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Want to know how to meal plan for beginners? It’s not as complicated as it sounds, and I’ll show you how to start meal planning for beginners – the quick and easy way!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The easiest place to save money is on food.
You can’t change your rent, and you can only reduce your bills so much.
But your food budget can change drastically with just a little work!
Meal planning is the best way to save money on food. You’ll know what to eat every night, so you can eat at home and save money.
How to Start Meal Planning for Beginners
I’m actually going to show you three different ways to meal plan, so you can pick the style that will work best for you!
I have used all three of these, and switch back and forth often, depending on how busy I am.
Here’s the 3 ways to meal plan:
- Basic Meal Planning
- Freezer Cooking
- Pre Planned Meal Plans
Ok, let’s dig a little deeper into each of these, so you can pick which style will work best for you.
Option 1: Basic Meal Planning
Basic meal planning is the way I started out.
Here’s the steps of meal planning:
1.Make a list of your family’s favorite meals.
List out the meals your family likes to eat at home. This gives you a starting point of what to put on your menu for the week.
2. See what foods you already have.
What food do you already have that you can make a meal from?
3. Write down a menu for the week.
Just use a simple piece of paper, your planner, or a chalkboard in the kitchen to write a dinner for each night of the week.
Include meals you can make with food you already have, and the rest from your family favorite meal list.
4. Make your grocery list for the remaining food.
Shop for the food you need for the meal plan you made.
5. Make the meal you planned.
This is the hardest step of all – sticking with your meal plan! Having my menu in plain sight in the kitchen helps me remember my plan.
Also, thinking about tomorrow’s dinner while I make tonight’s dinner. While you are making dinner, you can pull out the meat for tomorrow’s dinner to start thawing in the fridge.
I love to use a chalkboard in the kitchen for the menu. And if anyone asks what’s for dinner, just point them to the chalkboard. 🙂
Option 2: Freezer Cooking
Freezer cooking is the best way to get meals made ahead of time, so you don’t have to cook a full meal every night.
Having those ready to go meals in the freezer is a life saver on super busy nights, when you are tempted to get take out. Instead, you can save your money and grab a meal from the freezer.
Here’s the steps for freezer cooking:
1.Make a list of meals your family loves to eat that freeze well.
You can see my top 10 favorite freezer meals here.
2. Make a large batch or double the recipe for these meals.
You can make a meal plan to make these meals for a week, and each night make a larger batch or double the recipe for a freezer meal.
Or, you can make a whole bunch of freezer meals at once, and freeze them all for later. I’ve done both, depending on how much time I have.
3. Freeze the meals for later, and add them to your meal plan.
These meals are best for super busy nights, when you are most tempted to eat out.
All you have to do is heat up the meal, or finish cooking it, but most of the work is already done.
Option 3: Pre Planned Meal Plans
The third option is the newest way of meal planning that I have tried and love.
If you don’t want to eat the same things all the time, or do the work of planning meals and making shopping lists, this will be the best option for you.
You can purchase super cheap pre planned meal plans from Eat at Home Meal Plans, and then all you have to do is buy the groceries using the pre made shopping list, and make the meals using the pre made meal plan.
All the meal planning work is done for you!
Even though the meal plans aren’t free, you will still save way more money than if you ate out even once a week. Spend a little, save a lot.
Here’s how pre made meal plans work:
1.Check out the Eat at Home Meal Plans.
Go here to check out the pre made meal plans from Eat at Home.
2. Pick which meal plan you want to follow.
There are different options for tastes and diets, so you can pick which one suits your family best.
3. Shop for the groceries using the pre made shopping list.
I love that it’s already organized by store section!
4. Make the meals using the pre made meal plan and included recipes.
Easy as that! You’ll make different meals, try new recipes, eat at home, and save lots of money!
You can check out Eat at Home pre made meal plans here!
And grab a free sample meal plan here.
Those are the three options for meal planning! Basic meal planning, freezer cooking, or pre made meal plans.
Now, you know how to meal plan for beginners!
You just have to get started!
Once you start meal planning, you will see how much money you can save by planning your menu and eating at home.
I love eating at home and enjoying being home more, and saving money is a great benefit, too!
You know how to meal plan for beginners now. Time to take action! 🙂
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