Meal Planning Week 1

Meal planning is helpful for several reasons. It keeps my nutrition in check, helps to save money at the grocery, and decreases food waste. I meal plan weekly. Once a week I sit down with my calendar and write down what we are going to eat for the week, including every meal and snacks. The day of the week varies. I used to do this on Sundays, but since March, I have been meal planning and grocery shopping on Fridays. So, how do I do it? 

First, I inventory what I already have. Remember, no food waste is a goal here. So, go through your fridge, freezer and pantry. What proteins do you have? What foods could you serve as sides that you already have? Do you have anything you could serve for breakfast? Lunch? You get the idea. Write it all down!

Next, I sit down with my list and look at my calendar. Now that life is getting back to busy, you need to know which nights you can cook and which nights you need something quick (and I don’t mean the drive thru). On the “quick” nights I try to schedule it right to just have leftovers to heat up or something in the Crock-pot ready to eat when we get home. 

After I get my schedule figured out, I pick out 1-2 breakfasts, 1-2 lunches and 3 dinners. That’s it. Remember, no food waste. I do not plan a different dinner for every night. I eat leftovers! Make sure you have snacks, drinks and condiments too! 

Weekly Meal Plan

Here’s my plan for this week — keep reading until the end for a free printable grocery list: 

• Breakfast: Cheerios, instant oatmeal (we love the Think brand), yogurt (Light & fit is my favorite), raspberries & bananas
• Lunches: Deli meat sandwiches or wraps, PB&J, bagged salad, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, apples, watermelon, pretzels and granola bars
• Dinners: (1) Pork chops on the grill with this seasoning, baked potatoes or mashed cauliflower, asparagus, roasted broccoli and baked apples, (2) Oven Chicken Fajitas served with rice or lettuce with low-carb tortillas, and (3) Crock-pot Sausage and Cheese Tortellini.
• Snacks: Fruit, veggies and dip, pretzels, peanut butter and crackers, cheese

Grocery List

Now, from your plan, you must make a grocery list! I even store things in my fridge according to meals. It keeps me organized and saves time when I am ready to cook! If you are interested in the plan above, HERE is the grocery list I created from that plan. 

I am shopping and planning for a family of 4. Keep that in mind! Keep it simple. You do not have to plan a different breakfast or lunch everyday. We eat a lot of the same things from day-to-day and week-to-week. I truly believe this is a tip to success and how you can break free from tracking the food you eat. Here is a typical “what we eat in a day” to give you an idea how to pick out of the list.

What We Eat in a Day

• Breakfast — Cheerios and a banana (kids) & yogurt with fruit (me)
• Lunch — Ham & cheese sandwich, cucumbers, watermelon, honey wheat pretzels and a granola bar (kids) & deli turkey, 1/2 a bagged salad, cucumbers, apple and pretzels (me)
• Dinner — We all eat the same thing! Choose option 1, 2 or 3 from the above list!

Happy meal planning! 

Stay safe & well,

Angie