Meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking are my least favorite chores. I’d rather clean the bathrooms or scrub grout with a toothbrush. But we have to eat, ordering meal replacement drinks or hiring a full-time cook aren’t options for us, so back to meal planning.
When my kids were little we got paid twice a month so I learned to do our meal planning and grocery shopping for two weeks at a time. Now I do the planning for a month at a time because we get paid once a month.
1. Blank slate. I start planning with a blank calendar page, one I print from my computer, purchase or get free from a local business. I mark off the days I don’t have to cook because we have activities or it’s the night I work late. I also make note of special occasions or nights we need to have something quick and easy.
2. Plug in the meals. I keep track of our meal on a Trello board, a paper or computer list, or index cards also work for this. I find it easier to keep a list rather than try to remember the meals we like. I also try to incorporate a couple new recipes each month.
3. Make a list, check it twice. On the calendar squares I write what ingredients I need for each meal. Then I transfer the ingredients to a master shopping list. Having the ingredients listed on the calendar make it easy to quickly pull out what I need. Because I do my big grocery shopping once a month I also use the calendar as a reference for the fresh items I need for upcoming meal. If you want to shop weekly, you can still plan the menu for the month, then create the grocery list each week.
4. Shop the pantry first. After the master list is made, I check what I have on hand and cross those items off the list or reduce the number I need to buy. Then I add snacks, things we are running low on and non food items.
A few last tips…
- Make notes on the menu, use less lemon juice, big hit, or Nope!
- Keep the calendars for reference
- Keep season meals seasonal, heavy soups and chilis for cooler weather, and lighter meals for warmer weather
- Leave room for fun, breakfast for lunch, chili dogs, make your own pizza night
Happy meal planning!
lipstick very often because it wears off and don’t like to continually reapply. These stay on! The one time I wore it to work my co-workers thought I was wearing the more expensive direct sales brand. Nope! Under $10 at the drug store or discount department store. Initially it goes on a little sticky but that feeling goes away once it dries. The colors are more intense on your lips than they look in the tube and I’d recommend getting the remover because it stays on.
Pilot Frixion Highlighters. I like these highlighters for my planner because the colors are subtle compared to traditional highlighters and they don’t bleed through thinner papers. They are erasable and it works but it does leave thinner pages a little wrinkled. The set of 5 were under $8 at the office supply store.
Simple Modern Cruiser Cup. The cruiser cup holds a 16.9 oz water bottle perfectly. The lid has a snap closure that seals well to prevent leaking. I like the of this thermal cup better than some other styles I’ve tried because it’s slimmer and lighter. I feel like I can better hold it in one hand. I ordered this one from Amazon for $18, it’s available in a varity of colors.
From the Bottom of My Coffee Cup 