Free Printable Weekly Meal Planner
A different take on the weekly meal planner. This landscape-style layout puts days of the week across the top and meals in rows, making it easy to see your entire week at a glance. Includes a side panel for notes and a grocery checklist.
A Landscape-Style Meal Planner for Visual Thinkers
If you prefer seeing your whole week laid out horizontally, this weekly meal planner is designed for you. Unlike traditional vertical meal planners that list days in rows, this layout puts Monday through Sunday across the top with breakfast, lunch, and dinner as rows. This gives you a bird's-eye view of your entire week and makes it easy to spot gaps or repetition in your meals.
How This Layout Differs from a Standard Meal Planner
The standard meal planner layout works well for detailed planning with space for snacks and notes per day. This landscape-style planner trades that detail for a bigger picture view. You can quickly scan across each meal type to ensure variety — for example, making sure you are not eating pasta for dinner three nights in a row. The side panel keeps your notes and grocery list visible without cluttering the main planning grid.
Tips for Using the Side Panel
Use the Notes section to jot down meal prep reminders, recipe page numbers, or dietary considerations for the week. The Grocery List with checkboxes is designed to be a quick-reference shopping list you can check off as you shop. Many users find it helpful to fill in the meal grid first, then build the grocery list from the meals they have planned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to plan meals for the week?
Set aside 15 to 20 minutes on Sunday to review your calendar, check what ingredients you already have, and fill in your meal planner. Start with dinners first since those are typically the most complex meals. Plan breakfasts and lunches around simple, repeatable options. Build your grocery list directly from the plan to avoid unnecessary purchases.
How many meals should I plan per week?
Plan five to six dinners per week and leave one or two nights open for leftovers or spontaneous meals. For breakfasts and lunches, having two to three rotating options is usually enough. This balance keeps planning manageable while still reducing food waste and impulse spending.
Should I print my meal planner in landscape or portrait?
This weekly meal planner is designed in a landscape-style layout on a standard portrait page, so you can print it normally on letter-size paper. The horizontal grid format gives you wider columns for each day, making it easy to write in meal details. It is ideal for posting on your fridge or keeping in a binder.