Easy Meal Planning

"What's for dinner?" Oh, the dreaded question!!!! The topic that frequently sends us into a panicked frenzy! But it doesn't have to be frustrating....part of staying organized is planning ahead and when it comes to meals, you can't afford to skip the planning! In our fast-paced world of "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" moments and over-scheduling, mealtime often takes the brunt of our busy days. We stop for a meal at the closest fast-food place and our health and wallets suffer.

Many people don't meal plan because they think it's too time consuming and hard. But it doesn't have to be! Find what works for you and stick to your plan. I promise with some practice and self-discipline, you'll find that a little planning goes a long way! You'd be shocked at how many people walk into a grocery store each week without any plan whatsoever. The just grab a cart and go, buying things that look good, only to get home and have no idea how to use it all together that week. So things go to waste and we often default to eating out. I don't know about you, but for my family of 5, we could easily spend $30-$50 each time we eat out. And that's for only one meal! Do you know how many groceries that could buy?! A ton!

There's all sorts of ways to plan meals from weekly, monthly, and beyond. You can plan by themes or food types, plan meals for certain days of the month, and so on. Whatever you prefer is fine. But here's how I do it and hopefully I can provide some helpful ideas to keep your life running a little smoother.

I plan meals weekly. I sit down each Sunday night and plan meals for the next 7 days. I plan right down to the sides that will be served with each meal. Many people only plan dinners. But I plan all three meals for each day. I have found that this ensures that I don't have to keep running to the grocery store for odds and ends that I forgot and it also keep me from buying things that I already have. I go grocery shopping on Monday mornings. I like shopping on Mondays because everyone has been home all weekend and I usually need to replenish what everyone has eaten! Sunday night is the perfect time to take stock for Monday's shopping trip. As I plan, I keep all the recipes I'm going to use nearby. I have a running grocery list next to me and make sure that I write down every ingredient that I need. I also make sure that I plan what kind of snacks my kids will be eating and what they will need for their school lunches. With careful planning I won't need to go back to the grocery store until the next Monday.

Here is the link to the chart that I use. I designed this after figuring out how I liked to plan. I print a new one out each Sunday and keep it in the kitchen. Feel free to print it out and use it! I keep each sheet in my cookbook after I use it so that eventually I have weeks and weeks of meal planning built up and can just pull one or two out and whip out a week in no time. I put an X through the meals that didn't go so well so that I don't waste my time with it. I also make sure as I plan that I put the title and page number of the recipe I'm going to use so that it's easy to find.

Sarah's Weekly Meal Planner

A few helpful tips:

- Plan easier meals for busier days.
- Use the crockpot! They're great for busy days, sick days, or hot summer days!
- Use the produce that spoils fastest earlier in the week. Save heartier produce for later in the week.
- Prep meals in the morning before the day runs away from you. If you can cut produce or put a casserole together to put in the fridge, do it. Then all you have to do is throw it in the oven!
- Post the meal list where your family can see. I rarely get complaints about what we're having for dinner because it's been up all week for everyone to see and they've had all week to accept what we're having. If you find that your kids don't care for things that you're having, let help you plan and cook! Studies show kids are much more likely to eat a meal they helped with, often trying things that they may not have otherwise agreed to taste.  

Now, please don't go away with the idea that I'm some kind of meal planning superhero. We still have our crazy days where things don't go as planned. But for the most part, I try to stick to the plan. You will find that you're healthier because you know what's in your food and that you'll save tons of money!

What are your favorite meal planning strategies?

Happy meal planning!

The Queen