Since I learned about meal planning a few years ago, I’ve never looked back. I can’t remember exactly where I saw and read about meal planning, but it sure pays to read.
Growing up, I would always go grocery shopping with my mom and since she’d never done meal planning, it had always been like whatever recipe comes to mind while at the grocery store, that’s what we’d buy. Thing is, what we bought did not always last for the week. So then she needed to go back again to get more goods. But I grew up eating home-cooked meals and having my own family now, I always enjoy preparing home-cooked meals for them and I’m so glad I’ve learned about meal planning because it has been a life saver.
THE BENEFITS OF MEAL PLANNING
Comparing what I saw growing up and after doing meal planning every week, there are definitely a lot of benefits.
1. Save Money
You check what ingredients you have left from the previous week and make use of it before it goes to waste.
2. Save Time
The hubs and I go grocery shopping once a week and that’s it. No more of those days where we had to go back in the middle of the week because we forgot something. Not unless the hubs is craving for something all of a sudden and he needs to have it pronto.
3. Less Stress
Knowing that you already have a menu for the entire week plus all the ingredients you need to prepare those dishes definitely takes a lot of your stress away. As you know, what to eat is not the only thing that we think of every single day or for the whole week for that matter.
HOW TO MEAL PLAN
1. Check Your Pantry and Refrigerator
I always make sure to check first whatever we have left in our pantry and refrigerator. It saves us money and it also helps us reduce waste.
2. Browse Cookbooks, Magazines or Online for Recipe Ideas
I have created this recipe binder where I placed all the recipes that I have collected from magazines or printed out from websites online. I grouped them in categories like seafood, pork, chicken, vegetables and others (for pasta or side dishes).
Although we have our favorite dishes that I make almost regularly, I also love trying new dishes out. That’s why I created my recipe binder and it has been so helpful. For those recipes that we have already tried and didn’t enjoy much, I got rid of them to make place for new ones. But I kept all the recipes that we really enjoyed.
3. Check Your Schedule
I make sure to take notes of special occasions or activities in school. We usually eat out on special occasions and when our son has an activity in school, we either eat leftovers and just get a takeout.
4. Eat Leftovers
Whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this is one way of not wasting food in your household. And that’s one thing too why I like trying new recipes every week, so we won’t get tried of eating the same leftovers, over and over .
5. Don’t Cook Every Night
I love cooking and I love home-cooked meals, but not cooking every night means eating the leftovers and not wasting food. I only cook five times a week and those nights that I don’t cook, we either eat leftovers, do takeout or some nights we do pizza.
These are the things that’s worked for me, but other things might work for you too.
How do you meal plan?
I absolutely love menu planning. It saves me so much money and most of the food is unprocessed and very healthy.
Okay I need simple. I need to learn how to meal plan. I need to get my life together-it’s so chaotic!
I’m bookmarking this. I need simple in my life. Meal planning is an excellent time saver, but if it’s a chore in itself, then what’s the point?
I need to start thinking about meal planning a little more, I have to admit it is something I’ve not really got the hang of yet, but I will get there.
I really need to start do this. I have been thinking about for years, but have never manage to convince myself to start. I am looking forward to not having to decide what is for dinner and saving some extra money!
Meal planning can help you plan ahead for sure! We’ve been doing it for a couple of months now and it’s also allowed us to save at the register.
It is one of my goals to be better about meal planning. I just need to take the time and make it happen!
I’m great at healthy meal prepping but terrible at regular dinner prepping otherwise. Thanks for sharing these tips!
I love meal planning! I did it when I had a full house. Now that I am pretty much just planning for me I am more loosey goosey with it the way your mom was.
I need to start meal planning a bit better. At the end of January, I decided to start shopping at Aldi again. It saves me a ton of money and we end up eating less processed junk.
I need to start writing things down and keep a list of stuff I use out of the pantry.
I SUCK at meal planning! LOL! But I have been working on it and I am getting better at it and I’m saving money at the grocery store!
I try my best to include healthy options and one meal every week that can be alternate in case I forget to take something out in time.
I always meal plan because it really can save you money at the grocery store. This week I spent $56 on a family of four. If I hadn’t meal planned in the old days, I would have spent $150. But since I comb through my pantry and freezers finding things that will make great meals together, I no longer overspend.
I was doing this meal planning before my son was born. Right now he is too young amd we are still kinda adjusting to my post pregnancy stage. But I’ll definitely start on my meal planning and preparation again.
This is amazing! I need to get back into meal planning. This would make my life so much less complicated.
I don’t really but I do need to start doing this. It makes sense. My key issue is that I spend too many days running back to grocery store. That makes me nuts. I like your system and the fact that it saves time and money makes sense.
We are in the process of moving and I can’t wait to get back into our regular dinner routine. I like the idea of meal planning just 5 days a week.
I really need to get better at meal planning . We’re not doing too bad, but I only have an idea of the Meats we’re using through the week not the whole meal. If I could just get that caught up, then I would have one less thing to think about.
Meal planning is so hard for me. This is something that I really need that could help me with my plan. Glad I found this.
These are some great tips! I need to get better about meal planning myself.
We’ve been eating out way too much lately. These are some great ways to help us save money on food and eat more healthily.