I’m sure you’re already aware of how beneficial meal planning is to you and your family. It saves time, money and is a lot healthier than eating fast food or ordering pizza. So you’re ready to start planning your dinners ahead of time, but where do you find the recipes?

Sure, you could cook what your mother and grandmother have cooked, the dishes you’ve learned to prepare as a child and young adult. While that is definitely a great place to start, eventually you’re going to want to branch out and try new things. Here are some ideas on where to find new recipes to try…

Cookbooks

Cookbooks are traditionally where you’ll find new recipes to try. Visit your local bookstore and you should find an entire section devoted to nothing else. There are new cookbooks coming out weekly and you can find older editions in used bookstores or at yard sales. Check out your local library too. They should have a nice stock of recipe books there as well.

Magazines

Most women’s magazines have recipes in them, as do cooking magazines of course and even your daily newspaper (check the weekend edition). I like magazines for recipes because I can easily clip them and keep them in a binder for later use.

Online

Last but not least, you can find millions of recipes online. There are entire websites devoted to nothing but recipes and people share quite a few of their family favorites on personal websites and blogs. There are also online newsletters that include recipes and of course meal planning service that not only provide you with the recipes, but make the entire menu plan and often also a grocery list for you.