Meal planning helps reduce the number of decisions you have to make. As a busy mom who makes well over 35,000 decisions each day, deciding what to have for dinner shouldn’t be one of them.
Meal planning saves you some brain power and helps reduce decision fatigue. (read my post on Daily Planning to read more about decision fatigue). Meal planning also helps save money and time, leads to healthier choices, and can help YOU focus on the things that matter most.
Meal Planning: What is it?
Meal Planning simply means that you create a “menu” for the week and then shop to that menu. You have meals planned and the food available to make them! Now how nice does that sound!
This post is going to go through a variety of things. First we are going to start with the basics. Then we will dive into why Meal planning is so great! And lastly I am going to talk about some general resources that help with meal planning. This is the opener to a whole series of posts with recipes, menus, plans, tips and more. Check out the Meal Planning and Prepping category on the Food page for more!
The Basics
Meal Planning Should Be Simple
Start Simple. You will probably want to stay simple too. But be certain to start that way. When I meal plan I take a piece of notebook paper, walk around my kitchen and look at the ingredients I have. I let that inspire me to what recipes to make that week. I write them down in a list (no days of the week or anything), and then check to make sure I have all the ingredients I need.
EXAMPLE: Looks like we have lots of ground beef and rice. Korean Beef on Rice it is!
Meal Planning Should Save Time
It should NOT take a lot of time to plan your meals. Now arguably you are making all your food decisions for a week at this time, so you can take your time. But the idea is to make it easier for yourself. Have some go to recipes (you can even start to keep a list) and then brainstorm fast and furious. A list of 7 meals shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to write. Then a few more minutes to check on ingredients and viola!
What Makes Meal Planning Great
Meal Planning is Budget Friendly
How many trips to the grocery store do you take a week? A few things here. A couple more there. It adds up! Or how many times do you go grocery shopping for the week only to wander around and purchase everything that sounds good. Then you get home and realize you don’t have the ingredients for a simple meal… so back you go!
Meal Planning saves money because you only buy what you need. And it saves money because you use what you buy. Much less wasted food.
Meal Planning can be Healthy
Meal planning can be an easy way to eat healthier. When you plan what to eat, you HAVE a plan when you get hungry. If you plan, you can make healthy options just as quick and easy as the bag of chips or the corndogs you might typically grab.
Planning also allows you to think through what you are eating. Fruits at breakfasts, veggies at lunch and dinner. Plan it out and watch as you eat better and feel better all while working less.
Resources that Help with Meal Planning
Simple and Flexible Meal Plan Recipes
Recipes that are flexible are a MUST. Soups, Salads, Stir Fry’s, Tacos and more allow you to have an assortment of ingredients and still come away with a great meal! When it comes to planning meals, you want to be able to use up ingredients. So have some recipes on hand that allow you to substitute or add things easily.
Weekly Meal Plans
Many sources and apps provide written out weekly meal plans with recipes. How awesome is that! You can check out our Free Weekly Meal Plans here!
As you start to find these from others, come up with some of your own. Choose the recipes you like. Keep a running list. Then over time you develop your own database of available options you know you like!
Grocery Lists for Meal Plans
Having grocery lists attached to a meal plan is SO HELPFUL. It isn’t too hard to create a list each week. But not having to take the time for that? Well that is luxury living for any busy mom. Find sources that give you grocery lists with the meal plans.
You can sign up here for our Weekly Meal Plan Newsletter here to get exclusive access to a weekly menu and grocery list.
Meal Planning Really is the Best for Busy Moms
You wear a lot of hats. Consolidate your thinking cap sessions into short bursts of effective meal planning. You will save time, money, and energy. It is fun too! You can enjoy cooking again when it isn’t overshadowed with the dreaded “what should we make for dinner tonight?”.
