In
anything you want to be successful at, it begins with a plan, and that couldn’t
be truer or more helpful when it comes to what we eat. I like to plan my meals by first taking inventory
of what I already have on hand. Using up
first what we have on hand not only saves us money, but it also curbs potential
food waste.
My next
part is to plan my meals expecting leftovers so I can cook once and eat twice
so plan your meals with this in mind.
Leftovers allows for convenience so you are less likely to be tempted to
order take out or run through the drive thru window on the way home because you
are too tired to even think about cooking when you get home.
Meal
prepping is also a key to meal planning success, either by preparing entire
meals or components for making meals and placing them in the freezer. I will often take a block of time and prepare
several meals and tuck them away in the freezer so anyone can grab one and
reheat it in the microwave. Homemade soups
or chili is another great item to keep in the freezer.
Making
a list of favorite meals or meals you would like to be eating allows you to
have ideas at your fingertips. As a
budget stretcher I include a soup, salad and bread meal at least once a week
which makes for a quick and easy meal to prepare as well. Brainstorming with your family for ideas of
which meals they would like to see on the table takes a lot of the pressure off
of you to come up with all of the ideas yourself.
Once
you have taken an inventory of what you already have on hand and your list of
good ideas for meal it is now time to come up with a plan. Map out what you plan to prepare for the week
and make a list of ingredients you still need to buy at the store. Once that is done, check the store ads
online, download any digital coupons that may apply and you are ready to shop. Keep in mind as your are planning that you
are using REAL food in your plan and
steer clear of any overpriced and unhealthy ultra processed items.
Consider
making a batch of muffins or scones from scratch instead of buying cereal to
serve for breakfast. Zucchini bread, banana bread or apple walnut bread made with a combination of all purpose and whole wheat
flour plus dried fruit and nuts is a much better option than a sugar laden cereal
and much less expensive too. Leftovers
are great options for lunches. If you have
children you can make your own “lunchables” with sliced chicken or ham, sliced
cheese, grapes and a homemade oatmeal cookie.
There are many ways to tailor your meal plans to meet your needs and save you money. We’ll be exploring more ideas in the coming weeks.
