It may be difficult to think about adding one more task to the “to-do” list that requires any amount of time and planning, but here me out on this one, meal planning. When it comes to meal planning, not only can it save you time and money but also, it can support improvement in diet quality and variety for you and your family. Meal prepping does not have to daunting and time consuming. In fact, my first tip is, keep it simple. As you consider this approach, here are a few other suggestions to keep in mind:
Determine themes for nights of the week.
Having set themes incorporated into your meal plans helps alleviate planning for certain nights of the week and simplifies the thought that goes into what groceries will be needed for each of those nights. Some theme nights to consider include:
o Monday Salad Night
o Taco Tuesday (or any variation of Mexican)
o Wednesday Soup + Sandwich
o Thursday Leftover Night
o Friday Pizza Night
o Slow-Cooker Saturday
o Sunday Stir-Fry
Create a list of go-to recipes (written or electronic) that are family-approved and take 30 minutes or less to prepare.
Having a pre-determined list of family-approved recipes will help save time and energy in the planning process as well as possibly reduce the stress around prep, as the recipes are familiar.
Shop your pantry first and then make a grocery list.
Help yourself save time and money at the grocery store, as well as use up foods before they spoil.
Consider meal planning for two weeks at a time.
o Does not require sitting down weekly to meal plan
o Possibly allows less trips to the grocery store
Not every meal has to be a warm, home-cooked meal. Consider simple options such as leafy greens with rotisserie chicken and salad toppers (vegetables, dried fruit, nuts/seeds, dressing). This a minimal prep, versatile option that allows each family member to flavor their salad to their preference. If you have young kiddos who don’t prefer salad, the salad toppings could be served charcuterie style.
Keep the planning and execution simple and sustainable!