How does having your weekly meals all planned out for you sound? I am not talking about having it done for you, rather you are doing it for you and your family. You can do a great job too. When thinking about what to make for the upcoming weeks meals, it does not have to be stressful. I am going to show you how easy meal planning saves time and money.
Meal planning saves time and money when you dedicate a little bit of time to plan it all out. Meal planning does not have to be an all-day event. In short, a little bit of time one day, will result in an organized week of meals all planned out for you.
After you have dedicated some time to your weekly meal planning, just think, you will have an entire week before you need to plan again. This saves time giving you the chance to spend more of your time doing something you may enjoy more. For me, that is getting to spend more quality time with my family.
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Meal planning saves time
Meal planning can be viewed as a timely process. In fact, before I began implementing it into my life regularly, it was a dreaded task to me. That was because I did not set it up in a way that ran smoothly. Therefore, it would take me quite a while to complete it. However, it is now a breeze to get done. Which in turn saves a lot of time.
Here are some ways that meal planning saves time.
- Rather than thinking about what to make for dinner every day, you only have to think about it one time each week.
- When you plan your meals according to what you have going on throughout the week, you can whip up a meal in minutes if you have a busy night planned.
Meal planning saves money
Although we are planning to spend money when we meal plan, it is money that we are already budgeting for on our groceries. Therefore, meal planning can help us to stick to that budget. By meal planning, we are helping to ensure that we do not overspend.
Ways that meal planning saves us money.
- Having needed items on hand for our meals - Rather than running to the store for missed ingredients. That could then cause us to spend money on extra things we do not need.
- Making food that we like - Helping to ensure we will eat what we make, and it not go to waste.
- Helping to prevent us from running through a fast-food restaurant.
- Using up what we have.
- Batch meal making when there is a sale - For example, if chicken is on sale, why not buy enough for two meals rather than one? By doing so, while you are still buying two meals worth of chicken, both are on sale. This helps to save in the long run by doing this meal prep.
How do I start a meal plan
Remember that meal planning can be very simple. And that it does not have to cause us frustration. I know that it may seem silly but, looking at it in a positive way can be very helpful.
Actually, there are not a lot of things that you need when it comes to meal planning. And what you need you can usually find at home.
Listed are some helpful items.
- Paper, pen or pencil
- Calendar
- Sale circulars - or looking them up online.
- Coupons if you have any.
1. Paper, pen or pencil
First you will want to take note of any food in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry that you could use for meals.
2. Calendar
Second you will want to take a look at the upcoming week on your calendar. Meal plan around what you and your family have going on. If there is a busy night, you may opt for something very quick to make for that evening. Remember that you want to try and avoid going through a fast-food restaurant or ordering a pizza. Those are extra expenses.
3. Sale circulars
Next, we want to see what is on sale at our local grocery stores. If you do not receive circular ads, there is the option of looking them up online.
4. Coupons
Last but not least, we want to see if we have any coupons to use. Coupled with seeing what is on sale can equal big savings. Do you receive coupons in the paper? In addition to paper coupons, don't forget to check and see if your store offers any digital coupons.
Money saving meal ideas
There are all kinds of meals that can be made that does not cost a lot of money. This is where meal planning really helps with making this happen. It allots time for us to think about what we would like to have for our meals. While working with the food we already have and what is on sale, we can put some of those meals together at a price that is reasonable.
Here are some money saving meal ideas for you.
- Are you looking for some pantry staple meal ideas? Please check out How to turn pantry staples into meals.
- Do you like pasta? Here is a pasta bake with hamburger recipe.
- Are you a fan of soup? You may want to try my easy and budget friendly homemade chicken noodle soup.
Conclusion
Whether you are new to meal planning or have been doing this for years, you can save time and money by implementing it. Furthermore, it can be so calming just to know that you do not have to come up with meals each and every day once you already have it done. Above all, take pride in planning for meals for you and your family. You are helping to ensure nutrition for all of you.
Thank you for reading Easy Meal Planning Saves Time and Money! What is your favorite meal planning tip? Please share them with us in the comments. Thank you!
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