Let me guess, like me, you HATE meal planning! It’s 5 pm on a Wednesday evening, your kids are driving you crazy and you’re staring at your fridge not knowing what to make for dinner. Can you relate?:) Trust me, meal planning can be simplified for us mamas!
Do you constantly exceed your allotted grocery budget because you never know what you may need or exactly what you plan to make? Do you wish there was an easier way to plan for the week? Well I am here to help simplify this agonizing task for you! I have created a FREE template for you to download and use for your personal use.
I have also nailed down my top tips and tricks to save money and plan for your weekly meals! Keep reading if you are looking for ways to simplify your life:)
Now, I know that every family is different and some people can’t eat the same thing from day to day. Therefore, you may need to be a little more creative in how you go about your menu prepping.
Don’t worry though, you can still do it!
For example, I use my crockpot ALL THE TIME, therefore we have plenty of leftovers. For my family, I will use the meat I cooked in the crockpot in several different meals, but prepared differently so that we don’t get sick of it before it’s all eaten up.
I enjoy using the crockpot meat in salads for lunch, pair it with some eggs in the morning, or feed it to my son as a snack or his lunch.
Lastly, I will prepare different sides to pair with the same meat so that way you get different flavors while using the same protein for a couple days.
Since our son is still fairly young, I typically just have to prep our dinners since my husband and I have Bulletproof Coffee for breakfast, and I will usually have a green smoothie for lunch. I have no problem eating the same thing day in and day out.
Not only do I enjoy the taste of both of these recipes, they are also very good for my health and I don’t have to think about what I am going to eat for breakfast and lunch. If you can come up with something like that, then the thinking about it is taken out of the equation! It’s also cost effective which is always a bonus:)
Below are some of the ways that I approach my menu planning for the week, as well as some other money saving tips for your budget:
1.) Use this FREE template to plan your weekly meals
2.) Make 3-4 big meals and then eat the leftovers the other days.
3.) Sprouts typically has their sales on WEDNESDAYS and a 72 hour sale, FRIDAY-SUNDAY! I always take advantage of this especially for their proteins. I try to buy organic as much as possible. However, I know how costly it can be. Therefore, the more I can stock up when they have sales going on, the better!
4.) Download the SPROUTS APP! They have some really good weekly deals on top of the sales stated above.
5.) Use your Crockpot or Instant Pot. This is a lifesaver! I use mine at least once a week. And the great thing about it, is that you can’t mess it up:)
6.) Depending on where you do your grocery shopping, see if they have an app with weekly deals! Like I mentioned above with Sprouts.
7.) PREP some of your meals, veggies, fruit, snacks, etc. ahead of time. I choose to do my meal prep on the weekends. However, you need to pick the day that works best for you and your family!
Remember, don’t overthink this task. If you need some ideas, check out my Pinterest page and browse for meal ideas.
Use this template I have provided for you, or find one that you like and use that. I promise you will feel so accomplished and “ahead of the game” if you’ve mapped out your meals for the week.
It’s one less thing you have to think about as you tackle your week. Good luck, mama:)
Does not contain affiliate links
Leave a Reply