Monthly Meal Planner — Google Sheets Template
One-Minute Summary
This Google Sheets monthly meal planner shows all 28–31 days on one view. Plan dinners (or all meals) for the entire month at a glance. See patterns, avoid repetition, and batch similar meals. Make a free copy to your Drive. Ideal for busy families, meal prep enthusiasts, or anyone who wants to plan further ahead than a single week.
Preview & Access
Make a Copy (Google Sheets)How to Access
- Click the button above
- Sign in to Google (free)
- The template opens in your Drive
- Edit, share, or download as needed
What’s in this template
This Google Sheets monthly meal planner uses a grid: rows for each day of the month, columns for meal types. The layout is wide — you scroll horizontally to see the full month. Optional columns for theme or prep day help you plan variety and batch cooking.
Layout and structure
Date column: Each row is a day. Update the month name and dates at the start of each month. Some users add a weekday label (Mon, Tue) via formula for quick reference.
Meal columns: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks. Fill in as much or as little as you plan. Many people focus on dinner and leave breakfast/lunch flexible.
Optional enhancements
Theme column: “Meatless Monday,” “Taco Tuesday,” “Fish Friday” — pre-assign themes to add structure. You don’t have to pick the exact recipe yet, just the category.
Prep day marker: Mark which days you’ll batch cook. Plan meals around those days — e.g., prep Sunday for Mon–Wed, prep Wednesday for Thu–Sat.
Key features and use cases
Reduce decision fatigue: Planning a month at a time means fewer “what’s for dinner?” moments. You’ve already decided. When the day comes, you just execute.
See the big picture: Scroll through and spot gaps — “I have no fish this month” or “Too much pasta.” Adjust before you shop. Easier to balance variety when you see it all at once.
Family coordination: Share with your spouse or household. Everyone can see the plan and request changes. Use comments for “Can we swap Thu and Fri?” without editing the cells directly.
How to customize
Rotating recipes: If you have 10–15 go-to dinners, create a “Rotation” tab listing them. Reference that list when filling the monthly grid. Ensures you cycle through favorites without forgetting any.
Leftover planning: Add a “Leftovers” note in cells — e.g., “Leftover chicken” for Tuesday lunch when Monday dinner was a whole chicken. Reduces waste and simplifies prep.
Budget alignment: Add a “Cost” column if you track spending. Estimate cost per meal. Sum by week or month to see if you’re on budget. Helps when you’re meal planning to save money.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really free?
Yes. Make a copy and it's yours. No signup, no trial, no watermark. You need a free Google account.
Isn't a month too far ahead? Plans change.
The plan is editable. Treat it as a draft — adjust as the month unfolds. The benefit is the big-picture view and less weekly decision fatigue. You can always shift meals when life happens.
How do I avoid repeating the same meals?
Use the Theme column or a simple rule (e.g., no repeat dinners within 5 days). Scroll through the month before finalizing. Color-coding by protein or cuisine helps spot repetition.
Can I use this for meal prep batch planning?
Yes. Block out 'Prep Day' (e.g., Sundays). Plan 3–4 dinners that use similar ingredients so you can batch-cook. The monthly view makes it easy to see which weeks have overlapping ingredients.
How does this differ from the weekly planner?
The weekly planner is more detailed (ingredients, grocery link). The monthly planner is for high-level planning — what's for dinner each night. Use both: plan the month in this sheet, then drill into each week in the weekly planner for details.