Simple meal planning strategies to help you save money are strategies I have been adopting since I became a wife. Hubby and I went from two incomes household to a single income household and it was tough because we had to be strategic not to let the circumstances take away our love for healthy cooking and eating. It took some getting used to our new norm but with a plan in action, we realize how necessary simple meal planning strategies helped us save money in the long run.
Simple meal planning strategies to help you save money start with knowing your budget for groceries and to be honest with what you are willing to spend because wandering the grocery store every week and picking up every item that appeals to your senses will cost you. It’s important to take into consideration how often you are willing to cook each week and plan with a balanced diet in mind. I have come to terms with cooking 4 times a week because our family has embraced how much better a meal tastes the second day around and also cut down on food waste or even make allowances for days when I am just too tired to use any appliance but the microwave.
Armed with your realistic budget in hand, the next step for simple meal planning strategies to help you save money is to gather a few things to get started with meal plan: a pen, a to do list pad, the weekly sale flyer from your local grocery store (usually available in the Sunday newspaper or online), coupons (clipped or online) and your favorite cookbooks or recipes. I also have a weekly menu template with a grid with columns for the days of the week and enough rows for the meals I need to plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner along with snacks because this mama can’t function hangry.
You are now ready to start your simple meal planning strategies to help you save money. As a family, think about meals you eat often and everyone enjoys. These will be the core meals that usually populate your meal plan. Then choose one or two nights a week when you have more time to experiment with new recipes and add any favorite new recipes to your list of core meals.
Another way that has helped me over the years has been to use one ingredient for several meals. This method definitely saves cooking time and helps cut food waste. You can also choose another night or two for different types of meals. Friday is our fry-day or fast food day and it offers so many alternatives for easy meals because what child doesn’t like a mouthwatering burger. Mondays can be hectic for our family so my go to meal is usually an easy salad recipe or a favorite Ivorian recipe. I encourage to come up with what works with your family and use the format as a helpful guide for planning without stifling your home life style.
Once you have decided on a method to make meal planning easier, it’s time to plan the specific meals for the coming week. Start with the first meal, noting where you found the recipe, so you don’t have to search through cookbooks or hunt the Internet for it when it’s time to cook. On the notepad, list the ingredients you need from the store for the meal, leaving off what’s already in the fridge or pantry. This is your grocery list. Repeat until you’ve planned every meal. I divide the list into the various grocery stores I visit weekly then post the menu on the refrigerator so everyone knows. Now you are ready to go shopping.
Cooking at home and gathering around the table with family or friends provides countless benefits, and it doesn’t have to be stressful. With a good meal-planning system, it may even become everyone’s favorite part of the day. What’s your favorite simple meal planning strategies to help you save money? Let me know by submitting a comment below and here’s to smart WELLthy living together!
This post is so great! I hope your girls had a fun time. Hopefully I can do it to.