Meal Planning Tips
Meal planning is all the rave. People are looking for ways to be organized and feel less stressed during meal time. Life is busy for most of us and meals take thought and time to prepare, especially if you want healthy meals. Additionally, food is expensive so planning out a few meals a week can save you time and money.
About three years ago our family was looking to make some healthier choices. I also needed some structure for our busy weeknights and meal planning seemed like a great solution. Honestly, I just function better, and I'm a nicer person when I have a plan. Meal planning has by far been one of the best practices I've implemented for my family.
3 Reasons Why I Love Meal Planning:
- When I have a list of ingredients written down before I make my grocery run, I don't typically compulsive buy. Making a list and sticking with it saves me money and time.
- Meal Planning guarantees my family at least one healthy meal a day. When I don't have a plan, I'm often tempted to grab take-out or pop in a pizza.
- I spend zero time fretting about what I'm making for dinner and for me, that was the most stressful and annoying part. This way I can come home after a busy day of work and pull out the things I need from my planned menu.
TIPS FOR MEAL PLANNING
Start Small.
Choosing 3 or 4 days a week is fairly realistic. You can do more than that, but I've found it's better to add on days after you've established a solid routine.
Be Consistent.
Did you know it takes roughly 21 days to form a new habit? Consistency is important when you're working in a new system. If you don't give it a fair amount of time, you won't see how beneficial it is.
Find Resources.
I personally love Pinterest for finding most of my recipe inspirations. Searching for recipes, or really anything for that matter, is easy, and the possibilities are endless. Plus, Pinterest provides a way to organize the things you love and keep things simple to find. There are plenty of other resources such as, cookbooks, blogs, google, Food Network, and much more.
Have A Simple Organizer.
I can be a little snobby when it comes to how I organize my weekly menu. Prior to meal planning I would usually find a random scrap piece of paper in the junk drawer and scribble out my grocery list. Can you relate? I like to have order when I'm making my grocery list, and being able to see what meals I have planned for the week. This simple menu planner (affiliate link) was gifted to me by a good friend for my birthday one year and I love it. It has everything I need to stay organized while planning.
Plan Recipes According To Your Schedule.
Most recipes will give you a rough idea of how much time it takes to prepare and cook. This is helpful when choosing recipes that fit your schedule. Save the time-consuming ones for your less busy days.
Select A Planning Day.
I have found it's important to pick out a designated day to plan your menu. If you don't, you'll likely not do it and the week will slide by without a plan. This takes diligence and consistency but as I mentioned above, you'll see the benefits once you've established your regimen.
I hope you feel encouraged to give meal planning a try. Honestly, I can't imagine my life without it. I am not a professional meal planner by any means, just a mom and wife trying to simplify my busy days. Check out my Weekly Dinner Menu page for my 5-Days Of Healthy Dinner options.
Below, I've added a few links that might be helpful for planning your weekly menu! If you have any questions, please use my contact page to reach out!
Happy Planning!