The thought of meal planning for busy moms might seem really overwhelming. Don’t worry though, you’re in the right place!
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If you’re like most moms, you probably don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. That’s why it’s important to have a plan for your meals.
These meal planning tips for busy moms will help you make the most of your time in the kitchen. With a little bit of planning, you can have delicious and nutritious meals on the table every night. So get started with these tips today!
So What Exactly Is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is the process of deciding what to eat, making sure you have the necessary ingredients on hand, and then preparing the food. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.
As a busy mom, I like to keep meal planning as simple as possible. Meal planning can be done on a weekly, bi-monthly, or even monthly basis depending on what works best for you.
The key to successful meal planning is finding a system that works for you and your family. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find a meal planning system that works for you.
What are the Benefits of Meal Planning?
Meal Planning Saves Time
Meal planning is a huge time saver. It may seem like a time-consuming task, but it can actually save you time in the long run once you get the hang of it. By taking the time to plan out your meals for the week, you can avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store.
Meal planning can also help you make better use of your time in the kitchen. By batch cooking or meal prepping, you can cook a large quantity of food at once and then have ready-to-eat meals for the rest of the week. This can be a huge time saver, especially on busy weeknights.
Meal Planning Saves Money
Meal planning will also help you to save money. When you plan your meals in advance, you can use up the ingredients you already have before they go bad. You can also take advantage of sales and promotions at the store, which can help you save money on your groceries.
Meal planning can also help you save money by avoiding impulse purchases or spending money on take-out.
Meal Planning is Healthier
By taking the time to think about what you want to eat ahead of time, you’re more likely to make healthier choices that will lead to a better overall diet. Meal planning ensures that you have all the ingredients on hand that you need to make healthy meals.
By taking the time to plan healthy meals in advance, you are less likely to make unhealthy impulsive choices when you’re feeling hungry.
Meal Planning Steps for Busy Moms- A Go with the Flow Plan
1. Set A Budget- Figure out how much you can spend on groceries each week or month and stick to it as closely as possible.
2. Check Your Schedule- Determine what your upcoming week looks like, what days are unusually busy, and when you have scheduled events or appointments. This will help you determine what kinds of meals you have time to make
3. Take Inventory- Look through your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what foods and ingredients you have on hand. You can plan meals around these items. Be sure to use up food that will go bad first so it doesn’t go to waste.
4. Pick your Meals- Based on what ingredients you have on hand and what your schedule looks like, decide which meals you will eat. Look through your favorite recipes and lists of family favorite meals, quick meals, and new meals you want to try.
5. Assign Meals to Each Day- Based on your schedule, assign meals to each day. Make note of foods you want to prep in advance. Be sure to build in a leftover night or a night to eat out if your family likes to do so.
6. Create a Grocery List- Make a list of all the ingredients you need for each meal plus any other food you are out of. Don’t forget other household or personal items you may need. We like to keep a running list in our kitchen command center and on the notes app on our phones.
7. Shop or Order Your Groceries- Go to the grocery store or order what you need for the week to be delivered or picked up. Put your groceries away neatly so you aren’t searching for items when you need them. Read more here about how having an organized pantry is key to saving time when it is time to cook.
Download your FREE How to Meal Plan Checklist from my FREEBIE LIBRARY by signing up for my email list HERE!
Meal Planning for Busy Moms- 15 Tips
1. Start Slowly and Be Flexible: Learning how to meal plan takes time. Start by planning a few meals a week. Also, be flexible when it comes to your plan. If you have to move things around that’s okay!
2. Meal Plan on the Same Day Every Week: Sticking to a consistent schedule ensures you are never left without a plan. Test out different days to figure out what works best for you.
3. Theme Your Nights: Creating themed nights makes it so easy to choose a meal because it takes the decision-making out. It is also a great way to get out of a meal planning rut. I have 60 theme meal night ideas in my Busy Mom’s Guide to Meal Planning packet.
4. Keep Master Lists of Favorites: Create different lists of meal ideas such as family favorites, 30-minute meals, no-bake meals, etc. so you can easily reference them for any situation.
5. Try Only One New Recipe a Week: New recipes usually take a little longer to cook simply because you are unfamiliar with them. You also run the risk that it won’t turn out well or that your family won’t like it. For these reasons, you should limit trying new recipes to once a week.
6. Stick to Family Favorite Recipes– You know the old saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” The same is true for cooking. When in doubt stick to tried and true recipes that your family loves.
7. Keep Your Recipes Organized in One Place: Don’t waste time looking for recipes. Find an organizational system that works for you. When you find a new recipe that you like, add it to your favorites so you can find it again.
8. Prep what you can in advance: Another time-saving tip for really busy weeks is to prep as much as you can in advance. This might mean batch-cooking several meals over the weekend or prepping your meals by cutting up or portioning out ingredients in advance. You can also batch-cook your grains or sides to save time.
9. Double the Recipe to Freeze: One huge time-saving tip especially when making a complicated or time-consuming meal is to double the recipe and freeze one serving. You can then pull it out and heat it up to eat on a busy night.
10. Simple is Sometimes Better– A good old ham and turkey sandwich or a hot dog never hurt anyone. Some nights you just need to keep it simple. Open a can of soup, heat up some frozen chicken nuggets, or make a BB and J sandwich. These are often great for nights when you have to eat on the run. Chances are your kids will like these nights better anyway!
11. Keep a Monthly Calendar of Meals– In addition to the list of meals you are planning, keep a monthly calendar of the meals you actually end up eating. Why? We all know plans aren’t always followed 100% of the time. By keeping a calendar of the meals your family ate, you can easily refer back when you need inspiration. Make marks to remind yourself what meals were hits and which ones you wouldn’t cook again.
12. Build in a Leftover or Y-O-Y-O Day– Incorporate a leftover night or a “you’re on your own” night towards the end of the week so any extra food doesn’t go to waste.
13. Prep the Night Before– Make sure you have everything ready to go for the next night’s meal. Check to see if you need to defrost anything or if you can do anything in advance to prep.
14. Use Grocery Pickup– To save time and money in the meal planning process, use grocery pickup. I use the Wal-Mart app weekly. It’s great because it helps me to stay within budget. I know exactly what my grocery bill for the week will be prior to checking out, which gives me the option to make adjustments if needed.
15. Keep a Shared Family Note– Start a shared memo on the notes app on your phone that all members of your family can reference and add to. Keep the week’s meal plan, ideas for future meals, and a running grocery list. We also keep a list in our family command center to quickly write down items when they are low or we run out.
16. Build in a Leftover and/or Takeout Night– If you know your family likes to eat out or get take-out, build it into your meal plan. Also, incorporate leftover nights so food doesn’t go to waste.
What I Use When I Meal Plan
Erin Condren Daily Duo Planner– My planner is my life. I use it for everything and refer to our schedule for the upcoming week when planning our meals.
Pinterest– I like to save all of my favorite recipes and ones I want to try on Pinterest boards. I can easily look here when I need inspiration. If I try a recipe and we love it, I’ll print it out and add it to my recipe binder.
Favorite Cookbooks– another place I look when I need recipe ideas are my favorite cookbooks. Here are my go-to’s.
Wal-Mart Grocery App– This is where I order my groceries for pickup each week. On the rare occasion, I go into the store, I still use the app. It helps me stay on track with my budget and ensures I’m getting the correct items at the correct price.
Meal Planning Guide– I use several of the pages and templates in my meal planning packet to keep me on track. I keep an inventory of what’s in our freezer, fridge, and pantry. Keeping master lists of our family’s favorite meals is great for easy reference. When I am in a rut I also refer to the theme meal nights ( 60 suggestions) to get inspiration.
Meal planning can seem daunting, especially if you’re a busy mom, but it doesn’t have to be. By taking a little time each week to plan out your meals, you’ll save yourself time and money in the long run. What’s your best meal planning tip? Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!
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