Save Time and Money by Meal Planning

Mar 7, 2011 | Blog

I know I have talked about this before…probably too many times, but I cannot stress enough how much this has made making dinner easier…and more cost effective.  Organizing your weekly meals will save you hours of time this month and save you money by eliminating spoiled, freezer burnt and wasted food.

Pick one day a week, I choose Sunday, and go through your freezer, fridge and cupboards. Using the food you have as a base, plan healthy and delicious meals for your family and make sure to write down any ingredients you need to buy to complete  the meal.

Yesterday, Joe got involved in the meal planning and it made it a million times better.  He had great ideas and, while working together, we were able to get creative and plan meals that the entire family will love.

So make a meal plan today and involve your entire family! Have pork in the freezer? Ask your kids for ideas on what to make with it. Ask them to search for recipes they would like to try in cookbooks or online. Meal planning as a family will make eating the meal as a family much more enjoyable.

Remember, like any new habit, meal planning takes a few weeks to become a routine. I struggled at first to stick to the menu and even to remember to do it! It has been about a month now and it is becoming just a regular part of my week…and one that has endless benefits!

Here are a few templates you may want to try to see which kind works best for your family:

Weekly-Menu-Planner

MENU AND GROCERY LIST

notebook_food_menu_planner_monthly

Happy Organizing!  Here is my monthly  march organizing calendar