A Step-by-Step Menu Planning Guide for Savvy Savers
Transform your meal prep with our Step-by-Step Menu Planning Guide for Savvy Savers! Discover practical tips and strategies to create delicious, budget-friendly meal plans that save you time and money. Learn how to shop smart, reduce food waste, and elevate your dining experience without breaking the bank!
A Step-by-Step Menu Planning Guide for Savvy Savers
Meal prepping and menu planning are one way to keep your family’s food budget in check. Not only is it cost-effective, but it can also be a huge timesaver.
When you have a weekly menu, some pretty amazing things happen. The dinner-time stress that hits us like clockwork no longer occurs. You don’t freak out when your kids ask what’s for dinner, you now will officially know.
Funny how a simple meal plan can change life for the better. No more panic-stricken moments about feeding the family, no more rushing home to cook up something delicious, no more last-minute dinner outs.
I’ve been there more times than my strained budget cares to admit.
Key Takeaways
Choosing a meal plan (and sticking with it) guarantees you will have the ingredients on hand when you need them.
- Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to plan. If you start with one menu planning system and, after a few week,s you will find that it is not going to work, then try something else.
- Learning How To Menu Plan is much easier than you think. All you need is a great start and resources to help you on your way.
- Remember, be flexible- If you completed your weekly menu and realize you only made it to Tuesday, and want something different.
- If you find that your current menu planning is stressing you out, take a step back and create a system that makes your life easier.
If you feel like you are not sure how much you should be spending on groceries, this article will cover the average family’s cost per week. Then you can get a rough idea about your grocery budget.
Step #1- Decide on a system
First, you need to decide on a plan of action and how it will work for your family. Consistency is the key. As you continue to use this process, it will become second nature.
Here are a few key points when deciding on a system that works for your family:
- How often do you want to shop for food?
- Are you using sale items- coupons, weekly flyers, sales?
- Are you planning a menu for 1 week, 2 weeks, or a month?
Step #2- Look At Your Schedule
A functional meal plan should always reflect your schedule. The whole point of a menu plan is to make your life easier, not harder.
Therefore, if you know a specific day of the week will be busier than others, then plan for those days. On those busy days, plan simple recipes, a slow cooker meal, or have a “leftover night”.
Step #3- Write It Out
Now, I know this seems like common sense, but making a list is worth mentioning ( I almost did not add this to the menu plan list). Simply writing “beef Cabbage stir fry” on a sheet of paper might not trigger you to remember the cabbage, or heck, even the beef when shopping.
You will need to find, make, or create a planner. Don’t over-complicate the menu planning process. There is no need for impressive color-coded charts, DIY menu boards, binders, and a million other cute accessories.
By all means, if that’s your thing, then go for it! A simple sticky note on the refrigerator will do the trick.
MENU PLANNING PRINTABLES
Download Your FREE Menu Planning Printables below
Step #4 – Get CREATIVE
Now that you have gotten the hang of menu planning, you may want to spice it up a little (no pun intended). If you are having problems coming up with ideas, you will want to 7 Easy Weekly Meal Planning Ideas That Work.
Here is how to be a creative menu planner:
– Do a leftover make overnight – Take the pork chops you made on Monday and turn it into pork fried rice on Wednesday. Had spaghetti and meatballs on Tuesday? Make meatball subs on Friday.
– Create themed meals- Meatless Mondays, Tofu Tuesdays, Fun Fridays, Rock out with your crock out Saturdays, Spicy Sunday….. (still looking for a Wednesday theme! If you know of a good one, be sure to leave a comment). You can even just theme the night as an Italian night.
–Cook 1 new meal a week– Looking for a new taste? This is one of the best CREATIVE tips, and I believe it would be beneficial if you feel you are in a cooking rut. I always find inspiration when I search on Pinterest. Dust off an old cookbook and look inside.
Other Meal Preparation Tips
How Much Should I Be Spending On Groceries
Meal Planning 101 – Helping You Save More Money
Must-Have Money Savings Smart Phone Apps
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Love this! I try to repurpose ingredients when I design my menu to keep my shopping list short (and my food costs down).