Menu Plan Wednesday is something new I'm doing here in my home. The whole online world seems to plan their menus on Mondays, but planning my menus on Monday just doesn't work for me - as you may have suspected with my recent lack of posting the menus on Monday.
This is why it doesn't work for me.
The majority of grocery stores start their new sale ads on Wednesdays.
I am on a budget, and we've all gotta eat - so therefor, I've got to shop smart. Shopping smart to me involves couponing, watching the sales, & menu planning. On Tuesday evenings, I sit down at the computer & visit my 2 favorite couponing sites, SouthernSavers.com & MyCouponTeacher.com. They are great sites, and they list all the sales going on at my local grocery stores, and they pair any available coupons with the sale prices to get the best deal. Southern Savers even puts a little acorn symbol next to the very best buys.
I take note of the sales & coupons first. Then I check out my freezer inventory to see what meats I already have.
I buy the majority of our meat from a reputable farmer/butcher in my area, and I check in several times a week for his reduced selections, which go straight into our freezer. I am very picky about the meat I buy, along with our dairy, eggs & produce. We raise chickens for eggs & grow as much produce as we can. Everything else, we buy from local farmers whenever possible. Check to see what's in your area at LocalHarvest.org.
The third thing I check is my pantry. I stock up on groceries when they are a good deal each week, so I always check to see what all I have on hand before I go & buy more.
The sale ads & what I already have at home is what I base each & every menu off of. So, doing my menu plans & grocery shopping on Wednesday is just what works for me.
Every Wednesday from now on, look for my menu plan. If Wednesday works for you better too, come join me! Come join me no matter when you plan your menus for that matter. I'll have a link party at the end of each one if you want to share yours too.
In the end, menu planning is really important for staying on budget. So, whether Monday, Wednesday, or even Saturday works for you - like Nike says, just do it.
