Get into the menu-planning routine

Like any new habit, menu planning gets easier with practice. Over time, you'll figure out ways to make the process work for you. In the meantime, here are some tips and tricks from seasoned menu planners:

• Try a theme or two. Don't start from scratch every week. For example, designate Mondays as pasta nights and Thursdays as chicken nights. Plan to try new recipes on these nights to mix things up a bit.
• Plan for and polish off leftovers. Have extra pasta on Monday? That can be reheated for lunch on Tuesday. Leftover chicken on Thursday? Use it to top a salad, fill a sandwich or add to a soup on the weekend.
• Recycle your menus. Don't throw away your menu plan at the end of the week. Instead, hold on to it and reuse it later.
• Be flexible. Your menu isn't written in stone. Feel free to swap things around. Or designate one night as "cook's choice" and use that night to clear out the refrigerator by making omelets, a casserole, stir-fry or chef salad.