Everyone knows that meal plans are an important way to get proper nutrition on a budget but what about fast meal planning? Can it be done?

There are tips and tricks that you can use to make your meal planning so easy that it takes only moments to plan you meals and grocery list for the week. By using these tips and tricks you can create a menu and a grocery list in less time than it takes to buy fast food.

Interested?

You are going to have to set aside a little time for the first part. Once you do this however you won't have to repeat it until you want to.

The first thing you need to do is to purchase 3 x5 cards at the office supply store. These will hold your menus.

Next, sit down and list the meals that your family generally eats. Most people will find that their family gravitates toward the same foods week after week with little variation. You are going to use that to your advantage.

Talk to each family member and find out what meal they love the most. Write it down on a piece of scratch paper. Now think about the other meals that you family likes. Come up with a list of at least fourteen main courses. You can do this with as few as seven or as many as thirty but fourteen is a good place to start.

Now, on the top of each card write one of the following:

• Beef
• Poultry
• Fish
• Pork
• Vegetarian
• 30 Minutes or less

If you prefer you can use different colors of cards for each category rather than labeling the cards.

On each card write the main dish. Underneath it write the side dish or dishes that you will serve with it and then choose a bread and a dessert if you like.

So, your first card may look like this:

• Meatloaf
• Mashed potatoes
• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with pistachio and lemon
• Chocolate layer cake

On the back of the card list the ingredients that you will need. You don;t need to list pantry staples like salt or sugar. Just list the main ingredients. Also, if the recipe is in a certain place make a note of that as well:

• Meatloaf, BHG pg #104
• Mashed potatoes
• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Bon Appetit May 2008
• Chocolate layer cake, bakingdelights.com

This way each card will have ever bit of information you need when you need it.

Now you will need to go to your computer and create a master grocery list from your cards.

Using a word program type in all of the ingredients on the backs of you cards. It is easier if you keep them in categories. Placed a ____ or a box by each item so that you can check it off if it is something you need.

For example:

___ground beef

___hot dogs

___chicken breast

___ham, sliced

___ham, whole

This will take some time but when you finish you will never need to write a grocery list again. Make some blank spaces for special things that you may need to write in.

Making a menu plan is now as easy as choosing a card for each day of the week and checking off the items on your master list that you will need to get at the store.

No more poring over cookbooks decided what looks good.  No more trying to figure out at dinnertime what you can cook quickly and easily.  Just pull out your box of cards, choose seven of them, check your list, and head to the store.

You will save time and money and your family will eat healthier.  Whenever you get the chance just make a few more cards to keep a variety.

Seriously, how easy is that?