I’ve seen a lot of resources on the internet about how to plan an exciting menu for your family. They all seem to make it sound so complicated: freezer inventories, recipe cards, special charts… gosh.

I think meal planning should make life easier, not more complicated.

Having a plan has helped me save money at the supermarket, and it has helped me feel more in control in the kitchen. And my method is really simple.

What’s the big secret to menu planning? Sticky notes! That’s it; that’s all you need to plan a week’s worth of meals in one go.

When I sit down to write my shopping list, I get out a sticky note, and I write a list of about seven dinner ideas. It helps to have a quick browse through your cook books before doing this, otherwise you end up cooking the same meals each week. Then I write a list of all the ingredients I’ll need to buy for those meals.

I started to separate my list into categories, but only after I realised it made it easier for me at the supermarket.

When I get home, I put the sticky note in my diary so I can refer to it during the week. Easy!