It was shocking to read that the average US American household throws out about $900 worth of food year. You could have gone on a nice trip for that money!
I’m a big fan of waste less and save more. Meal planning is a fabulous way to achieve this. The dreaded question “Honey, what’s for dinner tonight?” is no more. You’ll make healthier dinner choices and will save on groceries. So many benefits, but how do you start a meal plan? Here are 10 easy tips:
- Adjust this process to your needs. You may want to customise some of the following tips for you.
- Get inspired by going through your magazines, cookbooks or Pinterest. Start experimenting. My friend Donna tries out a new recipe every week. If you need suggestions for a full meal plan, you can subscribe to plans like Cook Smarts.
- Save the recipes. You can upload them onto one of the different apps available. Depending on how you cook, check out Pepperplate.
- Check your calendar and decide for how many meals you want to plan. If you know you’re having dinner with a customer or are going for a Ladies’ Night, there’s no need to cook for that night.
- Will you cook in batches and then freeze some? Label what you’ll freeze.
- How will you use any leftovers? All Recipes gives you ideas for your scraps.
- Get your partner or family involved. My friend Matt sits down with his family of 5 once a week and each family member chooses one meal for the upcoming week. Choosing foods that are in season can also save you money.
- Hang up your meal plan on your fridge or another visible spot. There are so many beautiful ideas. It’s so easy to set one up like Little Birdie Secret shows here.
- Make a shopping list. Check first which ones you have at home. Do you also need milk for your tea or bread for breakfast? Are any products on sale? Stick to your list when shopping. Avoid impulse purchases.
- Rate your meals. Was it a winner and can be cooked again next month?
How are you planning your meals? What’s working well in your own meal planning? I’m looking forward to reading about what’s working well for you.
Happy cooking,
Agni