In an effort to get serious about my weekly dinner menus, I sat down with a blank menu and my cookbook, my laptop in front of me for researching ideas online.

The twenty-one blank squares for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for the next three weeks stared back at me and my creativity and culinary knowledge seemed to disappear. This was more challenging — and a bit more intimidating — than I’d expected.

Now that I’ve done it for some time, I can’t imagine going back to the stress of NOT having my weekly dinner menus prepared ahead of time. My husband (who was a big advocate of this idea) and kids love it. It’s easier for me, since  plan my menus and grocery shop all at once and then don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner each day — it’s already planned.

Frugal homemakers and families will appreciate the simplicity of menu planning because it really saves money as there is no last-minute rushing to the grocery store and succumbing to impulse purchases, or eating out because there’s nothing in the house to prepare for the next meal.