Experienced moms know that meal planning, especially for dinner, can help save time and money. When meals are pre-selected and scheduled, you spend less time in the store, less time cooking and buy fewer unnecessary items that might go to waste. But it can be hard to actually sit down to put a plan into action. Try taking these steps to simplify your meal planning so you can pull family meals together quickly and easily:
Set aside some time. Thinking in advance about what to feed your family is a good start, but to really create a successful meal plan, you should try to devote some time to schedule it. Try taking half an hour each weekend to write down what you want to make the following week and what ingredients you’ll need. A little work up front will go a long way during those busy weekdays!
Get everyone involved. Letting family members offer their own meal ideas takes some of the burden off you and should also lead to less fussing at dinnertime when they’re served one of their own favorites. This tip also comes in handy when preparing meals as well.
Make a list. We know you’ve heard it before, but a smart grocery shopping list really does help take the frustration out of meal planning. See below for some great tips on how to make an effective shopping list.
Keep it simple. Fancy meals are great, but with all the prep work they take, you may lose your motivation to cook before you even start. Try keeping things simple during the week and maybe looking to the weekends for a more special dish.
Have a backup. Try to keep ingredients around for a backup meal just in case something happens to your original plan. Boxed pasta and frozen staples – especially meals that you have already made and frozen – are good choices in a pinch.
Make extra. Lots of moms like to make larger portions of some meals so they can be used in a different meal another night. Today’s grilled chicken will be delicious in tomorrow’s burritos!
When it comes to shopping for ingredients for those meals, making – and sticking to – a list is one of the best ways to save money and stay on-budget. A smart shopping list helps keep you organized so you can speed up your trips to the store, avoid buying things you don’t need and prevent you from forgetting things. Some of the most helpful list tips that many moms have found useful include:
Build a master list. Make a list of the items you buy most often, print it out and keep it in the same place – either by the refrigerator or the pantry – so you can make a note of it as soon as you run out.
Plan meals before you shop. If you know what you’re going to make, you’ll know which ingredients you need and won’t get caught up buying items you don’t really need.
Learn your store. Get to know the layout of your local store so you can arrange items on your list the same way they are laid out in the store, for example: produce, deli, refrigerated, etc. You’ll shave lots of time off your shopping by never having to double back for something you forgot.