How often have you picked up the kids in the evening and let them talk you into the local drive through or take away because it was easier than going home and trying to figure out what to cook for dinner?
If this ever happens to you, even occasionally, you are not alone!
We live in what seem to be frantic times and there’s always something else that needs your attention.
But there is a solution to the last-minute fast-food decision. It’s not rocket science and you’ve most likely heard of it before but it’s called meal planning and for a lot of people IT WORKS!
Now I know not everyone is ultra-organised but there are some great reasons to plan your meals in advance instead of just standing in front of an open fridge or freezer wondering what you can throw together.
First, meal planning helps you save money. It’s much cheaper to eat grocery bought food than fast food.
You also get to eat real food not processed rubbish! Do ya think your body might like that a bit more? You bet it does!
When you fill the pantry with real food snacks and meals you and your whole family reap the benefits.
These include: eating fewer chemical additives (which adversely affect us in so many ways); eating more vitamins and minerals (which not only builds your immune system and helps you fight germs and illness, but also helps your children’s bones and organs grow well); feeling healthier; BEING healthier; and being less likely to gain weight.
You’ll waste less food when you plan exactly how you’re going to use it all too. This isn’t just the main meals; it also includes leftovers and snacks. This is the best way to avoid finding unexpected science experiments in the back of the fridge!
If you’ve ever wondered, “What are we going to eat for dinner tonight?” at 4 pm or even at 7 pm, you’ll realise how much unnecessary stress you’re putting on yourself.
It takes up a lot of mental energy to try to think on the fly especially if you’ve already had to make a lot of decisions that day. It’s a lot less stressful if you already have the meals planned in advance and know exactly what you’re going to serve each night.
Planning in advance also saves a lot of time, as well as stress. And it gives you a chance to make sure there is plenty of variety in the foods you serve and provide throughout the day (if that’s what you’re after). Personally I like to eat the same or similar foods most days.
This makes shopping and meal prep easier because it’s always the same. Some people love variety so use what works best for you.
OK, so those are all the compelling reasons to plan your meals. How do you actually do it? Here are some steps you can take right away:
- Start with a weekly template for the types of meals you’ll make. For instance, each week you can do 1 stir-fry, 1 salad, 1 slow cooker meal, 1 soup, 1 seafood meal, 1 Mexican, and 1 grilled. Or something like that, that your family will eat. That helps you narrow down your choices.
- Plan your recipes in advance, one day a week. Look through your pantry and fridge to see what you already have (and what will last for a few more days) and what you need to buy. Make a comprehensive shopping list.
- Organise your list by aisle, if you are very familiar with that store. It saves a lot of time wandering around looking for just the right ingredient. Or shop online for delivery or Click and Collect. This might be enough time saved to get in an extra workout!
- Plan recipes around seasonal veggies and fruit because it will be cheaper at the store, fresher and less expensive than the rest of the year.
- Build up a go-to resource of around 20 family-favourite recipes. Use at least 4 of them each week, rotating so you don’t use each one more than once every few weeks and add in a couple of new recipes the other days. Typically weekends are easier to try new things because theres more time available for planning and cooking.
- Get your kids to find recipes online that they’d like to try, and encourage them to help you in the kitchen, in an age-appropriate way.
- Plan to eat leftovers for lunch or dinner. This means making a little (or a lot) more when you first cook the meal. So simple yet so effective.
- Make some meals ahead, say, on the weekend, with a double recipe.
- If you know you or someone else in your family will be taking leftovers to school or work, after making more than you need for dinner, pack leftovers in portion-sized containers and put them in the freezer.
- Change up the spices you use to change up the flavour of something. For instance, instead of curry, try cumin and other Mexican-style flavours.
I hope this has given you at least a few great ideas you can try that will make meal planning easier, cheaper, and healthier for you and your family.
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