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You may have heard of family meal planning or perhaps have been
wondering what the fuss is all about. Well, to put it simply family meal
planning means planning your family's meal to help you save time and
money.
But beyond saving time and money there are some other great reasons
for family meal planning. By planning your meals and doing your shopping ahead
of time, it's easier to make sure your family eats healthy and balanced meals.
It's too easy to reach for the phone and order a pizza when everyone's just
gotten home from soccer practice and your fridge is empty.
Here are Some Tips to Make Family Meal Planning
Easy:
First, look through your pantry and cupboards and make a mental note
of what you have. The see if there are any foods you can use to plan your
family's meals around. For example if you have pasta or rice then create a
couple of meals including those staples.
Then sit down and plan your week's menu. Write down each dinner and
remember to make allowances for days you don't have a lot of time or get home
late. If you know ahead of time Tuesdays are stressful then plan something
pretty simple to make for that day or even make double on Monday and save the
leftovers for Tuesday. You can vary the meal by changing one or two things
around.
Once you have your menu write a shopping list while checking your
pantry, cupboards and fridge again to make sure you're not buying something you
already have. Then add items you'll need for breakfast, lunch and snacks. You
may not necessarily plan these meals but just make sure you include enough of
the foods you usually need on your list.
Although going to the supermarket once a week is a good way to save
time and avoid overspending, it may not always be possible for all items. If you
buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables you may want to only include half a
week's worth of items on your list and make a second quick trip during the week
for the rest. Just stick to the produce isle to avoid temptations.
When planning your list think of meals that are both nutritious but
frugal. Casseroles, stews and pasta dishes can be quite inexpensive and also
easy to prepare. To save money, include one or two vegetarian meals a week. You
can make a nutritious meat-free chili or cheesy pasta bake. Tuna is another
great frugal food you can add to pasta or rice dishes.
When you're buying your vegetables plan your meals around them to
avoid wasting food. Say you buy a bag of carrots then try to include carrots in
several dinners or use them for snacks to avoid ending up with a fridge full of
expired produce at the end of the week.
Think ahead and use your freezer. If you're making something that
freezes well like spaghetti sauce, a stew or casserole make double and freeze
the second portion for those days where you just don't have any time to cook.
Finally, don't forget to stick your menu on your fridge or other prominent place and plan ahead every day. If you're making a crock pot stew you can cut the veggies the night before and add them to your crock pot in the morning. Leave your meat thawing in the fridge during the day and leave the items for the evening's dinner out so that you can easily start cooking once you get in.
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