Have you found yourself in a menu planning rut? If so, it is time to make menu planning fun again! Menu planning simply means choosing ahead of time what you will cook for each meal. To make it more exciting, try answering the question what’s for dinner by using theme nights. Dinner is a time for the family to come together. It promotes family togetherness as members share experiences from their day. Theme nights add an element of fun and gives the family something to look forward to. Creating theme nights is really simple! Start by assigning a theme to each day. Next, choose recipes to fit the theme. Check out the examples below:

To download all the recipes mentioned, click here.

As you are planning theme nights and picking recipes, keep the basics of menu planning in mind. Reviewing grocery store ads, shopping with a list, and using up what you already have are all important steps. You can review the basics of menu planning, by clicking here.

Once you have decided which main dish you will use for each theme, consider MyPlates 10 Tips to Build a Healthy Meal. This will help you balance the fun of theme nights with the nutrition your body needs.

What are you waiting for? Get out a pad of paper and jot down the theme nights you will use this coming week. Come back and let me know what recipes you used, or what theme nights you came up with. If you choose Mozzarella Monday, give this chicken recipe a try. It was a new recipe for my family and it was a hit. Enjoy!

Candi Merritt

Certified Nutrition Education Assistant

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