I know, I know…it’s sounds like a hassle right? Well, it is, but only in the beginning, and it’s totally worth it! Like with most things there is a learning curve, but you will become quicker and more efficient! Here are a few reasons why its so valuable …
Helps you eat healthfully
- Takes the 5 o’clock guess work out and helps you fight the hunger-stress gremlin, who wants to negatively influences your food choices
- You will eat less prepackaged/processed foods; more whole-foods
- You will eat out less, saving you money, time and your waistline
- You can plan in more fruits and vegetables
- Makes it easier to meet your food goals and accommodate for special dietary needs (food allergies, sensitivities…etc)
Adds variety to your life
- Decreases meal burn-out.
- Allows for more diverse nutrients in your diet. (vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients…these will allow you to thrive!)
- Increase your home-chefery skills
- Allows you to those new recipes you Pinned months ago
Saves You Time and Money
- You know exactly the items you need to buy at the grocery store
- Less food waste. No more buying items and forgetting about them in the back of your fridge
- Stick to your budget, whether its $6/meal or $20/meal, planning makes it possible
- Less stress about what to make for supper during the 5o’clock witching hour
What to do:
You can plan out a week, 2 weeks or 1 month at a time. I currently plan out a month at a time. I like doing this, because then I am don’t feel like I am spending so much time on a weekly basis. Because I am an old-fashioned girl, create my monthly menu “by hand” (no web applications). So, on my computer, I start with a monthly calendar in word and then I choose meals for the specific days, depending on activities we have planned and my average $10/day dinner budget. Because I have been doing this for years, I have a pretty extensive recipe list saved on my computer and in my recipe binder, and I also like to try at least one new recipe per week. Then, each week I make a weekly shopping list based on my monthly menu and the other items we need every week like milk, eggs, fruits, veggies, yogurt, cereal…etc. But, if you are new to menu planning, consider trying one of the many web applications available, although I don’t use one myself, I have heard they can be very useful by helping you collect recipes, create menus and then compile your grocery shopping list. I have not tried these, but LifeHacker has a good list of a few apps you may find helpful.
Things to remember:
- Try, try again…this will not be perfect in the beginning or ever for that matter.
- Meal planning gets easier with time. Save your menus on your computer or with your app and you can use them again at a later time as a template
- Organize your shopping list in categories, according to the way you normally walk through the store. This will help your flow and decrease you forgetting things on your list.
- Plan to plan: Set a side an hour or so a week to plan your meals. If you just “do it when you have a free second” , it won’t happen, because when do we have a free second?
- Think about time. You may only have 30 minutes in the evening to make dinner, don’t plan something that will take an hour in cooking time.
- Be flexible. Life happens, so go with the flow, having meals planned will actually make it easier when something comes up and you need to switch things around.
Our weekly menu for June 6-12 2014
Sunday: Dinner out with Out of Town family
Monday: Apple Turkey Meatballs with Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday: Veggie Enchiladas
Wednesday: Shrimp Scampi with Caesar Salad
Thursday: Mexican Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower
Friday: Turkey Fajitas with Avocado Salad
Saturday: Eating out with Girl Friends
Good luck! Menu planning takes some work, but I hope you will find it really helpful!
I plan to post my family’s weekly every sunday, so stay tuned!
What is your experience with menu planning? In the comments below, let me know about the good, bad and easy 🙂
