Magnetic Menu Board – Part 1
Happy Monday Friends! I am pretty excited about what I have to share with you this week! Here’s a little fun fact about me: I am pretty “in to” meal planning. Geeky, I know! But not only does it keep my grocery list (and bill!) in check, but when dinner time rolls around, I like having a game plan ready for me. If I’m stuck facing a refrigerator or pantry saying “What should I make for dinner tonight?,” we usually end up calling for pizza!
Until now, I have been using a pretty basic, pretty functional system:
Each week, I pull out my “collection” of tried-and-true recipes, which are organized in clear-paged books into the categories of “Favorites,” “Classics,” “To Try,” and “Desserts.” I page through the books and identify what sounds good and/or what will work with items we have on hand! I then assign a meal to each day of the week on our little green wipe board, making an effort to vary our sources of protein and carbohydrates across the week. Once my meals are identified, I assemble our grocery list and set off for the store. I actually stick to my meal plan most of the time!
Then…a while back, I came across this picture on Pinterest:
I was absolutely smitten with this menu board concept (and not just because I am allured by all things labeled and color-coded!) Although my meal-planning system was working, my recipes were in major need of updating and organizing…and despite having dozens of recipes, I was often making the same things over and over and over again. This menu board concept allowed me to plan a whole month at once (major time saver!), ensured that I made a different meal each night…AND it looked super pretty and organized with all the labels and colors (very important!)! Although RobbyGurl has a pretty awesome product here (and she even sells them!), I really wanted to give the menu board a go myself…yeah, I’m kinda stubborn and controlling that way! I really loved her concept, but there were a few things I wanted to customize in order make the final product more specific and functional for my needs!
I gave this project a lot of thought, and it took me a while to identify a system that would truly work for me. After a lot of thinking, organizing and sorting, putting it away for a while, pulling it back out, and thinking some more….here is how my menu board turned out!
Today, I am going to show you how my menu board works. You can now also see how to make it yourself and get the editable/changeble templates!
Are you ready to see how this menu board works?
At the start of the month, I clear the magnetic calendar, put up the correct month at the top, and write in the dates with a dry-erase marker.
I start our monthly meal-planning by looking at our family calendar and identifying parties, outings, or other meal-related commitments we having coming up. I designate these days with the “OUT:” label. I specifically designed my labels to be slim enough that I can hand-write in where we will be going when we are eating “out.”
I then assign meals to the rest of the days we are home, using my “meal magnets.” As I said before, I make a specific point to vary our protein sources across the week, ensuring that we have at least 1 vegetarian and 1 seafood meal each week. (The color-coding system I employed here is organized by protein, so I simply make sure I have all my colors represented each week!).
Then, I add my red labels, which are all “sides and salads.” Some of my red labels are actually recipes, and I add those where appropriate. However, most of my red labels are a bunch of “code” letters!
Here are what my “code” letters stand for!
Like our protein, I also like to make sure we get a variety of whole grains through the week. I add my little red letters to each meal, so when I am both prepping my shopping list and the actual meal, I know exactly what I need!
Are you still following me? In the picture above…on February 19th, we will be having Barley Risotto with Salad (S) and on February 26th, we’ll be having Meatloaf Muffins with both Wild Rice Timbales and Salad (S)! Just like with the color-coded protein labels, these red labels allow me to quickly assess if we are getting too much of one thing and not enough of another!
There are a few other fun features I added to my meal-planning system to really make this menu board versatile, flexible, and perfectly tailored to my needs!
First up, is this symbol!
I very often double recipes (whenever the recipe lends itself to freezing!) to save time cooking down the road. To remind myself to buy extra ingredients and/or make the full recipe, I add these + labels on the appropriate day.
Since I often cook extra and therefore have meals in the freezer, we eat “leftovers” at least once a week. So just like the “OUT:” label, I can add the “LEFTOVER:” label and hand-write in what that meal will be!
Lastly, I created the “NEW:” label. One of my concerns with this type of meal-planning system was that we would eat the same recipes over and over because they were the ones labeled and on the board. What about all those recipes on my Pin Boards, in my email, and in all those cookbooks on my shelves? To make sure we keep our rotation fresh, each month we have 1-2 “new” recipe nights. Like with the “OUT:” and “LEFTOVER:” labels, I write in what the actual recipe is below the label!
And what happens if we really love a recipe and want it to become part of the regular rotation? I printed a bunch of blank labels that I can hand-write on so I don’t have to run back to the computer every time we find a good new recipe!
To organize and store all my magnets when they are not in use (because I have a lot more than 31 recipes!), I bought a simple craft box that can tuck in behind the menu board!
So…I’ve showed you how I plan my meals for the month and how my complicated creative label system works! But what about the actual recipes? Where are those?
I really loved how RobbyGurl has all the recipes color coded with the menu labels and how streamlined and accessible they are right under the board. However, I was NOT up for re-formatting all my recipes – lol! My books with clear cellophane pages (from the Y100 Store in Okinawa!) were working really, really well for me…so I kept that system! I did sort, purge, and re-organize my recipes (more on that in my next post), and made corresponding spines to match my magnets. Now, when I see that there is a yellow recipe on the board….I reach for my yellow book of recipes. Easy!
I keep our recipe books contained in a magazine filer (some have to be stored backwards so they’ll fit!). The calendar, file box, and magnet box all fit nicely on my counter…in plain view, but out of the way!
I’ve been using my menu board for about a week or so now, and I have to say I am just thrilled with its functionality. It may seem complicated, but it has all the features that I need to make it truly usable for our family!
Megan
67 Comments on “Magnetic Menu Board – Part 1”
WOW! I found this via Pinterest and I am speechless.
In the middle of making this now. Thanks for the amazing tutorial. This is going to SAVE my new-foster-mom booty.
can I just say…. WOW!
You are an organizing Queen! For the less organized or crafty women out there, I have an alternative. My friend and I actually created an affordable magnetic menu planner that we have been selling for a couple years now. We have a website (though not a web presence – Yet!) where you can read more about it. http://www.sticktoitplanner. Our system can be as easy or complex as you care to make it. Thanks for sharing your brilliant meal planning strategy. We may have to link back to you on our blog as we start sharing ways to beef up your menu planning. 🙂
You are so AWESOME!! I saw that very same menu calendar (that inspired yours) on Pinterest and had that same thought…"this is a good concept, but it needs my OCD touch added to be perfect". Unfortunately for me, I'm due with a new baby any day so it was going to have to wait. This project of yours is absolutely perfect…I won't have to change a thing! Thank you so much for saving me the headache and time! Maybe I can get it done before I pop!!
AMAZING!!! I literally jumped for joy yesterday when I found the exact board you used at Target!! 🙂 I was wondering if you had a download of the labels so I can type in my own meals? I opened the ones you have… but it will only open as a pdf that I can't change 🙁 I would be over the moon happy if you could help! My email is [email protected] Thank you!!
I love this. But how did you do the magnets? Are those stickers you printed at home on top of a sheet of magnets? Or did you order them? Please explain for those of us that are dense. 🙂
Heather
I absolutely love this!!! Great job.
I love how you took this concept and made it your own. Love your style & pinned this page! 🙂
I neеdeԁ to thanκ you for thiѕ wonderful гead!
! I ԁеfinitеlу enјoyеԁ еvеry lіttle bіt
οf it. I have yοu saѵeԁ aѕ a favorіte to cheсk
out neω stuff you post…
Revіew my site; heilunarskolinn.is
Also visit my web blog – samsung galaxy note 2
I am in awe of this system and I think it is amazing. I was inspired to make something similar that works for our family. I posted your pic and a link to your blog on mine as my inspiration. I hope you don't mind.
http://www.mellville.net/magnetic-dinner-menu-system-school-lunch-bonus/
What a great idea. I am going to have to try a system like this. Newest follower. Enjoy the post.
Love This! I'm a "calendar" type person and I'm glad to finally see with my eyes what's been in my head. My idea is about 90% of what you created. And now you have given me more ideas! I currently use a written monthly planner for meals and a weekly magnetic dry erase board for events (which I made magnets for – dr appt, sporting events, birthdays, etc), so this is the combination of the two I've been searching for.
The best thing – the storage box for the magnets! I wouldn't have thought to use that (even though I have a few of those around the house).
Love it! The board, the magnets, the color coding, the corresponding recipes books, making sure you are still trying new recipes… great, just great!
Exactly what I was looking for after being inspired by a pin of Robbygurl's version. Thanks for sharing your creation (and the tutorial!).
I absolutely love this! I lived in okinawa and I loved those little books from the 100 yen store (themonkeystore) was amazing too bad I didn't take advantage of all those things hen I was there
WOW. Love this idea. I'm going to try it with the Trim Healthy Mama meal plans.
Thanks for sharing.
Pingback: 8 Menu Plan Tutorials (To help you fall in love with cooking again) - Young Wife's Guide
Pingback: becomingstrongnbeautiful
Enjoyed every bit of your article post. Fantastic.
Wow, this is awesome!! I now have to get organised to do it 🙂
where else can we purchase the books you have your recipes in??
Hi Kristen,
Sorry for the delay in answering this question. I am not sure of where you can buy them in the US. They were bought at the equivalent of the Dollar Store in Japan, so the Daiso stores might carry them? I actually have a bunch and am willing to sell them. Let me know if you’re still interested!
Hope that helps!
Megan
How did you make them into magnets?
Hi Stacey,
The labels were printed onto magnetic paper. You can read how I did it here: https://thehomesihavemade.com/2012/02/magnetic-menu-board-part-ii/
Hope that helps!
Megan
Pingback: 8 Meal Planning Board Tutorials
Pingback: 8 Meal Planning Board Tutorials… – Dieting Weight Loss Tips
Pingback: 50 Genius Command Center Ideas to Get Your Household Organized - DIY & Crafts
I love, Love, LOVE this! Do you have a printable for your magnets?
Pingback: Organized in 365 - The Happy Housewife™ :: Home Management
I am so madly in love with this system! I was looking at the original menu board for a long time thinking how to alter it to be perfect for me… AND THIS IS IT. Thanks!
Is there a way to get this in just black and white so I can print it on color paper? Ink is so expensive. So basically it would all be white except the squares and text.
Hi Stephanie!
At this time, I don’t have these files in black-and-white, but it’s certainly something I can put on the request list!
Thanks,Megan