Meyer Family - Menu Planning

I have been working on this for months now and finally completed it! I believe if you create a weekly menu with what you already have in your home, you end up saving money and time. This summer I am planning on letting Kaila cook a few her favorite meals from my Menu Planner. So when she grows up and leaves the house she will know how to make her favorite meals!
I purchased a large D 3 ring binder and embellished it to make me want to look inside : )

I have dividers for all categories (chicken, beef, turkey, pork, side dishes, desserts, soup and salad, appetizers and miscellaneous). Some pages have cute dividers that I did during a recipe swap with a few moms.

I put the title of the meal on the top, then I found a picture online that came closest to what my meal looks like! Some meals I listed the items I need to make that meal along with suggestions on what to serve with it. Some meals have the actual recipe/directions listed on them.

In the back of the planner I inserted clear 3 slot photo protectors I found at the store. I cut strips of different color card stock to fit inside. They are used for recipes I find in magazines that I want to try. I went through all of my magazines I've been collecting for years and tore out articles I want to read and recipes I realistically will try. The articles went into a basket that's next to my bed and the recipes get glued onto the strips of card stock and the magazine gets tossed. Once I try the recipe, if it's good enough to make again, I'll turn that into a larger recipe page and it will get filed under a tab then the magazine cut out will be tossed. If I tried the recipe and I know I won't make it again, it gets thrown away.

I keep a pen, post it notes, scissors, glue stick and a grocery list pad inside the binder at all times. I also have dividers that have pockets to keep coupons in.

I'm loving my menu planner!

Next project is purging the toys!! I'm thinking black trash bags?