Are you in a menu planning rut? 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 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 plan theme nights and pick recipes, keep the basics of menu planning in mind. Reviewing grocery store ads, shopping with a list, and using what you already have on hand are all important steps. You can review the basics of menu planning, by clicking here.

Once you decide which main dish you will use for each theme, keep MyPlate in mind. This will help you balance the fun of theme nights with the nutrition your body needs.

What are you waiting for? Get a pencil and 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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