Now is a good time to grab some paper and scribble out some draft ideas. If you have a big meal the night before and plan for leftovers the next day then you can cook a bigger quantity and put some aside. It’s a bit like Christmas day when you use the leftover turkey to make a pie or sandwiches on Boxing day. So many people like to factor in leftovers when they meal plan and this can be a great idea for saving you money and time. That way you won’t have to buy food for those nights and can spend the money you save on your dining out options. In saying that, remember to factor in take out meals too or dining out options. Having a ‘genre’ of food definitely helps take away some of the guesswork and allows for you to have your favorite take away meal but home-cooked. This takes away some of the hassles of trying to figure out what meal to have from scratch. That way you know that every week you will be having Mexican food on one night that week, all you need to decide on is what. If your family loves Mexican food then plan to have it once a week on a Thursday. Having themed meal nights is a great way of having a sort of meal routine. Have themed meal nights – Mexican, Chinese, Indian.You won’t waste money on food they definitely won’t eat, and you won’t waste the food either. Getting your household involved can also help with cost and waste. Other kids just want chocolate as a main meal – I’m not pointing fingers at my three-year-old daughter! Some kids love getting involved in choosing their meals and this helps them when it comes to them actually eating it. If you have a family, partner or kids then it is important to get them involved too seeing as they are also going to eat whatever you cook. Why not sit down with the laptop or a few of your favorite cookbooks and start to get an idea of what you would like to try going forward. Maybe because it looks like more work, or I worry about how much it’s going to cost as the ingredients stack up. When I see a recipe with a ton of ingredients it puts me off. I’ve always been creative in the kitchen but I like to limit my meals to just a few ingredients. I’m always looking to get them involved in trying new foods but always have a safe option as back up. I love looking online to see new meals we can try, especially since I have children. At this stage, I’m not limited to anything and I don’t rule anything out. One of my favorite parts of meal planning is this stage. This is where you get to sit and actually think about what you want to eat rather than cooking on a whim or hitting the closest fast-food chain. Look at meal planning as a fun thing to do. This will help when you plan your meals as you can plan it so the more perishable items are used at the start of the week. I’d also write the best before date of the fridge items if they are going to start to expire in the next couple of days. Go through each ingredient and write them down so you have them at hand when it comes to planning your meals. Check your cupboards, fridge and freezer and incorporate those ingredients into a meal you could have. I think the first thing to do when it comes to meal planning is to check what you already have and utilizing it. Let’s take a look at some meal planning tips to get this journey started! Meal Planning Tips Thinking about what you want to eat gives you the opportunity to try new things, saves you money at the supermarket, and allows you to fit in those sneaky take-out meals you like every now and then. Meal planning isn’t hard either! Sure you need to sit down and do some thinking and planning things out but it can actually be fun! Meal planning can help save you a ton of time without taking a ton of time to do. I was one of them and really, I feel so silly for putting it off for so long, especially when I was so busy. Many people are put off by the idea of meal planning because they think it takes too much time and they don’t know where to start. Today we are taking a look at meal planning but more importantly meal planners! You don’t even have to draw up one yourself when we have 15 incredible options for you right here.Īll of these meal planners are designed differently to give you options to suit your style and needs but they all have one thing in common – they are great for helping you prepare your weekly meals easily.

So let us help you put a stop to those spontaneous trips to the golden arches, no more grabbing unhealthy snacks to munch in the queue of the supermarket because you went shopping whilst you were starving – we all know that’s a no-no! If you’re here, it’s either because you’re looking for a printable meal planner, or because you’re ready to make a change when it comes to being organized at meal times.

Free weekly meal planner printable