Reverse Menu Planning – What it is + How to Get Started
Meal planning got you down? Reverse menu planning may just the thing you need. I’m explaining what it is, and how you can get started!
I’ll be the first to admit that menu planning is NOT my favorite thing to do. Sorting through recipes, creating store lists, buying “special” ingredients for something I’ll make once…I’m just not a fan. I started reverse menu planning about 10 years ago, and haven’t looked back since.
What reverse menu planning is..
What is reverse menu planning? I’m glad you asked. Basically it is building your menu around what you already have on hand. Seems pretty basic, right? It is, and that is why I love it so much. There’s no fancy planners needed, no mile long grocery list with things you’ll never use again (We’ll talk more about shopping in a little bit), and the best part, it doesn’t take me an hour to do. I literally scan the fridge, my freezer, and the pantry, make a list of what needs used or what I have on hand, and plan my entire menu around that list.
How to get started…
Instead of making your menu and building your list around that, you will start shopping for things you KNOW your family will eat, and build your menu around that. IE, fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, baking essentials, dairy, etc. This can also be an amazing tool to help you save money on groceries! No more buying those special ingredients you’ll likely never use again. Hello, enchilada sauce! (Anybody else always find a can of that stuff way in the back of the pantry? Just me? ha!)
If you’ve read my e-book, Living On Less, you know that I suggest that you always keep an inventory of what you have on hand. This can either be a physical list that you have taped to your pantry, or just a mental note you’ve made. I use that inventory to know when and what I’m running low on. This inventory list helps me build my menu. I can quickly glance at my freezer and know how many pounds of ground beef or turkey I have, how many whole chickens, and various types of frozen vegetables. If I’m running low on anything, I add it to my store list.
Once I’ve established what I need to use up in the freezer, I move on to the fridge. (I like to keep ALL of my produce in the fridge…even potatoes and onions. Are they supposed to be refrigerated? I don’t know, but I do know it keeps me from wasting them. I see them every single time I open the door, and I’m reminded to use them. That’s definitely not the case when I stash them in the pantry. Inevitably some of them go bad. I hate that!) I make a quick mental note of what fresh fruits and vegetables need used, and add that to the list I made from the freezer. If there’s anything I need as far as fresh produce, I add it to my grocery list. The same goes for the pantry.
How I grocery shop…
Essentially when I grocery shop, I buy the exact same things over and over again. Basically baking essentials, fresh produce, and dairy. If the store I shop at is having a good sale on a cut of meat I KNOW our family will eat, I try to get a little extra to freeze for later. (If you do this, just remember to add it to your inventory when you put it away 😉 ) I will on a rare occasion buy something special. A few weeks ago I bought a jar of orange marmalade for an orange chicken recipe. It was absolutely delicious, and it’s definitely something I will add to our dinner rotation. I love to try new recipes, but I try to make absolutely sure the ingredients needed are ones I either have on hand, or know I’ll use it all up. Nothing makes me more upset than throwing out perfectly good food!!
That’s really all there is to it. It’s not complicated, doesn’t require any fancy equipment, and can be done in a flash. That’s my kind of planning.
I’d love to know if you menu plan! Tell me below.
As always, thanks so much for spending a tiny part of your day with me!
