Do we have snacks? What do I need from the grocery store? What can I make on the night we’re busy?
The Dinner Rhythm gives each day of the week a basic theme:
Monday: Rotisserie Remix
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday
Wednesday: Whatever-the-Kids-Want Wednesday
Thursday: Throw-It-In Thursday
Friday: Family Pizza Friday
Saturday: Fancy Sandwich Saturday
Sunday: Slow Cooker Sunday
Most days have five meals to choose from. So instead of asking “What should I make for dinner Tuesday?” I’m choosing between tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, burritos, or taco bowls. This save you so much mental energy!
More Meal Plan Ideas: How to Create a Nourishing Weekly Meal Prep Rhythm
Easy Meal Planning Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks & Baking
Although my main agenda was figure out dinner, I decided I should go ahead and solve other meals too. There are still a lot of other people asking me what they can eat all day long!
The card system also includes cards for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, weekly baking, and treats.
For breakfasts and lunches, there are ten simple options. You choose seven, and repeats are encouraged.
We might have oatmeal several mornings (because it’s soo easy) in one week or leftovers for lunch more than once. But hen I choose three snacks, three things to bake, and two treats. This helps fill in any gaps we have throughout the week and make sure the week of food doesn’t feel like “bare bones”. There is room for enjoyment as well.
These aren’t complicated meal planning ideas. They’re familiar foods like eggs and toast, oatmeal, PB&J, quesadillas, protein balls, homemade bread, muffins, and cookies.That’s intentional. This is food for regular life.
How to Use This Easy Meal Planning System
The actual planning part takes just a few steps.
First, I flip through my meal planning cards and choose what we’re eating. Then I transfer those choices to the included weekly meal planner.
Once the week is planned, I check the kitchen and use the included grocery list to write down what we need.
You can simply print the cards and use them, or set them up the way I do: print on cardstock, cut them apart, laminate them, punch the marked corner, and put them on a binder ring. Now they’re ready to pull out every week.
Enjoy this Simple Guide to Family Meal Planning on a Budget
An Editable Meal Plan You Can Make Your Own
The download comes with my pre-filled meal planning system, so there’s nothing you have to create before you can use it. These are meals that my family is currently eating,. I wanted to give you a clear picture of how a real family is using the meal card system.
But obviously, your family may not eat exactly like mine. You might not like the same meals.
So hat’s why I’ve also included an editable Canva template. This way you can add your family’s favorite meals.
You can replace individual dinners with your own family favorites, my theme’s are left off, so you customize every card. You get the structure of the system without being stuck with someone else’s meal plan.
Once you’ve personalized it, print your new cards and add them to your ring.
Simple Meal Planning for Busy Moms
The Dinner Rhythm isn’t really about becoming better at meal planning. It’s about needing to think about meal planning less. Like I just don’t really want to think about it for awhile. It drained me envy week so have to come up with a plan again.
So if you’re like me… balancing kids, work or homeschooling, activities, appointments, laundry, grocery budgets, and everything else involved in keeping a home running, deciding what everyone should eat three times a day can become one more source of decision fatigue.
This gives you a rhythm to come back to every week to simply plan, save time, money, and mental energy!
Pick your meals. Plan your week. Make your grocery list. Then stop thinking about it.
