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Want to start meal planning, but feel like you have no time? In this post, I’m sharing how to make a meal plan in just 10 minutes!
If you’re super busy like most everyone seems to be this summer, you may not have as much time to sit down and plan meals. Who can blame you though! The kids want to head to the pool, you’ve got activities going on, and of course, you want to enjoy the warm weather.
Planning meals may just not seem as important these days. But the truth is that meal planning can make or break your budget. Those little costs of grabbing takeout, fast food, ordering pizza by the pool, or dining out can slowly add up to be a huge part of your budget if you aren’t careful.
All that to say – sticking to meal planning in the summer months is crucial. Don’t jump ship now! And, planning meals doesn’t have to take a lot of time at all!
Let’s figure out a way to make a weekly meal plan in just 10 minutes or less. (You can even set your timer on your phone, so you can race against time and get it done!)
FREE PRINTABLE: Print this free theme night weekly meal planner and laminate it or use a sheet protector page and a dry erase marker to use it over and over again. Or just use a magnetic notepad on the side of your fridge.
Here’s how to make a meal plan in just 10 minutes:
1. Assign a “theme” to each night (Do this the first week and you won’t have to do it again!) Ideas: Grill, Pizza, Mexican, Pasta, Slow Cooker, Soup + Sandwich, Salad Bar, Taco Night, Sheet Pan
2. Take 2 minutes to look through your fridge, freezer, and pantry to see what food you have to use for meals.
3. Add quick and easy meals you can make with those ingredients to your meal plan (and add any additional ingredients to a grocery list).
4. Fill in the rest of the theme nights with super simple and quick meals you know your family loves.
By assigning “themes” to each night, you already have a blueprint to fill out your weekly meal plan – meaning, you don’t have to start from scratch or scratch your head for too long wondering what to make this week.
This is a quick and easy way to make a meal plan that will get you through the summer without breaking your budget!
Here’s a quick sample meal plan you can follow:
Sunday: Slow Cooker Day – Chicken Tacos
Monday: Soup + Salad Day – Chicken Noodle Soup + Cobb Salad Kit
Tuesday: Pasta Night – Spaghetti with Garlic Bread and Salad
Wednesday: Sheet Pan – Chicken and Vegetables
Thursday: Taco Night – Beef Taco Bar
Friday: Pizza Night – Individual Flatbread Pizzas
Saturday: Grill Night – Burgers, Hot Dogs, chips, veggies and dip
You can make meal planning EVEN EASIER by making 2-4 weekly meal plans and rotating them every week.
Here’s the free theme night weekly meal planner printable again!
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