Meal planning doesn’t have to be hard or complex! I shared on my stories recently that for the longest time after C and I had been together, married, and even had our boys – cooking was not something I enjoyed or really did much. It felt overwhelming, I felt like I couldn’t, I was “clueless”, or “didn’t have the time.” As the boys turned 4 and 2 and we welcomed Honey, I decided I needed to buckle down and cook for my family! I did care about what they ate and put into their bodies, where we got our food, what we SPENT on food, and providing things they liked – so why couldn’t I tackle this? It wasn’t as daunting as I was making it.
For the last 4+ years, I’ve been following these little tips to help me stay on track when I’m planning our family meals. I hope this can help and inspire some of you to get into the kitchen!
Timeline – How Many Dinners Will You Make?
There are 5 week days, right? I choose to cook (and shop) for 3 of them. That means 2 week nights I will grab something easy from the pantry (boxed/package meal), freezer (nuggets, frozen pizza, things I can toss in the air fryer, etc) or order in/out depending on our sports/extra curriculars schedule. I am able to stick to cooking 3 nights and not going down the route of ‘I’m just going to grab a frozen meal, a meal kit, or hit the drive thru because I’m tired and don’t feel like cooking’ more frequently than those 2 nights that are slotted for just that. I’ve already shopped for those groceries/produce and I’m not about to let them go bad! Plus, the longer you stick to this, I promise the more enjoyable it becomes.
Do what’s realistic for you. If you aren’t cooking just yet, 3 might be too much for you. Start with one night and build from there! We also leave some flexibility when it’s sports season and our week nights are even busier. If I have time, I’ll try to feed the kids something light before practice, but usually those are one or two of the weeknights I don’t cook.
Consider Your Time
When you’re planning what you’re going to make/shop for, consider the time it will take you to make AND clean up. Have it be attainable/reasonable. I’d love to gourmet-it-up, but my lifestyle doesn’t really allow for recipes with dozens of ingredients and lots of time in the kitchen.
I try to incorporate meals that are different and usually lean toward things I know will jive together and aren’t a lot of fuss. Occasionally I’ll step outside of my comfort zone and throw something together that isn’t in my wheelhouse but still isn’t something I’m spending hours and hours on or babysitting.
Some pantry and fridge I like to keep in stock at all time to make meal planning even easier: butter, chicken stock, spinach, cream cheese, heavy cream, garlic, canned cream of chicken, and canned diced tomatoes.
Shop For What You LIKE
Pick meals/produce/ingredients your family will LIKE! This is key – if I am choosing what I know they like, it’s that much easier to incorporate veggies, protein, fibers, etc! Of course there are things they’re not going to like (certain ‘green’ stuff – but they still have to eat it here and there! and if I’m adding spinach to a cheesy pasta I know they like, it’s not that big of a deal.
Plan Ahead
Choose 1 day a week to grocery shop. For me, I always shop on a local grocery app Sunday nights and then I do order pick up Monday with the girls. We do it during Colly’s wake window, hit Starbs, listen to music, and have a fun time! It truly does not feel like a chore.
Keep The Ideas Flowing
Consider keeping a running list in your notes app in your phone (or wherever you store notes/reminders) for meals you want to attempt, create, or recreate. There are so many ways to find inspiration for your next dinner. I like to make a note for the current week on Sunday before I grocery shop and if there’s another meal I’m thinking of but I’ve already planned my 3 for the current, I move it to the next and I’m already ahead “idea wise”.
It’s ok to also fall back on repeats and favorites! Every other week I will try to do a salad as our meal and just fill it with our favorite proteins, hard boiled eggs, and other veggies and cheeses. My kids also love pita pockets so I’ll make my easy greek chicken (crock pot!) and stuff the pita pockets with veggies that we have on hand. And when all else fails and I feel stumped on what to add in that week, I’ll go to my trusty “easy go to weeknight pasta”.
Buy In Bulk + Buy Generic
If possible and this is an option for you, plan to make a trip to Costco or Sams every other month or once a quarter to stock up on protein. We freeze everything, and then when it’s time to shop and cook, I can dethaw and don’t need to buy extra. It REALLY reduces my grocery bill week after week by not having to add a few pounds of chicken or beef each time.
Another thing I do is try to buy generic for just about everything. *Cue the “no one’s going to know audio”* But seriously. No one can taste a difference, and where I can save a few bucks, it ends up going a long way in the big picture (especially feeding a family of 6 now!)
Time To Get To It!
As I always say with organizing… the biggest step is starting! You have to make an effort and follow thru, and once you do you will feel motivated to keep at it. I feel so much less scattered when I stick to this routine. I feel like I’m setting myself up for success when I have this checked off my list. It really affects my whole mood when I’m prepared, and I feel like a happier mom because of it. I hope these little tips help and you’re planning and cooking with ease super soon!
