Dinner Plans Tutorial

Are you tired of the "What's for Dinner?" My twins can't even talk enough to ask this yet, but I'm already over it. So I decided to do something about it. And the solution was this little, sad index card box. 

Step 1: Find sad index card box. I had mine, but I've seen them for a few pennies at thrift stores and yard sales. It doesn't matter what it looks like to start with, though I liked the tan color of mine.

Step 2: Clean it up as much as you can. This one had the sticker on the front (which was going to get covered up entirely, so I left it) and other strange substances from living in the garage for a little while. After some cleaner and GooGone, it looked better and was cleaner.

Step 3: Get your Mod Podge, paint brush, and fabric of choice. I like to get my Mod Podge here :

Mod Podge - Gloss - 16 oz Create groovy crafts in a flash with this 3-in-1 glue sealer and finish! Quick-dries clear on decoupage collages and albums for a glossy polished look. Glues to a variety of surfaces.16 oz.

Step 4: Coat your surface with the Mod Podge.

Step 5: Apply fabric while Mod Podge is tacky. Use your finger to smooth out all the bubbles.

Step 6: Apply a second coat of Mod Podge to the entire covered area and let dry. I left mine overnight.

Step 7: While your recipe box is drying, make an index card for each meal option you like preparing for your family. I had things like spaghetti, homemade pizza, lasagna, cheeeseburgers, tuna salad, and fried pickles on my cards! :) Yes, EVERYTHING. Even scrambled eggs or cheese sandwiches. Make a card for everything! This way you can "get ideas" when the dreaded question is likely instead of staring hatefully at your cabinets. :)

Step 8: Put the ingredients for each on the front of the card.

Step 9: Put the recipe on the back of the card.

Step 10: Put cards in the box. I put mine in alphabetical order so that I could find a recipe fast, but you might just want them random so you can work from the front of the box back. It's up to you.

Step 11: Look at the ingredients on most of your cards and create a pantry needs list. This is the dry/canned/frozen goods that you have space and need to keep to make the majority of your items.

Step 12: Purchase dry/canned/frozen pantry needs items WHEN THEY ARE ON SALE or IN BULK. That way, you pay as little for them as possible and always have them on hand.

Step 13: Make dinner!