Meal Planning Tips
Meal planning is essential in my home for a number of reasons, but the fact that my husband and I are both Type A personalities and love having a plan. Not only is this easier on us while we’re both balancing full-time work, our kid’s schedules and other family and personal activities it also saves us lots of money and makes weeknights much easier! And a bonus is, any left overs make great lunches or dinners later on in the week!
While the act of consistently incorporating meal planning into your week may seem daunting at first, don’t stress! You will find a rhythm and be able to settle into a routine that works best for YOU and your family!
Here’s the process that I personally follow to plan for the week, and it works really well for me!
Look at your schedule. This is essential for planning certain nights for leftovers for grabbing take out for a night that will be too busy or stressful to cook fresh. (Note: I never said we completely stopped eating out, but specifically planning for it makes it exciting AND happen less frequently.)
Keep dinners simple. Nobody is asking you to prepare a four course meal from scratch! (And if they are, maybe you need to clear the air in this regard.) We plan for one protein and two veggies or a veggie and a carb for each dinner. This could be as simple as roasted chicken with cubed potatoes and broccoli all on the same sheet pan! Don’t over think.
Take note of your family favorites and rotate those. If you know you have picky eaters or aren’t exactly a Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, don’t spend too much time, energy and money on crazy new recipes. Be realistic. I try new recipes every few weeks just in case it doesn’t work out.
In case of emergency, Breakfast for dinner is always a winner. Try a protein packed pancake/waffle mix and lean, nitrate-free breakfast sausage! Eggs in any form are high-protein as well. Toss whatever veggies you have on hand [chopped] into a 9x13 pan with 10-12 scrambled eggs for an easy egg bake and cube and roast up some potatoes for homemade American Fries. My family loves Kodiak Cakes and breakfast sausage, so we keep these on hand for these nights.
Check your kitchen first. Look in your fridge and pantry before shopping to see what you already have to make sure you’re not doubling up. It’s also a good idea to check expiration dates, too. This way you can use up what will go bad soon and replenish your stock if necessary.
Write your list & stick to it. That’s right, I’m calling you out and keeping you accountable. Don’t worry, this happens to the best of us. If this continues to be difficult issue for you, I highly recommend investing in a grocery shopping and/or delivery service such as Shipt, Instacart, or another service local to your area. By ordering online and avoiding the store, you completely eliminate any temptations to wander down the cookie aisle and see if Milano’s are on sale… ;)
Buy extra veggies and fruit to have on hand for snacking. Pro tip: if you only have healthy options in the house, you will only eat healthy options.
If you’re already meal planning, I’d love to hear your favorite tips or methods for managing to stick to your budget and plans!
