You can even measure out spices in plastic bags, parboil potatoes and pre-roast vegetables. For most grocery stores, that would mean:Ĭhop vegetables, grate cheese, make sauces or otherwise prep what you can in advance if that’s your plan. Save time at the store by grouping your list as they appear in the store. Don’t forget to jot down quantities for each ingredient and take a quick inventory of what you already have to avoid overbuying. You might as well do this along with filling out the calendar. If you prefer going digital, create a sub-calendar for your meal plan in your calendar app and share it with family members or roommates so everyone knows the plan. Plus, your family isn’t constantly asking, “What’s for dinner?” They can just refer to the board. Making your meal plan visible may hold you more accountable for executing the cooking. Hanging a copy on the fridge is a popular choice. Whether you use a notecard, a printable template or go digital, it’s a good idea to keep a paper copy of your calendar in plain view. You can store recipes in your MyFitnessPal recipe box to quickly calendar meals directly into your food diary. Not only will this help you meet your goals, but it will also take the work out of logging at mealtime. Every time you find a new meal you love, add it to the master list. Having a list of go-to meals you know work for you and your family is one of the easiest ways to expedite the meal planning process. If you want to eat better for less, shop seasonal produce and sales.Ĭonsider creating a master recipe list. Pay attention to how many servings a recipe makes and the nutritional profiles of the dishes you schedule to make sure you meet your healthy eating goals.Ĭonsider overlapping ingredients to minimize waste and cooking with a plan for leftovers to make the most of your food budget and time. make any fish dish within a day or two of shopping, plan meals with shelf-stable and frozen ingredients for later in the week). When scheduling, take shelf-life into account (i.e. Consider the time of year, what’s in season and what everyone will feel like eating. Look to family favorites or peruse recipe sites for ideas. Using the list you have, choose meals that fit the bill. a big batch of chili over the weekend that can get served as-is, piled onto baked potatoes or other veggies or used as lunch later in the week or roast a couple of chickens on Sunday to have for dinner along with plenty of lean protein for salads and sandwiches as the week progresses). We’re big fans of the cook once, eat twice approach (i.e. If you have a busy week coming up, make a mental note to be on the lookout for quick, slow-cooker or make-ahead meals that can be served in a hurry. In short, you want to give yourself more information about what you’ll need to make - the more specific you get here, the easier it is to find dishes that fit the bill. With this in mind, expand that list with qualifiers such as three make-ahead family dinners, two family dinners in 45 minutes, etc. You can plan all you want, but if you don’t have time to execute it, you won’t benefit from it. This is an important but often skipped element of effective meal planning. A sample list might be: six breakfasts for everyone, five family dinners, one kids-and-sitter dinner, four solo lunches and one brunch. Take a quick inventory of everyone’s plans to get a rough idea of how many meals you’ll need. Take a few moments to think about what you have going on in the week ahead.
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