Menu Boards

If you resist planning your week's meals, then you are part of the 100% of my clients who would rather not do it. I hear you, because I too would rather not plan my meals. However, planning your meals is a powerful way to weaken the compulsive part of yourself.

Menu boards are the answer to this problem.

Below I show you step by step two types of board you can make. Read through this page and then choose whichever you think you will actually use. I strongly advise you to put aside a few hours - put it in your diary - and watch an old movie or stand up comedy DVD as a bribe while you are making your board. It works and is actually fun!

How They Work

Instead of having every week's meals from scratch, you are going to imagine you can pick them mentally from menu boards, like specials boards you see in restaurants. The idea is that you choose your meals from pre made labels with the ingredients, which you just add to your shopping list. The labels you stick to your menu board.

I have created 2 types of board. A has daily sections, so you can plan day by day. Board B is for you if the idea of structuring in the way board A demands is too much for you. With B, you will still have to plan ahead a bit. For example, if you choose quiche and you wake up on Tuesday and decide "Ah yes, today I fancy quiche", you need to have some frozen or make the time to bake it, so I suggest choosing your meals the day before.

You can easily start off by making board B, then add some day labels and stick them on with blu tak while you decide which version you prefer.

You Will Need:

Light coloured card or paper, pens

Transparent backing paper like you used to cover schoolbooks in - or transparent parcel tape

Scissors

1 Craft board - or any stiff canvas board that can be used for painting or collaging. Get one cheaply from a craft shop or stationers. Mine cost £5 each.

Wrapping paper (optional)

Sellotape Sticky Hook and Loop strips (velcro strips) - or blutak

Strong glue

Container for your meal cards

Step 1 - Cover The Craft Board

If you want to use wrapping paper, cover the craft board in it first.

Next, cover your craft board in the transparent covering.

Step 2 - Make your meal cards

Brainstorm all the meals and snacks you want to include in your week. One for each card, with all the ingredients that are needed. Below is a selection. I have used different coloured cards for my kids' packed lunches and smoothie, both of which I make every week.

I created about 20 -30 cards all in, but do not feel pressured to do that many. Far better to make ten then add to them as you use your board.

As you can see, I created all my cards by hand, because I spend so much time at the computer for work!

TOP TIP: Plan the creation of your board a few days ahead which gives you time to gather the things you need. In that time, have a piece of paper out in the kitchen to note down ideas as they occur to you. Spend time looking through cookbooks for ideas.

Step 3 - Cover Your Meal Cards

Cut a square of the backing transparent covering and remove the backing, making sure you weigh the plastic down with cups etc.

NB If you have trouble detaching the backing paper, the cut the corner and rip the backing, like so.

Lay the cards on the plastic as shown. Be sure to leave enough space between each card for the other layer to stick to this one.

Now take another sheet cut it out and lay this one on top of it with the cards face down so both sides are are covered.

Step 6 - Cut Out The Cards

...making sure to leave a transparent border

Step 7 - Add the Backing Velcro

Cut out the Sellotape velcro into small strips

Stick the white sections to each label...

UPDATE 

After making my boards, I noticed some of the velcro strips came off - so stick them on with strong glue.

...and the yellow ones to your board:

Congratulations! You are now ready to use your menu board...But How???

When it is time to plan your week's meals, get your blank board, your menu cards and a piece of paper for your shopping list...plus your diary or planner.

Every time you choose a meal, check how many of the ingredients you have. For any missing, add them to your shopping list.

If you are making board A with daily planning, write in your planner any food prep for that day - block out time.

It may be helpful to set the same time period (say half an hour) a day aside for food prep every day plus a few hours a week for batch cooking - meals you can freeze. What can you do to make this an enjoyable habit? Listen to the same podcast or audiobook or music whenever you cook.

Board A

Board B