Balancing Everything

Menu Magnets

July 2, 2009 filed in: freebies

I made these back in 2007 I believe after I read an entry on Amanda’s now defunct Naked Ledger blog. Someone had come up with a brilliant idea to color code menu selections (sides, veggies, etc.) on magnetic paper so she could rearrange the things her family liked to eat into a menu plan on her refrigerator door. It appealed to me immensely as the menu ideas could hang in plain view next to the grocery list and wouldn’t hide out in a planner I’d inevitably forget to check.

I immediately got to work making my own version of menu magnets and I liked them so much I shared them with readers on my old blog. I’ve had a few requests for them again, so I’m resurrecting this printable download.

Print the PDFs on printable magnet paper and cut them out. If you have a paper trimmer it makes cutting them out pretty painless, but of course you can do it with scissors as well.

Set the days of the week magnets aside and use the blanks (you can print as many as you need!) to write down main courses, sides, salads, veggies, whatever. I only use these for dinner since sorting out breakfast and lunch isn’t hard for me, but you could use this system for all the meals of the day if you wish.

Line up the days of the week magnets on your fridge and assemble the meals you think you’d like to make. The beauty of this system is that it’s really easy to change. If you get to the weekend and spontaneously decide to eat out or order in, you can just swap those magnets out for one that says “Take Out,” you know, if you’re OCD like me and like your lists to match up with real life.

I create my meal plan for the coming week on Saturday and then check the 3 ring binder I keep next to the fridge with all of my recipes in it to see if there are any ingredients I need to buy. When I’m really on top of things I’ll make sure I get to the grocery store Saturday so I’ve got the food I need for the coming week.

The extra meal items not in current rotation live on the side of the fridge:

Extra blank magnets are stored in a plastic ziplock bag in a nearby cupboard so I can add new meals I try that turn out to be successes.

This entire system jumped the shark during my last pregnancy when it was all I could do to sip Sprite and choke down Eggo waffles, so I’m glad for the reminder to get it back out, dust it off, and put it back in action. It worked really well for us before and I’m confident it will again.

Goodbye, dinners invented from whatever I could find in the back of the freezer. We won’t miss you at all.