If you have downtime during the holidays around the start of a new year, this is a great time to plan a week or two of menus. The new year often signals multiple changes, so one way to keep meal preparation simple is to use the weekly menus and grocery lists in the Wiesscooks blog as a guide.
Originally enjoyed by a household of four (two adults and two teen-agers, including one vegetarian), the menus and accompanying shopping lists can ease your transition into more meal planning and preparation. The menus and shopping lists were also created with beginner cooks in mind. College students starting off in a new apartment with zero items in the pantry will find Weeks One and Two particularly helpful.