How To Meal Plan on a Budget
Do you stress about what to cook for dinner every night or the ridiculous cost of groceries? Keep reading to find out how to make meal time quick, simple, and affordable.
Finding time to plan and prepare meals for your family can be challenging between this kid’s practice, that kid’s game, appointments, homework, laundry, and all the things that make up our busy day to day schedules.
I’ve been there! I found myself picking up fast food more often than not and spending too much money on unhealthy, convenient foods, until I learned the secrets of successful meal planning that helped to take the stress out of meal time.
In this blog post, I’m sharing 3 secrets on how to implement a meal plan that you’ll be able to stick to. I’ll be covering:
How to meal plan around your schedule
How to save money with meal planning
How to save time with meal planning
You can plan the most amazing meals for the week, but if you’ve planned to cook a full course meal on Tuesday night when little Susie has a soccer game, chances are you will get to Tuesday and think to yourself, “It’s already late and I’m tired. I’m just going to grab burgers on the way home instead.” Now you’ve spent the money on the groceries and the fast food. The fresh produce you planned to use for that meal on Tuesday is rotting in the back of your refrigerator by the time you have a free night with the time to use it. Now you’re running back to the grocery store to grab something quick. It’s a never ending cycle of buy groceries, grab fast food, waste food, buy groceries again, and so on. So let’s discover how to break that cycle!
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Secret #1
Take a look at your schedule for the upcoming week and consider quick or crockpot meals on the busy nights when you have less time to cook.
If you have obligations on Monday night and you get off work at 5:00 on Monday, try one of these options:
Cook enough on Sunday to have leftovers Monday night. All you have to do is reheat!
Use part of Sunday’s meal to make a grab-and-go meal for Monday. (example: Use leftover chicken from Sunday night and make chicken bacon ranch wraps. Store them in a container that you can grab Monday on your way to the ballgame!)
Start dinner in the crockpot Monday morning before leaving for work. It will be ready when you get home so you can eat quickly and get to that practice on time!
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Secret #2
It’s definitely no secret that the price of food has skyrocketed. Making delicious meals for your family doesn’t have to be expensive. Try these tips before making your grocery list to keep the cost down.
Look at what’s on sale and plan meals around those items. Consider seasonal fruits and veggies, as they tend to be fresher and less expensive.
Look at what’s already in your pantry/refrigerator/freezer and plan meals using those ingredients you already have.
Utilize Leftovers. Plan meals that use similar ingredients to minimize waste and make the most of leftovers. For example, roast extra vegetables to use in salads or wraps the next day. Good food storage containers are a must for your leftovers. These are some of my favorites. https://amzn.to/49uXj0t
Secret #3
Money isn’t the only barrier to successfully preparing daily meals. I know that time is a precious commodity so let’s make the most of it!
Use that crockpot! (This is a lifesaver for me!) Crockpot meals are not only easy and convenient, they are delicious! (Extra tip: I do not cook a single thing in my crockpot without using these crockpot liners. They make cleanup so quick and easy!) https://amzn.to/4bLkTIz
Utilize Leftovers. This is not just a money saver, but also a huge time saver! If you are having tacos on Tuesday night, consider cooking extra meat to make a big pot of taco soup later in the week.
Freezer meals. Preparing meals ahead of time that can be frozen and then just popped into the oven is a great way to save time during the week.
It will take some time and some adjustments to get the perfect meal plan tailored to your family’s needs. We each have different schedules, preferences, and needs, so keep in mind that what works well for one person may not work well for you. Make sure to consider any dietary restrictions or allergies within your family. It’s also a good idea to take note of everyone's food preferences and dislikes. For instance, one of my children is a very picky eater and my husband has a strong dislike for onions. I make sure and pick recipes that everyone can enjoy. There are a few easy meals that my family love that I cycle through my meal plan often. Check out my favorite, go-to meals & recipes here.
Discovering the simplicity of crafting a weekly meal plan not only saves me valuable time and money but also affords me the opportunity to cherish moments with my family, alleviating the stress associated with mealtime.
So if you are feeling worn out from the constant battle of mealtime decisions, go ahead and take the plunge with my weekly meal plan guide and embrace newfound kitchen freedom by following these invaluable tips! If you are ready to go all in with restructuring your daily life to make the most of your time and your money, then check out the Calm the Chaos Bundle.
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