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If meal planning feels utterly overwhelming, you are not alone!  We often avoid or put off doing what feels like an uphill battle that can’t be won.  BUT, don’t accept defeat. These simple meal planning strategies will help you get organized, save time and feed your family well.

But first, you must believe that you can get better at this.  There is a simple meal planning system that will work for you 75% of the time. And second, it’s time to get curious. Be willing to commit to a strategy for several weeks to see how it works for you and before you give up on that one.

Let’s get to it…

01. Set Aside 5 Minutes

No more wasted time pondering the question, ‘What’s for dinner?’  My 5-Minute Healthy Meal Plan Guide walks you through the right questions to ask yourself to help you make choices quickly and efficiently.   

Paper meal planning is probably one of the most common strategies and it is easy, convenient, free and accessible.  Grab and pen and notepad OR print off my easy guide so that you can get started today!

 

02. Embrace Technology… If You Want To

There’s an app for that- it’s a guarantee.  If you want to use your phone, tablet or PC to create and manage your meal plan, there is a program that will do all that… and probably MORE.  

First, figure out exactly what you want help with…

• Sharing recipe ideas?
• Telling you what to eat?
• Creating a grocery list?
• Saving money on meals?
• Sending you pre-prepped ingredients?
• Helping you work around food allergies?

Know exactly what you want a program to do for you before you choose one to make sure you are selecting an option that will help you with your obstacles.  Costs will vary. Some apps are only a few dollars a month. But many meal kit delivery services range from $10-15 per meal.

Here are a few I have reviewed:

• Plate Joy
• Hello Fresh
• Sun Basket

Sun Basket- Falafel Pita Pockets with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

03. Create a Master Meal List

Do you eat the same foods over and over?  We were in that club many years ago and it was creating a lot of resentment.  My husband highly disliked most fruits and vegetables making it very difficult to find new recipes he would eat. It felt like we ate the same 5ish meals each and every week… Again and again…

Once my pity party ended, I decided to take action and create a Master Meal List.  After brainstorming every meal we both liked and writing them down on a small legal pad, I discovered we had a list of about 20 different meals (nearly 3 weeks of different recipes!).  

While I had felt stuck, I wasn’t actually stuck- at least, not if I didn’t want to be.  Creating a master meal list expanded our weekly options to create more variety without any new recipes.

04. Don’t Try Too Many New Recipes

New recipes are unfamiliar therefore they always take more time.  Even the ‘quick’ ones will take longer because you have never gone through the process before and will need to recheck the recipe several times.  New recipes are a great way to prevent boredom and increase variety, but if you plan too many or plan them on crazy days, they will only feel overwhelming.

Here are 4 tips for including new recipes into your meal plan:

1. Don’t attempt more than 1 new recipe per week.
2. Look for easy recipes that don’t require new skills.
3. Avoid recipes with more than 1 unfamiliar ingredient.
4. Look for quick recipes.

05. Amp Up the Nutrition in the Meals You Already Know How to Make

The easiest recipes are the ones you already know how to make and even better, the ones you have memorized.  These are stuck in your muscle memory which can help you get them on the table faster and more efficiently. Before endeavoring to add lots of new recipes to your meal plan, begin by amping up the nutrition in the ones you know.

Ideas…

Add spinach or greens into sauces like tomato sauce, alfredo sauce, mac’n’cheese

Add purees (cauliflower, butternut squash) into casseroles, sauces, and pasta dishes

Add roasted veggies to wraps, pasta salad, egg dishes (quiche, scrambled eggs, omelets, frittatas)

Replace half of the pasta with spiralized veggies or black bean/lentil noodles

Replace half of all of the refined pasta, rice, grain, bread with sprouted grains, whole grains or legumes

Consider using healthier fats in the recipe like avocado, olive oil, nut butter or coconut oil

Zucchini Noodles with Lentil Marinara Sauce

06. Determine Your Plan ‘B’

Plan for your crazy days by having a go-to ‘Plan B’.  This is an easy pick-up or easy prep meal that requires virtually no extra decision making and you can get on the dinner table in less than 20 minutes start to finish.  

‘Plan B’ Ideas

• Rotisserie chicken, bag of salad, microwavable potatoes
• Quick Stir Fry with 1 bag each of stir fry vegetables, brown rice, edamame + a few tablespoons peanut/almond butter and low sodium soy sauce to stir in at the end (a few teaspoons of sesame oil takes this meal up a notch!)
• Pre-formed Veggie, chicken or turkey burgers on whole grain bun with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers

07. Save Time By Ordering Groceries Online

If time is never on your side, don’t give it away battling crowds and long lines at the grocery store.  Take advantage of one of the many options to order groceries for pickup or delivery to your home. This is 1 service you MUST check out.  And once you try it, you will join me and every other mom out there who says, “I don’t think I can ever go back.” Check out my Walmart Free Grocery Pickup Review.      

08. Eat Seasonally to Save Money, Improve Variety

Produce in season is usually 50% less!  This budget-friendly way of living allows you to enjoy what is fresh all year long without paying premiums on certain items.  You can find out exactly what is in season in your area along with some tips on how to buy the best quality.  

09. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

There is no competition for who has the most complicated or Pinterest-worthy meal plan.  The best meal plan is the one that has meals you want to eat and can make within your life schedule.  Don’t plan to fail. PLAN TO SUCCEED.

10. Post the Meal Plan Each Week & Commit

Meal plans that we don’t follow are a waste of time.  Put your meal plan in a visible place in your kitchen and glance at it each day.  Make a note if you need to remove something from the freezer the night before or can chop an extra onion for a future meal.  Direct family members to the meal plan when they ask what is for dinner or if they can help.

Don’t let meal planning stress you out.  Believe that it can actually reduce stress, save time and help you manage your food budget.

Done is better than perfect- ALWAYS!