Friday, May 15, 2009

30 Meals: Step 4, Final Step :)


Okay my "30 meals" friends, I hope you are working on your 30 meals and your master ingredients list and hopefully you are starting to reap the rewards of all of your hard work.

I know I am and I am seriously LOVING IT!

So, this is the final step.

Step 4: Create a Binder to keep yourself organized.


Inside my binder I have several sheet protectors which I am using as pockets. I just took a sharpie (because I'm fancy like that) and wrote on the front of each of the sheet protectors. This is what I have so far:


1. Recipes to add to my 30 meals. (btw your 30 meals may eventually be 34 meals... nothing wrong with that).

2. Recipes I want to try. Now, don't put just any recipe in here! You worked hard to simplify so don't go making things crazy again. But, if your bff goes on and on about a meal that her family gobbled up with lots of "mmmmmm", and "yummy", and "mom you are the best cook ever!" then you should definitely add that recipe to this pocket and try it out.

3. Special Occasion Recipes. In this pocket you would put special recipes you make just a few times a year (ex. Holidays, summer salads, winter soups etc.)


4. Side dishes. Eventually I will type these up and put them on their own ring but for now my funeral potatoes and vegetable recipes etc. will be found in this pocket.


5. Desserts. Again, eventually I will take all of my FAVORITE desserts and type them up and add them to their own ring (might need 2 or 3 rings, lol) but for now they go in this pocket.


6. Breads/ Appetizers/ drinks


7. Other Recipes. This pocket is for those recipes that didn't make it to the top 30, maybe the kids nixed it but the adults loved it so you don't want to just throw it away...but maybe you should just throw it away... think about it.


The beautiful thing is once I've gone through all my recipes and divided them among the pockets I can finally THROW AWAY all of those recipes that are crowding up my cupboards, YAY!

(If you want to print off this cover page for your binder just download it here.)

WARNING: The 30 Meal plan is ALL ABOUT SIMPLIFYING. This Binder is for your FAVORITE recipes (unless they are recipes you want to try but even then be realistic. Are you REALLY going to try it?). If you put ALL of your recipes in this binder it will explode at the seams and be a HUGE mess. If you have millions of recipes you want to keep then you'll need to use another method.


Feedback:
Any thoughts/ suggestions on this step?
Is the 30 Meal Plan working for you?
We want to hear your thoughts!

51 comments:

Tiffany said...

I am excited to start this. I didn't contribute to the recipes because everything we cook has no wheat and no soy...which pretty much rules out all easy meals for most people, so I'm embarking on a few of my own, but this has potential to be your best idea yet!!! :)

Natalie@Endless Crafting said...

I have been following your 30 day meal plan from the beginning and have been eyeing your binder cover ever since. I would love the file! Thanks for sharing all great ideas! Love your site. nataliegessell@comcast.net

Thanks!

Lynnette said...

I just found your site a few days ago and bookmarked it so I can enjoy it some more. Needless to say, I have not started your 30 day adventure but would like to. Could I please get a copy of your cover? I just finished another meal planning/shopping trip and need the fine tuning of 30 favorite meals. Thanks for the gentle push of getting our recipes under control.
knittingnettsie@gmail.com

Jenn said...

I'm excited to get started! My sister just told me about this the other day and how much she loved the idea too! I would like to get the cute cover page, my email is jenniferrose1@msn.com
Thanks!

jessica said...

This is a great idea! Thanks! I'm going to have to go back and read step 1, 2 and 3!

Carrie Snider said...

I've been using my "30 Days" cards almost everyday since you guys posted about it. I love it! It's so much easier than any other meal planning thing I've done. I have made my master ingredient list and will be watching for big sales so I can stock up on the items I need the most. Thank you for all you do!

BUMC Nursery said...

This is such a great idea! I've been trying to slim down and reuse just our favorites, but I've been making it too complicated! I love how you broke this down and made it so simple. Thank you! And I would love the file for the cover, it's beautiful :)

Sarah and John Root said...

I've been following you for a while with this 30 Meals idea and I love it. From the beginning I have been admiring your cover so I'd love to have the file. Thanks for offering it!

sarahbug5@hotmail.com

Katrine said...

I've been working on my 30 meals. I have even used it to menu plan last week! My biggest struggle has been the spreadsheet. I am having a hard time getting that organized!

Anonymous said...

The other thing I do is separate my main dishes by main ingredient like chicken, ground beef, fish, etc so I can easily plan meals according to what's on sale or which meat I have the most of. Love your 30 meals!!

Priscilla said...

I've been working on organizing my recipes. In the process, I discovered I didn't have 30. Not even close. So I clicked on the links that other people shared and found quite a few from Marin's site that my family loved! So I've added them to my "30". When I told my husband about this, he decided to get me a recipe software that allows me to store my recipes digitally. I can plan menus there and print a shopping list based on what meals I select. Because of extreme time constraints in the last couple of weeks, I was only able to go out shopping for 1 week at a time but I loved that everyday I knew I had stuff to make dinner that day- no running to the store mid-week! Loved it!!

Jeanie said...

I am loving this plan. I have finished gathering my recipes, and ended up with 28, so I am trying out many of the suggestions posted! This weeks goal is to make the master shopping list!
Thanks!

Tiffany said...

Just tuned in! I LOVE this idea. My biggest problem is that I spend so much money! I think this is so great! Can you email me that cover? You are so talented and I am a Huge fan of this site. Every idea, I want to do! tiffanycardon@gmail.com

JJ (Lady Di) said...

I love the cover, could you send me a copy? I just looked through my notebook that I had started last year and realized that I needed to put more "summer hot kitchen-friendly" meals in it and organize it better. dibranchia@gmail.com

Carol P said...

I have resisted doing this because it panders to having to eat what the kids will eat. Time to get over it. THAT'S WHAT WE EAT. Time to organize and live with it until the picky pickys move out (only 4 more years).

My recipes are scattered all over. It would be so much easier to just pull them in one place for the 95% of the time we eat those same things.

Spreadsheet, here I come.

Unknown said...

I love the idea. Since I work and I need to pre-plan my meals in order to eat at a reasonable hour, this is exactly what I need!

odessacairns@gmail.com

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

Just found your site and I am sooo tickled! Can't wait to go back and read it from the beginning..well, it may take me a little time, but I am looking forward to it!
I would LOVE the download of the binder cover - it's adorable :-) Thanks in advance!

colleen_blake@comcast.net

Erin said...

Love this idea! I menu plan for a month at a time but have never done the spreadsheet - I love that!

I would love the binder cover too please!

elmusic4kids@aol.com

Glenda said...

I love the idea... one of the personal progress opportuities for my girls could be to create meals for their families, as well as put recipe book together... I would love your spreadsheet.
glenstroh@yahoo.com
Thanks- you are so talented
Glenda

The Hiller Family said...

Can you email me the cover page!!?? Thank you - - Great blog! i am seriously in love!! :)
heidiannhiller@yahoo.com

Morgan said...

I'd love that binder cover too, please - great idea, and thanks so much for sharing it.

morgansmother@uwclub.net

nea and rusty said...

i'm working on my 30 meals, and would love the cute cover for it. thanks!
neru1028@msn.com

Lillian J. Banks said...

I would love the cute cover please

rkrk04 @ gmail . com

The Greedy's said...

This is really something I need to do before school is back in and weeknights are even worse!!! Thanks for all the great tips, i too would also like the binder cover. :)
chrisgreedy@hotmail.com

THANKS AGAIN!!!

Marne said...

I would also love the binder cover file. This is a great idea! Thanks so much!

wantitall4free@live.com

Anonymous said...

Hi. I just found this site and I love the 30 meal plan idea! I was just telling my boyfriend about it and he thought it was pretty cool too! It'll make his meal planning simpler once I start college next month! =) The spreadsheet looks like it'll be my biggest challenege.. but I'm up for it! Can you please email me the cover? It is so cute! Thanks.
tiffany_and_evan@yahoo.com

Sheri said...

I just found your site and spent the last two hours reading all of your adorable ideas! My biggest hassel of the day is "What's for dinner?!" I sooo need this 30 meal plan. And yes, I too would LOVE a copy of that beautiful binder cover. You two rock!

Kathryn-nannygoat said...

Sheri, thanks for your kind words. I just need your email address so I can send the binder cover to you.
Thanks!
Kathryn

Anonymous said...

I LOVE this idea. Did you do the spreadsheet in excel? Do you a file to share with this as a sample? I would love a copy of the front of the binder and the spreadsheet if possible.
The rest of your blog is great. You are now in my favorites.
Thanks,
Jodie_Nichols@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I have had ideas floating around in my head on how to set up a meal plan. I found your blog and love this idea! It works with the thoughts I had in my head :) I love that it can be attractive too :) Can you email me the cover please?
babysalmon _ 04 at hotmail dot com

Tam said...

just found you today, I've already been working on meals the past couple weeks so finding this plan is perfect timing.

I too would love your cover file if you don't mind.

Can't wait to explore more...

ourfamily@frontiernet.net

Karen said...

I have also just found your blog via a friend's blog and would love the cover because this is certainly an idea I am totally into! Thanks!!
r-kluttrell@suddenlink.net

Unknown said...

I had found your site and this idea a while ago, but with the holidays...you know! BUT I couldn't stop thinking about it! And I just spent 2 hours going over my favorites to find you again! Could you pleae email me the cover art file and your excel spreadsheet if its available?? Can't wait to start! Chrissiekimble@gmail.com

Tabitha said...

Hi! I just found you, and am getting started on this today! Can you please email the binder cover?

Thank you!!!

Tabitha- mrslehman@cox.net

Taylor Aplanalp said...

Finally getting around to organizing my recipes and love this idea-would you mind emailing me the binder cover? Brilliant idea! Thanks:0)

saaplanalp@comcast.net

Nikki said...

LOOOOOOOOOOOVE this idea!!! OMGosh you guys are brilliant! I'm doing it right now before I hit up my weekly sales tomorrow!

Sara said...

Just found your 30 Meals series and I think it's one of the best ideas I've ever seen! :) I have a question though and I hope you read this since I'm way late...when you put your 30 meals recipe cards on the ring, where does that ring go in the binder? Does it have its own page protector that you stick it in? It seems like the group of 30 would be too thick. Do you put the ring on one of the 3 rings in the binder? Sorry if that's a dumb question or should be really obvious...but I just thought I'd check! Thanks again for the ideas!

Anonymous said...

Great idea but i cant get the binder cover so i can print it.

Annette W. said...

I kind of created my own thing similar to this. I typed up my favorite recipes (all categories) into word documents, separated by beef, chicken, bread, dessert.... I put a watermark on each document, printed and laminated. I LOVE IT! I think I may take it a step farther and do your master list!

If interested you can see more here. http://livelearnlove226.blogspot.com/2010/01/organizing-recipes-something-different.html

I also need to get more dinner ideas.

butterfly gypsy said...

i too just found your blog (as far as i can remember) and love this idea. i am not sure if saw it on here or what but i do remember reading something similar to this about a year ago and thoght great idea! so since we are getting ready to move (been living with MIL for 3 years) and we are expecting our 3rd in a few months i think it is a great time to get started.
anyways, i would love to be able to use your binder cover if you are still sharing! thanks so much for all the info and ideas! love the spreadsheet idea too!
monkiesmom @ gmail .com

Our team said...

Love the idea and want to get started. Can I get a new link to the binder cover? When I click the link it says "The file link that you requested is not valid. "

Thanks in advance!

Renee said...

I love this idea!! Can you please send me the link for the cover? The link shown is not working...?

Rachel Hill said...

Hi i'm loving this too! Working on putting it all together and the download link is not working. Did you ever get the excel spreadsheet put together? I would love to see what you have if you don't mind sharing. Thanks again!

Lori F. said...

I'm also looking for the binder cover if anyone could send it to me? :)

moon @ tigzy .com

Pauline said...

Would it still be possible to get a copy of your title page? I know it was from a while back but I would LOVE it! The link no longer works- says the file is no longer found or something like that. Thanks so much for your time
Kinds regards to you!!!

Brandi said...

I'm also trying this out and would like the cover but found the link saying that it was invalid?? Might someone be able to send that to me? brandi@sassybeeboutique.com
Thank a TON in advance!!

Anonymous said...

Love the meals idea. I am giving it a try. Would love the binder cover if you could send it. kimberlyskidmore@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I just found ya'll and LOVE this idea!!!

I, like Sara, am a little confused about how the binder and the rings go together... I was trying to work it out in my head and came up with this idea:
Laminate 7 pages (1 for each day of the week)
Have 2 "boxes" on each side of the page- 1 for the main course, 2 for sides, and 1 for dessert.
Put velcro in the middle of the box and also on the middle of the back of the recipie cards so you can pick and choose what recipies you put together for a meal.
You can then group your recipies in sections in your binder (main dish, sides, etc.) by just laminating and using velcro on blank sheets to attach the recipie cards to.

Is that making it too complicated?

AmyD said...

Can I please have a copy of the "30Recipes" binder cover? It's so cute! Thank you for the great idea!
Amy

Cerita said...

Okay, I love this concept. I know I am a little late to the love festival, but I made it. I am extremely intimidated by the whole excel spreadsheet. Is there an editable file that can be used as a starting point? Would you be willing to share it?

Cerita said...

Ceritayoung@gmail.com