Making a Menu

I've found it's so much easier to eat naturally (or close to it) by making a menu.  I've tried lots of variations of this - monthly, every 6 weeks, a week at a time, etc., and I always fall short and quit doing it.
Recently I started doing a two week menu and am liking it so far.  Once a month (after pay day!) I go and do the "main" grocery shopping for the month...then 2 weeks later Mike or I go again to get more fresh fruits & veggies and get the things we need for the next 2 weeks of menu planning.  I'm not against stopping at the bulk grocery stores we have in and around Memphis and consider them a blessing but I try to keep unplanned stops to a minimum as they add up quickly in the budget.  We've found it's usually better for Mike to do the 2 week mid-way stop for 2 reasons:  he's much quicker and he buys only what's on the list keeping excess spending in check.
The two week menu and my mind that's constantly turning to natural living have also made me much more aware of planning ahead.  I transfer our meats for the week from the freezer to the fridge a couple days in advance...no more microwaving to defrost or using hot water baths.  I also do a lot more preparing the night before which cuts down on mine and the children's frustration when everyone is starving 'RIGHT NOW!'  We're eating earlier most evenings, which means we have more time for our food to digest before bed time.  Occasionally, if we eat really early (before 6), the children (and sometimes mom & dad!) have a bedtime snack...cheese & crackers, peanut butter on crackers, fruit, granola.
I'm grateful I've found a routine that's working for us...now we're just putting new recipes into the menu and enjoying finding ways to eat smarter and healthier!
What is your menu planning method?  Anybody have any recipes to share??