Getting Control Of Meal Planning

Planning weekly meals is the key to saving time, money and lowering stress. You can plan as many days ahead as you like. Years ago when my husband was paid only once a month I did once a month meal planning, but even planning a week ahead will help tremendously.  

When the weekly meals are planned, there is no guess work. I know what needs to be made, defrosted, whipped up or baked. It also keeps me from over spending at the grocery store. When I stick with my list I know exactly what I need.

Here are a few tips and ideas to help you plan two weeks worth of  meals and keep them economical.

Create a master list of all the meals your family enjoys:

Step 1:  Pull out all your recipes and cookbooks and locate your favorites.

Step 2: Check your calendar and see if there are any special occasions, birthdays, known eating out times, etc.

Step 3: Ask your family what their favorites are and add them to your list.

Make your grocery lists and plan your meals

Step 1: Make a shopping list. List all your meats together, all your dairy together, vegetables together, etc. List all the ingredients in all your meals and then mark off the ingredients you already have on hand. Or if you’re able to remember, just don’t list the items you have on hand.

Step 2: Plan your meals together strategically so that you can make some extra and use it the next day. For example, one day you might have mashed potatoes. Make a few servings extra and use it the next day for the topping on a Shepherd’s Pie.

You don’t need a special form or anything for making your meal plans, a sheet of notebook paper will do,  but a blank calendar is a great help. Here is a calendar that is really helpful from Donna Young. 

Here is an example of one week of my meal plans. We eat out once a week usually, on Sunday. so I’ve included that info in my plans.

My grocery list includes the meat and some canned items as well as items I need for making yogurt and cream of tomato soup.

Week 1
Monday
Breakfast – yogurt, fruit, granola
Lunch – apples, peanut butter
Dinner – Chicken and Wild Rice soup, homemade bread, salad

Tuesday
Breakfast – baked oatmeal, fresh fruit
Lunch – cheese, apples, cup of chicken soup
Dinner – roast, vegetables, rolls, peach cobbler

Wednesday
Breakfast – bacon and eggs, toast
Lunch – Soup and crackers, apples, peanut butter
Dinner – Roast beef hash, salad, rolls

Thursday
Breakfast – Muffins, tea, jam
Lunch –  Dutch Baby Pancake, cheese
Dinner – Cumin-Coconut Chicken, rice, salad

Friday
Breakfast – eggs, bacon, toast
Lunch – flat bread, bean spread, cheese
Dinner – Chili 4 Ways: pasta, cheese, sour cream, onion

Saturday
Breakfast – waffles, fruit
Lunch -chef salad
Dinner – Ham and potato soup, yeast rolls

Sunday
Breakfast – donuts
Lunch – eat out
Dinner – Breakfast for Dinner; eggs, bacon, biscuits, sliced tomato

So… do you make a meal plan?  If you do, is it very helpful to you?