Meal planning is a great strategy to save money and reduce food waste. By taking a little time to plan your meals each week, you can streamline your grocery shopping, ensure you use what you buy, and avoid those last-minute takeout orders. In this post, I'll share practical tips and examples to help you get started with meal planning and make the most of your grocery budget.
Meal planning involves deciding in advance what you'll eat for each meal and creating a shopping list based on those plans. It helps you buy only what you need, use ingredients efficiently, and avoid food waste. Here’s how you can get started with meal planning and some tips to make it work for you.
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Create a Weekly Meal Schedule
Planning your meals for the week helps you stay organized and reduces the temptation to eat out.
On Sundays, I sit down and plan out my meals for the week, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This way, I know exactly what I need to buy and can avoid unnecessary purchases.
Creating a weekly meal schedule helps you stay organized, which saves you time, and reduces the temptation to eat out, which saves you money.
Make a Detailed Shopping List
A detailed shopping list based on your meal plan ensures you only buy what you need.
If I plan to make chicken stir-fry on Tuesday, I’ll list chicken, bell peppers, onions, and soy sauce. This helps me stay focused and prevents me from buying random items that might go to waste.
I like to try to plan meals that use low-cost foods, such as canned meats, frozen vegetables, and potatoes in order to get the most value for my money!
Use Ingredients Efficiently
Plan meals that use similar ingredients to minimize waste and save money.
If I’m using spinach in a salad for Monday’s lunch, I’ll also include it in a smoothie or a dinner recipe later in the week. This way, I use up all the spinach before it goes bad.
Prepare Ingredients Ahead of Time
Prepping ingredients in advance can make cooking during the week quicker and easier.
I chop vegetables and marinate meats on the weekend, so when it’s time to cook during the week, everything is ready to go. This saves time and makes it more likely that I’ll stick to my meal plan.
Batch Cook and Freeze Meals
Cooking in batches and freezing meals can save time and money.
I make a big pot of chili or a large casserole and portion it out into individual servings to freeze. These are perfect for busy nights when I don’t have time to cook from scratch.
Plan for Leftovers
Incorporate leftovers into your meal plan to reduce waste and save money.
If I make a roast chicken on Sunday, I plan to use the leftovers for sandwiches on Monday and a soup on Tuesday. This way, nothing goes to waste, and I get multiple meals from one main dish.
Top Tip
Plan meals that use similar ingredients to minimize waste and save money. This ensures you use up all your groceries efficiently.
Be Flexible
While it’s great to have a plan, it’s also important to be flexible and adjust as needed.
If I see that certain produce is on sale or find a great deal at the store, I’m open to changing my meal plan to take advantage of those savings.
Keep a Running List of Go-To Meals
Having a list of favorite meals can make meal planning quicker and easier.
I keep a list of family favorites and easy recipes that I can rotate through. This saves time when planning and ensures we always have meals we enjoy.
More Ways To Save...
Here are more great tips and ideas to help you keep your grocery budget under control!
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Happy saving!
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