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How I'm Planning My Weekly Menu in My Sourdough Microbakery in 2026 | Episode 115



Menu planning can quietly become one of the most exhausting parts of running a sourdough microbakery. What starts as creativity and variety can slowly turn into decision fatigue, over‑prep, and unnecessary stress. In this episode of The Bread Winner Podcast, I walk through a new, more intentional approach to menu planning that I’m using this year—one that creates consistency without sacrificing customer excitement or revenue.


This post breaks down that strategy in a clear, practical way. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your menu, unsure what to keep, rotate, or cut, or stuck re‑deciding everything every single week, this approach will help you simplify while still serving your customers well.


The Problem With “More Is Better” Menu Planning

There’s a common belief in the baking world that baking more automatically leads to higher sales. In reality, more options often lead to more stress, more prep, and more mental load—with little to no increase in profit.


When menus grow too large:

  • Prep becomes scattered and inefficient

  • Ingredient lists get harder to manage

  • Customers feel overwhelmed by choices

  • Bakers feel stretched thin and burnt out


A simpler menu doesn’t mean a boring menu. It means a thoughtful one. Predictability builds trust. Clarity reduces decision fatigue. And fewer, well‑planned offerings often perform better than endless variety.


A Hybrid Menu Model That Creates Balance

To bring structure and ease back into menu planning, I shifted to a hybrid menu model with three clear layers:

  • Core products

  • Rotating items

  • Predictable daily specials


This structure allows the bakery to feel stable and familiar while still offering seasonal interest and variety. It also removes the need to reinvent the menu every week.


Core Products: The Foundation of a Reliable Bakery

Core products are the items customers expect to find every time. These are not novelty items. They are staples. They anchor the menu and build trust.


These products:

  • Sell consistently

  • Fit smoothly into production flow

  • Require minimal decision‑making

  • Are often gifted or purchased weekly


My current core menu includes:

  • Original rustic sourdough

  • Sourdough sandwich bread

  • Focaccia

  • Chocolate chip muffins

  • Coffee cake muffins

  • Chocolate chip cookies

  • Granola (one variety)

  • Crackers (one variety)

These items don’t need constant reinvention. Their job is to quietly serve customers and create reliability in the business.


Rotating Items: Variety With Guardrails

Rotation is where creativity lives—but it needs boundaries.


Instead of offering multiple flavored loaves or endless options at once, I now rotate:

  • One flavored sourdough per week

  • Two scone flavors per month, each offered for two weeks

Flavors alternate between sweet and savory, giving customers something new to look forward to without overwhelming production.


This approach:

  • Simplifies prep and inventory

  • Makes planning easier for customers

  • Allows clear communication about what’s coming next

  • Reduces disappointment when items sell out

Rotation works best when customers know what to expect and when.


Predictable Daily Specials Create Rhythm

Rather than offering every favorite every day, I’ve assigned specific products to specific days. This has created a weekly rhythm that customers love and that production can support.


Current daily specials:

  • Thursday: Par‑baked pizza crusts and pizza dough

  • Friday: English muffins (alternating rounds and loaves weekly)

  • Saturday: Cinnamon rolls


This structure:

  • Encourages customers to plan ahead

  • Reduces second‑guessing quantities

  • Makes prep more predictable

  • Cuts availability without cutting value

For home bakers who bake once per week, this same idea can work on a biweekly or monthly rotation instead of daily.


What I’ve Intentionally Cut From the Menu

Simplification means letting go of things that no longer serve the business.


I’ve stepped away from:

  • Excess flavor variations

  • Offering everything all the time

  • Daily SKU overload

  • Pressure to avoid disappointing anyone


Even strong sellers don’t need unlimited airtime. Scarcity and rhythm often increase demand while protecting your energy.


Menu Rules That Keep Things Simple

To keep the menu from slowly creeping back into chaos, I’ve set clear decision rules.

These rules guide choices before emotion gets involved.


My current menu rules:

  • At least half the menu must be prep‑ahead or freezer‑friendly

  • New products get a four‑week testing window before decisions are made

  • Peak seasons are reserved for proven products only

  • Recipe testing happens before busy seasons, not during

These rules remove guesswork and protect capacity during high‑stress months.


Why Fewer Choices Actually Serve Customers Better

Customers don’t want endless options. They want clarity and confidence.

When menus are too large:

  • Decision fatigue increases

  • Trust decreases

  • Purchases take longer

  • Satisfaction often drops


A smaller menu allows customers to choose quickly and confidently. It also makes communication easier and creates a smoother experience overall.


Action Steps to Simplify Your Own Menu

You don’t need new software or a complicated system to get started.


Set aside time to:

  1. Write down everything you typically offer over a two‑month period

  2. Circle the items that sell consistently and feel easy to execute

  3. Cross out items that cause stress without proportional return

  4. Choose three to five core products

  5. Decide what rotates and how often

  6. Create one or two menu rules to guide decisions going forward

The goal is not a smaller business. The goal is a cleaner, more predictable one.


Final Thoughts

A sustainable bakery is built on repeatability, clarity, and trust. Simplifying the menu isn’t about doing less for the sake of doing less. It’s about creating space to do what works—well and consistently.

When your menu supports your life, your customers feel it too.


This approach allows you to plan ahead, communicate clearly, and protect your energy so your business can grow without burning you out.


Links to things you might like!






  • Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including the dough bins I mentioned, packaging, pans, and more in my Amazon Storefrom! www.carolinebower.com/amazon





 
 
 

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