Meal planning is one of those topics that either excites or agitates people. I fall into the first category of people. I can’t say that the actual act of meal planning makes my heart flutter, but it does put a smile on my face once it is done. It certainly makes me happy as the week progresses and the plan is in place. Meal planning has made a big difference in my life.
Here are my top 5 reasons you should meal plan.
It saves you time.
Who wants to spend the good part of your Saturday morning wandering around the grocery store trying to figure out what you are going to feed your family for the next week? Who wants to go to the store almost every afternoon in search of the necessary items for that night’s meal? Who wants to stare into the cupboards each evening hoping some meal idea pops into your head? Our time is precious, and meal planning saves time. Taking the 15 to 20 minutes to meal plan each week will save you hours that might be wasted wandering the store on a Saturday morning, rushing to the store each afternoon, or staring at your cupboard each evening.
It saves you money.
If you don’t have a plan then you aren’t focused when shopping for the week. You pick up more items than you need. You forget to buy something, return to the store later and get that forgotten item plus a few more (expensive) extras. Lack of a meal plan can also result in calling for expensive take out which equals a hit to your wallet once again. Meal planning saves you money because you have a focused purpose when shopping, you have the items you need for each night’s meal, and you aren’t calling for take out in a moment of desperation.
It saves your sanity.
Trying to come up with a meal idea each night is exhausting. We’re often tired, the kids might be cranky, and everyone is hungry. It’s not an ideal time to make a decision about a dinner choice. Meal planning ahead of time allows you the opportunity to carefully consider your calendar, your food options and your needs for the week.
It makes grocery shopping easier.
When you have a meal plan you can create an organized shopping list. When you have an organized shopping list you can shop with ease. Grocery shopping is not one of my favorite tasks, but meal planning has made a not-so-favorite task more bearable.
It brings health and variety to your meals.
I don’t believe every meal has to be complicated or fancy. In fact, I am a strong supporter of the simple meal. A meal plan allows the opportunity to think through your choices for the week and choose a variety of foods that are tasty and healthy and good for your family. You can also plan ahead for surprise ice cream sundaes on an ordinary Thursday night!
I am such a big fan of meal planning, and it’s a favorite topic of mine. It doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. I believe that if you start making it a part of your weekly routine you will be happy about the time, money, and sanity you save and about how much easier and healthier your grocery shopping will be.
For More on Meal Planning:
I plan to do an upcoming post on how I meal plan, but for now I want to know, what about you? Are you a meal planner? If you are not meal planning now, what are your hesitations? Share your ideas in the comments below!
Until next time,
Charissa
The Not So Busy Mom
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I am a meal planner. It really just seemed the simpler thing to do once I had baby #4. Honestly, all the reasons you stated have been true for me. The meal planning takes longer than 15-20 minutes but that’s because I make my shopping list at the same time and I often have to look up a recipe or scout the pantry to see what I need and if I already have it. In summer it helps me decide what to get at farmer market versus the grocery store too. It’s been a very big time and energy saver for me. And it does reduce the grocery bill and wastes less food. Nice article!
thanks for reading, Ellen! It sounds like you have a good system going.