DIY Menu Board for Meal Planning

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I don't know about you, but thinking of what to cook for dinner leaves me clueless most of the time! My husband and I would always wait for the other to come up with something, then we basically end up eating the same meals over and over.

I got super excited when I came across the Menu Board idea on Pinterest, so I made mine the exact same day and finished it within a few hours! I would love to add more recipes to my board but for now,  I'm just happy that I finally got to organize our weekly dinner menu!!

Here's how it works:
With my menu tags all in the upper box ("pick here"), I choose the menu I want for the coming week and clip 7 menu tags on the side. First pin is for Sunday, second pin for Monday, third pin for Tuesday, and so on. When the week is over, I put the used tags in the lower box ("yum!") and repeat the process. Once the upper box is almost empty, I return all the menu tags back in the upper box! Sounds fun and easy, right?

Here's what I used:

8x10" frame (for 8R photos)
small wooden clothespins
fabric (or you may use a decorated card stock)
glue gun
wide clear tape
double-sided tape
white card stocks (for the menu)
cutter, ruler & cutting board (or scissors)



First, I cut my fabric to fit my frame and put it as I would a photo. This will be my backdrop for the Menu Board. By doing this (and not directly working on the fabric), I could easily change the backdrop come Christmas season or Valentines or whatever occasion!

With 7 pins to hold my dinner menu for the week, I positioned them on the side and try to set an even distance. Then I used my glue gun to attach the pins to my frame. 

Now that I have the pins positioned, I cut some scrap paper to kind of determine the size I want for the menu tags and the boxes.






Then, print away!! With the measurements I want, I made the menu tags and boxes. This was actually the hardest part of this project: remembering all of my recipes! So I asked my girl friends for help and they sent me some of their recipes too!

To further organize my Menu Board, I used color codes for my menu: red for meat, green for vegetables, and yellow for seafood. (That's actually the same color code I use for my chopping boards!) This way, just by looking at the colors I could easily plan for the menu of the week, making sure I have the right combination of meat, seafood and vegetables. I also printed my menu's ingredients and I'll show you later what they are for.

Here's a tip: I wrapped my menu tags with the wide clear tape (like a 'lamination') to keep them protected. My board will be in my kitchen and I wouldn't want a drop of water to ruin my menu tags!






For the menu tag holders, I created my own boxes to exactly fit my board. I also wrapped them  with the wide clear tape.





Now all that's left to do is assemble the board! I attached the boxes to the glass on my frame with a double-sided tape. I also added the "menu" logo just to finish the look. 










Now, remember I also printed my menu's ingredients? I attached them on the back of each menu tag and once I have my menu plan for the week, I simply turn the tags over and there's my grocery list!

* And yes, my husband cooks dinner for me once every month :)

Ready to make your own Menu Board? Click here for my menu tags and boxes templates! 

Happy crafting!