I have been meal planning, or at least trying to meal plan, ever since I started cooking a decade ago. However, for many of those years, it was disorganized and I often didn’t follow my plan. Healthy food spoiled in my fridge, then I wasted even more money on unhealthy convenience foods.
I felt silly. Why was this so difficult? Even if I made a plan, why couldn’t I follow it?
So I bought a whiteboard and everything changed.
What is the whiteboard meal planning method?
I have to give my husband credit for the incredibly creative name. It’s exactly what it sounds like – using a prominently-placed whiteboard monthly calendar to plan meals and display that plan.
Our whiteboard calendar hangs in our dining room, in a place that is visible from the kitchen as well as my spot at the table (since I’m almost always the one cooking). Regularly glancing at our whiteboard reminds me to complete necessary prep steps so that dinner is on the table in a timely manner.
I know, it sounds way too simple to be special or effective. But my husband swears that it’s my greatest idea to date and that it has radically improved our diets. I’m almost certain that it’s what has enabled me to cook everything from scratch without losing my mind.
Plus, no one ever needs to ask me what’s for dinner. They can check the whiteboard themselves!
What are the benefits of the whiteboard meal planning method?
Never out of sight, never out of mind
The biggest benefit of the whiteboard calendar is that your meal plan is always front-and-center. I’ve used apps and paper to create meal plans before, but because I only looked at my meal plan when it was time to make dinner, I’d often forget important prep steps.
Dinner time would roll around and I’d realize the meat was still in the freezer, the beans weren’t soaked, the vegetables weren’t chopped, or other elements of the meal were completely missing. So I’d scramble. Dinner would be late, missing something, or completely off-plan.
With the whiteboard method, I find myself glancing at it multiple times each day as I walk past or as I plan other parts of our life (it’s the most prominent calendar in our house). I can see all the meals coming up, then take care of any prep I’m reminded of when I have a moment here or there.
Easy to Revise
Life happens and plans change – it happens to the best of us. Luckily, whiteboards are easy to change. When I need to switch meals around or alter dinner plans, I just erase what was there before and write the new meal plan. It’s super convenient and only takes a moment – no searching for that random scrap of paper or fumbling with an app on my phone while I’m juggling the kids.
Meal Plan and Family Calendar, All in One
I use our whiteboard calendar as the meal planner and as our family’s calendar. Anything that has any impact on meals goes on the calendar. My husband working late, a planned day out and about, visiting with friends or family at home or away, church events – it’s all on the whiteboard.
This way, nothing gets overlooked either in the planning or the execution. It keeps our lives organized because everyone knows what’s going on. It’s not just on me or just my husband to keep track of it. And when the kids can read, they’ll take ownership of the plan as well. We’re a team, after all!
Increases Variety
When I make our weekly meal plan, I can see what meals I’ve made recently, especially later in the month (early in the month, I have to rely a bit on memory). That means I’m less likely to repeat a meal too many times in quick succession so we don’t get burnt out on favorites or fall-backs.
It also reminds me to vary our proteins and cuisines. If I see too many similar meals in quick succession on the calendar, it’s a good indicator that I need to mix it up. While I often use similar ingredients for several meals in a week to take advantage of sales and to prep in bulk, I can still introduce variety in smaller ways within the week and in major ways from week to week.
Why does the whiteboard meal planning method work?
The whiteboard meal planning method works because it makes it so easy to keep my plan in mind. There’s no second guessing or forgetting when I see it so regularly! If I’m already in the kitchen, whether I’m working on something else or waiting for food to heat up, I can check the meal plan to see if there’s any prep work I can do in advance.
It also helps me keep upcoming challenges in mind. If we’re travelling out of town, have a series of busy nights in a row, or will be hosting company later in the week, I can get ahead on prepping food for those days so that I’m not scrambling. Or I’ll make extras of something else for leftovers or freezer meals!
I love that it frees up my memory for all the other important things in life as a mom. It’s just one fewer “open tab,” so I’m less stressed. My husband is also able to quickly check it if he or our children have questions about the meal plan. No one asks “what’s for dinner?” or complains about the meal plan. Life just runs smoother!
What do I need to get started with the whiteboard meal planning method?
All you need is a whiteboard monthly calendar, a dry erase marker, and a prominent place to display it.
In terms of the features of the calendar, any dry-erase calendar will do. However, I really like to have a “Notes” section. This is where our family writes anything that is starting to run low so that it ends up on my grocery list. It’s a simple house rule: if you open the last of something, you write it on the board!
You really only need one dry-erase marker, but I do like to have a few different colors. It’s mostly aesthetic because I can match the colors to the season, but it’s also nice to be able to color-code things. For example, I write meals in one color and activities in another. You could also color-code the types of meals, if that’s more your style! But truly, one color is just fine too.
My recommendation for location is somewhere you will see it multiple times each day, whether that’s in your dining room, kitchen, or even your bathroom!
Is it the most Pinterest-perfect home decor? Nope. But it sure gives me peace of mind and the ability to stay organized – and that’s more important than any aesthetic concern in my book!
How do you meal plan? Share your best tips in the comments below!
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