Saturday, May 21, 2011

Menu Board




My first item of business was to finish the menu board I have been dying to make. When I have to plan out my meals for 4 to 6 weeks it's hard to be creative. I found a lot of great ideas online but chose to combine a couple to make it more practical for my small kitchen.


I bought a sheet of metal of Etsy about a year ago. It came pre-punched which I love!! The colors in our kitchen are black and red so it was easy to coordinate the paper to match. I made magnets for the days of the week and then used clear magnets with scrapbook paper glued on to hold the dinner papers.






I don't know how it works at your house but sometimes I feel like I get in a rut. We eat the same couple of dishes again and again. So when I made my menu board I sat down and made a list of everything we love to eat or that I have a recipe for. That way when I sit down to plan my menu I can look at what I can or should make. It has been a life saver.


I cut my paper strips out of white and red paper and then stamped the dinners on them with either red or black ink. To keep the extras safe I bought a magnetic picture holder. One of the cheap ones that you can get for 70 cents. I glued the bottom closed so they wouldn't fall out and stuck it on the back of the menu board so I have one less thing to chase around the kitchen.



Another plus, if I am having a really sicky day Hubby knows what is in the fridge for dinner. I also don't have to answer the "What's for dinner?" question a million times. I made little tags that say "leftovers" and "Don't Ask". For those days when you just shouldn't ask :)




Keep finding inspiration!


Jen

14 comments:

  1. Am I your first follower? I think Iam! :)

    I think it's a great idea to plan the meals in advance, especially if you have a family. Even I plan ahead (well for 1 week that is), and me and my hubs are just 2. I am Greek, living in Germany, so I get a lot of inspiration from both cuisines.
    Have a great day! :)

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  2. Hi Jen, thanks for sharing with my newbie party. Please add my link or button. I would also change the color font for comments, it blends in with the background and hard to find.

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  3. Such a cute idea! Please stop by www.laughloveandcraft.com and link up to my Share the Wealth Wednesday Link Party! I'm your newest follower!

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  4. such a cute board!! love it:)

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  5. Hi Jen, I love your writing style. It brought a smile to my face as I read your post. This is a wonderful idea since its the same problem I have to face each week. I like the way you used the sheet metal. Thanks for stopping by and visiting me. Good luck with finding those bottles at the Big Lots in your town. Have a wonderful evening!~Poppy

    http://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

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  6. How creative is this. I love the idea and your board is fabulous. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  7. I'm so sorry Jen about the bottom last sentence of my earlier comment ( about Big Lots ) and I'm sure I had you confused there. I messed up in replying another fellow blogger friend.Thanks!~Poppy

    http://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

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  8. This is such a great idea, and if nothing else, it's so nice that you won't have to hear the "what's for dinner?" question anymore!
    Happy REDnesday,
    Carol

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  9. I love this idea! I hate when I can't think of what to make for dinner- this is a great way to map it out!
    Thanks for sharing!
    I am your newest follower- and I would love to have you follow me back!
    Camille @
    SixSistersStuff.blogspot.com

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  10. This is such a great idea. Thanks for sharing. Right now we're just eating what's in our garden. Saw your link at SSS today and now I'm following.

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  11. Great idea for the cook. Since I do little of that anymore, guess I do not need a board.

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  12. I write my weekly menu on a piece of paper and stick it on the fridge with a magnet - not very exciting! This is a great idea and I guess it also means the rest of the family can pick what they want from your lucky bag of menu names :)
    Popping in from Wow Us Wednesdays

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  13. Love this!! Menu planning is definitely not my strong point. I'd love for you to link up!

    http://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/2011/05/wow-me-wednesday-11.html

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