{what’s for dinner?}

September 10, 2012 by · 24 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to share with you a huge part of my kitchen (even thought it’s really not big).  I’ve definitely learned that small things can make a big difference, especially when you’re trying to save money and be as frugal as you can when it comes to grocery shopping!

I’m sure you’ve seen tons of different (and super cute) versions of this all over Pinterest.  I was inspired by a few myself, but wanted to keep it super simple (in hopes that my hubby would totally be on board with having it displayed in our kitchen).  I give you the,

{Menu Planner Board}

To make one (get those craft store coupons ready ladies) you’ll need:

frame (the size is up to you)

burlap

small wooden letters that spell out MENU

chip board stickers for the days of the week

black ric rac

black acrylic paint/foam brush

hot glue gun/glue

scissors

black velcro

black dry erase marker

I bet you already have most of these things just laying around somewhere tucked neatly in your super organized craft room.

As you can see, my frame was actually matted for 3 individual pictures.  I simply removed the mat (and saved it…you never know when something like that might come in handy)!

The first thing I did was paint the wooden letters with some black acrylic paint.  You can also use spray paint.

You may notice that there are enough letters there for three menu planner boards.  I actually made this with some girlfriends during our first Craft Night!  It was so fun :)  We are hoping to get together like that at least once a month!

Back to the project…

While I waited for the paint to dry, I got to cutting the burlap to fit the hard cardboard back of the frame.

Tip of the CENTURY! (And I wish I had a picture of this for you).  Do you know the best and easiest way to cut burlap?  Simply pull one of the strands all the way out of the piece you are working with, along the line you want to cut.  Once the strand is pulled all the way out, simply cut where it used to be (there will be a nice, wide, and most importantly, straight line to cut).  Try it next time…it will totally change your life!

Once each piece was cut, slightly larger than the cardboard backing, I adhered it to the back of the frame with a couple dots of hot glue in each corner (so it wouldn’t slide all around once it was behind the glass).

This is where Craft Night got more entertaining (hello, we were watching Bachelor Pad) and I forgot to take pictures of each step.  
The rest is super simple though and easy to explain.  I didn’t really use a ruler for anything, I just spaced everything out ahead of time making sure I liked how things looked before gluing anything down.
Onto the burlap you’ll need to attach the ric rac with a couple more dots of hot glue.  You’ll then need to attach your day of the week stickers down the left hand side.  Pop the back of the frame back into the frame itself so everything you’ve done is safely behind the glass.
Hot glue the letters across the top, grab a velcro dot and stick it to the side of the frame and the side of your dry erase marker, and you’ve got yourself this beaut…
Now, why is this little thing such a big part of my kitchen?
Well, if you’re a stickler for menu planning, you will most definitely stick to your grocery list a whole lot better!  Since becoming a stay at home mom I’ve made it a point to eat at home almost every night (we usually end up “eating out” or over at someone else’s house once a week or so).
In the beginning I would just open my fridge and see what I could make.  Which felt like a huge burden to me and also led to wasted food and extra money spent at the grocery store.  Now, I take the time to research recipes, check sales fliers, use coupons to my advantage, and shop for only the items that I really need to make the meals my family will eat.
Is it time consuming?  That depends.  If my week is packed with new recipes, it might take me a little longer to think about all the ingredients I need to buy.  But, usually I can get coupons cut and organized, scan the sales ads, write out a weekly menu with needed ingredients, and pull the coupons I’ll be able to use during that shopping trip all within about an hour.  To me, if that hour saves me up to 40% at the grocery store and reduces the “What’s for dinner?” question in my head everyday, then I think it’s totally worth it.  PLUS, it’s super cute too!

Enjoy!

I’ll be linking up at these fantastic parties!
Tutes & Tips Not to Miss @ Home Stories A-Z
SNAP! Show and Tell Linky
Tutus and Tea Parties: A Pinteresting Party
Polkadot Pretties
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About Meredith Hazel

Meredith is a stay at home mom and has been blogging since 2012. She started Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home as a creative outlet in between nap times for her little one. Wait 'Til Your Father gets home is a combination of crafting tutorials, DIY projects, recipes and, sharing some of life's journey along the way.

Filed Under: Crafting, Decorating, Inexpensive, Organization, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

Comments

  1. Kara says:
    September 10, 2012 at 9:00 am

    Love this idea!

    Reply
  2. Leslie says:
    September 10, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    I love this!! I need a menu board like this so badly. I am off to the basement to find a frame!

    Reply
  3. Jess says:
    September 10, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    I love the burlap idea! I have a menu board and shopping list board but have busy scrapbook paper underneath that I really don’t love. Thanks for the idea!! Jess

    Reply
  4. kristi@ishouldbemoppingthefloor says:
    September 11, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Thanks so much for linking up with Mop It Up Mondays this week! You are being featured today on our new series, The Tuesday Ten: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/09/the-tuesday-ten_11.html.

    Have a great week!
    {HUGS},
    kristi

    Reply
    • waittilyourfathergetshome says:
      September 11, 2012 at 2:59 pm

      Wow! Thanks for the feature! I LOVE linking up at your party (I’m brand new to it…about three weeks in now)! Have a wonderful week :)

      Reply
  5. Hilda @ From Overwhelmed To Organized says:
    September 11, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    This is great and looks easy enough that even I could make it (I’m not that “crafty” LOL!). Visiting from Uncommonly Yours.

    Reply
  6. Annie says:
    September 11, 2012 at 11:26 pm

    LOVE this! What a fun and unique edition to any kitchen!

    Reply
  7. Helen says:
    September 12, 2012 at 11:21 am

    I love this!! We’ve just started doing meal planning (I know I know, Im pretty late to the party) and I’ve been looking for something like this all week!! So glad I found you through “Cure for the Common Monday” thanks for sharing ;-)

    Reply
    • waittilyourfathergetshome says:
      September 12, 2012 at 2:48 pm

      So glad you like it! You’re going to love meal planing…I know it seems silly, but it’s so worth it!!

      Reply
  8. Megan says:
    September 14, 2012 at 7:13 am

    I like the idea of actually making a menu planning board. I usually email myself a list..lol. Yours looks great! I found you next to my link up at The Grant Life. :) Megan

    Reply
  9. Helen says:
    September 14, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    Hi again! I just wanted to let you know that I’ve featured this in my top 10 list of projects with frames. Hope you can stop by ;-)

    Reply
  10. Barbara says:
    September 17, 2012 at 3:41 am

    So cute my friend! Great and very practical!! Sharing!!

    Reply
  11. Paula Parrish says:
    September 17, 2012 at 6:10 am

    I am a believer in weekly menu planning. I know that I save money and time. I love your menu planner board. Thanks for sharing the tutorial. ;o)

    Reply
  12. Stacey says:
    September 17, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    This is a great idea and I need this!
    Just awesome!
    Thanks for linking up this week!
    Stacey of Embracing Change

    Reply
  13. Kelley says:
    September 20, 2012 at 12:05 am

    Oh this is so cute Meredith! I love the burlap backing! I need one :)

    Thanks for linking up last week! You were one of the most viewed links! Check it out tomorrow at 7pm :)

    Reply
  14. Britni says:
    September 20, 2012 at 1:21 am

    I love it, Meredith! The burlap looks so pretty and I especially love the letters at the top. I need one of these in my house!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    November 26, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    [...] to Handy Andy – Pom Cake ToppersWait Til Your Father Gets Home – Menu Planning BoardA Night Owl – Mocha Cappuccino Hazelnut [...]

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