I did dl an app on my ipad but I am not sure if this is a good one. I am just sick of last minute trying to figure out what to do for dinner and then we just end up ordering out.....which I also want to STOP!!!! By doing this we will also be able to save money...another goal for this year!
To start we will probably do it weekly til we get our Costco membership, right now we are frequenting Aldi and Walmart for groceries! So thanks in advance for all the advice!!! :)
I've tried this a few times and just can't get into it lol...but good luck! I think it's a great idea---apparently I just am not motivated enough to make it work haha
ReplyDeleteIts all about being organized. I shop for the week since we eat a lot of fresh produce tgat i have to buy weekly. Typically sunday after church i sit down, talk over our week with DH, decide which nights we are cooking (between the two of us we may be out of the house for work, teaching or band) and what we are making. The other nights are "quick nights" or leftover nights. Then i get together my coupons, make a grocery list and go shopping after Sammy's gymboree class.
ReplyDeleteLiterally reading the title of this post in my blog reel made my heart pump a little faster. That is how much of a meal planning nerd I am.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I could tell you everything that I do with my husband to plan and shop and all that, but really, at the end of the day, you need the motivation to make this happen. It is work. It is time. But I think it's worth it!
I sit down with my husband, usually Sunday mornings and we talk about what we want to eat for the week. We try to change it up from the dinners we had the previous week. We write up a menu, put it on our chalkboard, and then I write down all the ingredients I will need (most of which we usually have already...I may need one or two items per meal at the store though) and then we go to the store and get it all.
We do this weekly. That way, I don't have to buy so much. It truly has saved us aggravation (uhhh whats for dinner tonight?) and money. There were days when I would take out meats from the freezer because I wanted to make something, and then I would just get lazy or forget, and the meat would be wasted. This menu keeps us on a schedule and makes me stick to it. Plus, wasted meat is wasted money. Or we would buy things that would just never get eaten. Idk, maybe it's just us. But, it has saved us so much money to plan. I love it. But you truly need the motivation. =)
Hope at least a small part of this helped you! lol
I love meal planning for the exact reasons you named. We were eating out too often bc I couldnt think of what to make and my grocery bill was always sky high bc I was disorganized when I went to the store!
ReplyDeleteI do my meal planning weekly. I plan for 7-8 meals. Pinterest has been a HUGE help in growing my recipe book. I also plan for one left over night. Usually my husband takes the leftovers for lunch though so planning for 8 meals instead of 8 ensures that we have enough dinner meals for the week. I will also buy one or two "easy" meals in case something comes up and I can't cook (you get sick for example. If you don't use those easy meals they can just stay in your freezer for down the road. Usually I will buy pizza, chicken fingers/french fries or lasagna.
Try to choose recipes that can use similar ingredients (seasonings for instance) so that you save on your grocery bill.
When I first started I chose what meals would be made on what days and it stressed me out because I would wake up and say I don't want that today. Now, I just make a list of the meals I have planned/shopped for and then that morning I decide what I want to cook for the day. If you have a crock pot its a great tool to use too!
Hope this helps!
Kate @ www.raisingtherogers.blogspot.com
Can't wait to read all these responses... I'm trying to do better at this too in an effort to eat more healthy and save money!
ReplyDeleteI use Pinterest a lot to look for new meals and plan out a shopping list. I'll also buy things when they're on sale... like last week boneless skinless chicken was on sale so I stocked up and planned meals around that.
I absolutely love meal planning and it will save your sanity if you really get into it! And it's definitely not that difficult :)
ReplyDeleteHubs and I take 10 minutes either on Saturday or Sunday each week to jot down {iPhone note} what meals we want each night that week. Sometimes I'll browse my Pinterest or recent blog bookmarks to get ideas.
Since I'm the cook in our house, I then glance through the pantry/fridge/freezer to see what ingredients I already have for each meal, and then write down what I need to buy. And we do buy weekly, because over half of our grocery budget goes to fresh produce! {Health first, always :)}
I keep our meal list in the kitchen somewhere so I know exactly what to lay out right when I get home from work, or if I need to thaw anything the night before, etc. Then it's easy peasy to start cooking right away! We might slack off one night and eat out, if it's been a long day or something just sounds better, but overall this easy meal planning has saved us TONS of money and many headaches :)
I love to talk about this, so email me anytime!
Good luck!
I don't do the whole coupon thing, but a list is my best friend. If you see a recipe write down the ingredients and by the end of a week you will have recipes for the next weeks meals.
ReplyDeleteWe try to plan out 2 weeks at a time. We aren't always perfect- so don't beat yourself up if things don't go according to the plan! Life happens, stuff comes up etc.
ReplyDeleteyeah. I shouldn't be commenting because i am the worst wife at this meal thing!! but i am excited that you are starting to plan meals. i'll be watching for ideas!!
ReplyDeletethe best thing i do is shop a couple times a week. then i don't get overwhelmed with trying to think of a whole month and that way our food also doe not go bad!
i am a new follower and i am excited to be here! www.bethjoyridings.blogspot.com
I need to do meal planning!!! I love Costco! You will love it!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely need a Costco membership. I do a big Costco trip once a month and a regular grocery trip once a month. I pick up fresh items as needed.
ReplyDeleteI would start by sitting down and making a list of all of your favorite meals. Every month, add in 1-2 new recipes. When you shop at Costco, purchase meat in bulk along with a side item such as potatoes, pasta, or rice, then plan meals around what you bought.