If you’re new to meal planning, it can seem quite overwhelming. How am I suppose to plan an entire weeks worth of meals and actually follow it? Well, simple meal planning for beginners is here to help you with that!
I honestly was not a fan of meal planning when I first started. I was stressed, confused and it felt like more work for my already busy day.
But let me tell you when I finally did the work, prepped the right way, and followed through, oh how so much easier and simpler that part of my day became!
What is meal planning?
Meal planning is the act of deciding what meals you will make and eat in advance. However meal planning is a little more than just writing down a list of meals for the week. When you meal plan, it also helps you write your grocery list for the week, helps you incorporate healthier meals, and can save you some money in the store too!
Plan your meals, write your list of any ingredients you don’t already have in the house, and stick to your list the best you can!
When you first start meal planning, I recommend keeping it simple with easy meals until you’re in the groove of it.
Where to start
Start by writing down a list of all the meals your family loves to eat. Then if you can think of them, write the meals you make less often, and throw them into the mix. Then consider any sides you usually make with your main meal, and write those down too.
After you have a decent list of meals, write out what activities you and your family have going on in the evenings. It’s no secret life is busy, so take into account what you have going on that way when you plan your meals, you can plan to make easier meals on busier nights.
Writing the plan
You really don’t need anything fancy to write in when planning your meals. Simple meal planning for beginners can look like just a piece of paper, in an existing planner you already have (this is what I do), or even in your phone or tablet. (Or if you want to, Pinterest is full of printable meal planning sheets you can get as well!)
Decide what day/night you need or want to start writing out your meal plans on. For me, my plan/rest day is on Saturday, and I plan out meals for Monday through Sunday. Monday is also my grocery shopping day, and daughters dance day (I live in the country so I try to cut down on trips to town), so Monday’s are nights I plan for easy meals that are quick and simple.
Remember to look at your days ahead, and write out any activities or events you have going on so you’re well aware of those before you starting writing down meals. It’s also a good idea to have a space, piece of paper, or stick notes for when you write your grocery list on hand.
Shop your Pantry
As you decide on meals you want to make for the week, you’ll need to make sure you have all the ingredients you need. Look at what you already have at home on your own shelves. Using ingredients you already have will cut down on what you will need to buy from the store.
If you’re looking to save more money with meal planning, you could also flip through weekly store ads to see if there are any deals you can take advantage of for the week.
Make the Plan
Now it’s time to start writing out meals for the week! Here’s a little recap:
Write all your activities and events at the top of each day so you don’t forget them. Then, write out your meals how you would like!
Next write out your grocery list so you can have all the ingredients on hand, and ready to use. If your family likes to have some snacks on hand, don’t forget to put those on your list too!
Now just because you have started meal planning, doesn’t mean eating out is out. Some days it’ll make more sense to grab something quick. Life is busy and sometimes a day can get away from us. So if stopping for some fast food one night is needed, do it!
And sometimes plans need to change. That’s okay! Don’t stress about it. Life happens and we keep going.
I hope this simple meal planning for beginners helps you get started!
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