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It’s the dreaded question we all fear.
What’s for dinner? What should we eat tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, forever????
AAHHHHHH!
Maybe that’s just how it feels in my house.
I decided one day that I was done with hearing that question so often it was time for a change. I decided to start meal planning and in doing so I have cut down the stress of figuring out dinners every night, the annoyance of running to the grocery store every other night and I have been able to see what money is being spent on groceries and saved on buying take out.
Unfortunately food prices keep going up and it doesn’t look like they are going down anytime soon. With groceries becoming a larger expense I am trying to find any way I can lower the grocery bill for our family of four.
My first step in trying to reduce our food cost has been meal planning.
What Meal Planning Can Do For You
Not only does meal planning allow you to eliminate the question of what’s for dinner, it pushes you to try new meals for your family, and they will be grateful!
Meal planning has many financial benefits over grabbing those quick take outs. Going out to eat costs at least $40, usually closer to $85 for four.
When we compare the costs of homemade meals versus restaurant or takeout options, homemade wins every time. The convenience of dining out or ordering takeout is always tempting, but with the expense adding up so quickly, it is clear that eating out is a bad choice in the long run.
Homemade meals prepared through meal planning allow for better control over ingredients and portion sizes, resulting in cost savings and healthier eating habits. A study conducted by the University of Washington found that meals made at home were significantly cheaper than dining out, with savings averaging around $16 per meal for a family of four. Additionally, the study revealed that homemade meals tended to be lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium compared to restaurant meals, contributing to improved overall health outcomes.
Meal planning allows you to leverage cost-effective ingredients, have leftovers for the next day, meaning a packed lunch for work which is more savings, and minimizes food waste, making the financial benefits even greater.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends over $3,000 annually on dining out, a significant portion of which could be saved through strategic meal planning. For our household I figured that number to be almost doubled.
Meal planning over time for a family that spends $50 per meal dining out three times a week could save over $7,000 annually by switching to homemade meals through meal planning. These savings could be going towards other financial goals, such as paying off debt, saving for a vacation, or investing for the future.
Any family looking to optimize their budgets and get control of this necessary expense wants to start meal planning. Haven’t started budgeting yet? Start here.
By prioritizing homemade meals and incorporating meal planning practices into your routine, there is bound to be significant savings while enjoying delicious, nutritious meals tailored to what your family likes.
Decision Making Reduced
Different sources say that the average adult makes 33,000 to 35,000 total decisions each day, including what we will eat, what we will wear, what we will say, and how we’ll say it.
Meal planning reduces the mental strain of daily dinner decisions and lunch when you eat the leftovers. The relentless cycle of deciding what to make for dinner each day can weigh heavily on families, contributing to decision fatigue and added stress. With meal planning, however, this burden is significantly reduced.
By dedicating time to plan meals ahead, you make meal preparation easier on yourself and eliminate the need for daily decision-making. This proactive approach allows for less fear of getting in the kitchen to cook. Since you already know what you’re making and have planned for that with your weekly grocery shop, I have it down to one big monthly shop for the dinners. Your ingredients are ready in the cabinet for you, recipes are chosen, and meal selections are organized in advance. This results in a sense of structure, relief and control.
Meal planning also offers numerous benefits for busy individuals and families. With a structured meal plan in place, busy schedules become more manageable, as there’s no need to scramble for dinner ideas or rush to the grocery store at the last minute. Instead, meals can be prepared in advance, reducing time spent in the kitchen during busy weekdays.
With all the activities of the week running from one thing to the next my crockpot has become my best friend. I put the ingredients in during the day before I rush off and come home to wonderful meals, it almost makes me feel like some is cooking for me.
Meal planning ensures that nutritious and balanced meals are consistently on the menu, encouraging the overall health and well-being for all members of the household.
Meal planning has given me such a feeling of accomplishment and organization. Not every meal is loved by the family but we continue to try new ones and we find some that we love and some that we decide aren’t for us.
As each month goes by we pick new recipes and my goal is to have 20-30 recipes for each month, we have some favorites that are a must repeat, but I try to repeat only twice within the month.
I know at first it seems overwhelming but just take it one recipe at a time. Start out with planning 7 days at a time, then the next 7 days until you reach meal planning for a whole month.
My Best Meal Planning Tips
- Take some time to research different types of recipes the month before and plan out some to try. Make sure to mix in some of the family favorites so that they are not overwhelmed with your new recipes.
- Try to choose recipes with ingredients you know your family will use again even if the recipe you chose doesn’t work out. That way you don’t waste your money on ingredients that you only use once.
- For our family there are 2-3 nights out of the week where spending 30 minutes to an hour in the kitchen is just not possible. I always use 2-3 recipes a week that are made in my Insta Pot.
- Save new recipes that require a little extra time to try for the weekends.
- Don’t get too fancy, some of the best recipes are the simplest.
- If possible always use the slow cook on lo, I always find whatever meat I’m cooking is juicier and more tasty.
- Don’t be afraid to change up the side dishes with your meal. Chicken Parm goes just as good with spaghetti as it does with rice or mashed potatoes.
The Effects of Meal Planning on Your Budget
Frequent trips to the grocery store not only consume time but also strain budgets with impulse purchases and increased transportation costs.
However, meal planning is a cure all to this inconvenience and overspending.
By mapping out meals in advance, you can significantly reduce that extra food that you might or might now use for a meal, saving both decision making energy and money.
Meal planning minimizes the need for last-minute grocery runs by ensuring that all necessary ingredients are accounted for ahead of time. This not only makes the shopping trip faster, because you know what you need but also stops the extra purchases, because you have a list that you can stick to.
To optimize grocery shopping efficiency and savings, consider buying in bulk for items with longer shelf lives or those used frequently in recipes.
Try to plan multiple meals using similar ingredients that can be used over and over again, minimizing the need for specialty items and reducing overall costs.
By adhering to a meal plan and adopting savvy shopping strategies, you can enjoy fewer trips to the grocery store, lower expenses, and greater convenience in their culinary endeavors.
It’s Not Just About the Money
Beyond the financial and convenience aspects, meal planning offers many other benefits that make it a smarter lifestyle choice. One notable advantage is the improvement in health outcomes associated with homemade meals and portion control.
By preparing meals at home, you have better control over ingredients, allowing you to make healthier choices and avoid the excessive fats, sugars, and sodium often found in restaurant or processed foods.
If you haven’t noticed portions at fast food places and restaurants have grown to almost double the size a normal person needs for 1 meal. Portion control you will be in control of with meal planning which will help with managing calorie intake and maintaining a healthy weight, leading to improved overall health and well-being.
As a side note, meal planning contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing food waste. With a carefully curated meal plan, you can make the best use of ingredient usage and minimize excess food purchases, reducing the amount of food that ends up in landfills. This not only conserves resources but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production and disposal, making meal planning an environmentally responsible choice.
One of the best things about meal planning is that you can tailor it to accommodate any specific dietary needs or preferences, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, or low-carb diets. By customizing meal plans to align with your dietary requirements, you can enjoy delicious and satisfying meals while keeping to your health goals.
I have a few recipes that call for extra sugar, oil or butter and I will reduce or even eliminate the ingredient and the meal still comes out great. You can experiment with those types of things the more comfortable you get with the recipes.
Getting Started Tools & Recipes
Starting out can be a little overwhelming, I’m here to help.
These are my two favorite tools that save me time and energy and help in making dinner so much easier:
Insta Pot: I love having the Insta Pot cook the food for me while I’m working or running around at kids activities. I found that in the Insta Pot the meat always comes out much more tender.
Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Chopper. My husband just bought this chopper for me and now I’m trying to figure out how I ever lived without it. I use it mostly for onions, vegetables and potatoes and it saves me a lot of time. Since the food collects in the bottom holder I can just dump it into the Insta pot or pan.
Hera are 6 recipes, 2 crockpot recipes for those busy nights.
Ziti
Carne Bif
Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo
Want all 6 recipes with ingredients, shopping lists, a master shopping list for all six, and monthly and weekly planner sheets, grab the Meal Plan A1-A6.
Just like one or two of the recipes choose the one you would like to try with it’s own shopping list here:
Leave me a comment and let me know how it went!