Before I share the rest of the 4 week plan, I wanted to address some questions that I have received.

1. How does this save you money if you don't plan from the sale flyers?

      I still use my coupons and watch for the sales, but I believe that menu planning this way does save me money for the following reasons:

      a. I can buy items that I will use throughout the 4 weeks in bulk.

      b. I can watch the sales for the whole month instead of by the week.

      c. When items are on sale, I know how much to buy with the plan.

2. I often feel overwhelmed planning for a week, how do you do it for a month?

      Around the second week to early in the third week of the previous menu plan I sit down with my cookbooks, recipe binders, calendar, and laptop. I have already developed a tentative schedule for my menus. It then is just a matter of filling in the blanks.

Example:

Sundays- Large Roasts

Mondays- leftovers

Tuesdays- Chicken

Wednesdays- Pasta or Pork

Thursdays- Chicken

Fridays- Beef or Pizza Night

Saturday- Soups or Main Course Salads

      I follow a pattern that works for us and our preferences. We love chicken and that is in our plan twice a week. It saves me time by following the pattern and because I only have to haul everything out 1 time every 4 weeks.

      I can always change the plan up if we become tired of something. In the summer when we are at the lake, Friday night becomes grilling night and Satuday becomes Crock-pot recipes. In the fall the menu includes Turkey, when prices are lower. In the spring we add in Ham and sausage with the Easter sales.

3. Do you get bored with your plan?

      No. I love having it in place. We are an active family and I find the plan to have enough variety that we don't get tired of it.

Here's the last 2 weeks of the current plan:

Week 3:

Peanut Butter Granola & Yogurt

Baked Ham, Au Gratain Potatoes and Green Beans

Crackers & Cheese with Movie Night

      Bake Bread, Make Chicken Salad, Thaw bacon crumbles

Toast, Bacon, Onion & Hashbrown skillet with Fruit

Chicken Salad with Crackers, Carrots and Ranch

Leftover Buffet

      Thaw potatoes, english muffins, pizza roll-ups and chicken

Eng. Muffins & Egg Scramble

Pizza Roll-ups with Marinara & Yogurt parfait

Marrinated Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes & Sweet Corn

      Make fruit bread, thaw hash

Fruit Bread & Corned Beef Hash

PB&J Sandwiches, Carrots & Ranch and Fruit

Cheesy Mac and Ham & Broccoli Saute

      Make Pitas & Thaw Chicken

Granola & Yogurt

Leftovers

Chicken Gyros, Homemade Pitas, Tzaziki Sauce & Cucumbers with Cream

      Make Biscuits and thaw sausage

Honey Butter Sausage Biscuits & Fruit

Ramen Noodles & Buttered Bread

Pizza Night

Lazy Daisy Cake

      Make Cake & Thaw ground Beef

Pancakes & Fruit

Lunch Out

Chili- double, Midwestern Cornbread

      Make Oatmeal and Thaw potato skins

Week 4:

Baked Oatmeal & Yogurt

Pork Loin, Sweet Onion Marmaletta, Scalloped Potatoes & Salad

Potato Skins & Game Night

      Shred pork, Bake Bread & Thaw sausage

Toast, Sausage & Hashbrowns

Shredded Pork Sandwiches, Carrots & Ranch

Leftovers

      Thaw English Muffins, pizza roll-ups & chicken

Eng. Muffins & Egg Scramble

Pizza Roll-ups with Marinara & Fruit

Chicken & Dumplings with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots

      Thaw hash & muffins

Fruit Muffins & Ham Hash

PB&J Sandwiches, Carrots & Dip & Fruit

Florentine Stuffed Shells- Triple & Garlic Bread

       Thaw chicken

Baked Oatmeal & Yogurt

Leftovers

Chicken Fried Rice & Applesauce

      Make Merry Pop-ins & Thaw groung beef

Merry Pop-ins & Fruit

Lunch Out

Taco Salad, Breadsticks & Blueberry Pie

      Make Breadsticks- double, Make pie & Thaw chicken

Sourdough Waffles & Fruit

Leftovers

Northwoods Wild Rice Soup- Triple, Breadsticks & Ice Cream

      Make Granola & preview next menu for prep

      Whenever I double or triple a recipe, it is for the freezer. Then I incorporate it into the next menu plan on busy days. I will post any recipes that are requested.