“Yeah I’m into fitness, FITNESS this pizza in my mouth!” -the internet

Whenever I ask people in my groups about what causes the most stress in their lives, one answer I get most frequently is meal planning. I never realized what a headache this was because I myself love meal planning, prepping, grocery shopping, and cooking. Some would assume it’s because it comes naturally to me, but the truth is, over the years I have just found ways to simplify it.  Here is what I recommend, and what works for me and my family. So if you are trying to eat out less, eat more healthy foods, dine together as a family more often, here are some tips to meet your goals!

STEP #1: INVENTORY AND ORGANIZE THE PANTRY AND FRIDGE.

Right now I have a family of five, but I’m the past I’ve been a single mom, lived alone, and even had roommates. So I’ve had to plan for many different scenarios. Here are 5 simple steps I have used to help in my meal planning and prep.

Sundays are my day to reset and prepare for the week ahead, including meal planning. The first thing I always do is clean out my fridge and reorganize my fridge and pantry. This helps to make room for new items, and also to see what I have on hand that can be used for meals in the coming week

I mean, who doesn’t love a clean fridge? 

STEP #2: CHECK OUT THE WEEKLY SPECIALS AT YOUR LOCAL GROCER

With a family of 5 including growing boys who can eat us out of house and home, it’s important to have a budget and save where we can on meals. In addition to working my meals around pantry items on hand, I also work them around what’s on sale that week.  

I use my local stores mobile app to view the ads, make a list, and clip the digital coupons that will load to my loyalty card automatically. The best part is, I can send my list directly from the mobile app to the store so my order is ready and delivered to my car, or even right to my door.  No more toddler meltdowns at the deli counter. 🙌🏻

Want to know how to organize your entire home? Check out THIS blog post.

STEP #3: GET OUT YOUR PLANNER

Being a business owner, a wife, and a mom of 3 means there is usually a lot going on in our house. One thing that makes our lives easier is planning meals around our families activities. So before I decide what we will eat that coming week, I get out my favorite planner to see what afternoon and evening activities my family has. Soccer night calls for an easy slow cooker meal that I can start in the morning and it’ll be ready when practice is done. In the summer months we designate one day for pizza night, usually when my husband gets home late from his golf league. Planning how much time you have to cook a meal each night will make it less stressful. No one wants to decide what to cook or prep a difficult meal when they are tired or hangry. Planning ahead is key.  

Need a new notebook, pen, or other office supplies to get your planning started? Check out our favorite products on Amazon!

4. THE MEALS. FINALLY! 

Planning meals can be easy if you have kids who will eat anything, but I know this is ideal situation doesn’t work for every family. Picky eaters, food allergies, and even the current trending diet can make it more difficult. I have found a few solutions if you get stuck coming up with meals: 

– There are several useful meal planning mobile apps out there that take the guesswork out of planning. I have found one that makes it simple to add the amount of servings, and allergies, dietary restrictions or aversions, and even creates a shopping list for you. The one I use is called Foodlime, but there are several in the App Store. Find one that works for your needs.

–  Theme nights! Sounds cheesy I know, but when you are at a loss to come up with a meal, theme nights make it easier to narrow down. Meatless Mondays, slow cooker Saturdays, or taco Tuesdays save the day!  

– Pinterest and Google know everything! For instance, say you have a bunch of kale, fresh ginger, and a chicken breast in your fridge and you’re not sure what to make with them. You can do an ingredient search and find a recipe to utilize them. Boom! How did anyone survive before the internet?! 🤷🏼‍♀️

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5.  THE LIST 

So now you’ve organized, researched, and planned. It’s time to make your list! If you prefer paper, get out your little notebook and pen; and if you’re a digital person there are apps for lists too. Don’t forget to look over your recipes and check off what you have on hand so you are getting exactly why you need. Here are just a few more tips for meal planning and prep: 

– Utilize your grocery store pick up and delivery services to save time. (and money on impulse buys) 

– NEVER go shopping hungry. For obvious reasons   

– Pick one day a week to do your planning and stick to it. Sunday works best for us, but you can do any day that fits into your routine.  

– Keep it simple. You don’t need 7 elaborate meals every week. Look for simple recipes with a few ingredients and eat leftovers once or twice a week. 

– When all else fails, order takeout! Listen moms, and dads, you don’t have to do it all! We know you are busy bringing home the bacon, bussing the kids around, making sure everyone has clean clothes. Give yourself some grace once in a while and let the kids have cereal for dinner, or order takeout. Life is too short to worry about perfect meal planning.  

Do you have any other tips that help you with planning meals? We’d love to hear what works for you and your family. Comment below.

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