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Do you come back from the store $150 lighter but even more confused?
How many of us go to the store without a plan or a list of what to buy?
How many of us have a list but it hasnt been thought through?
Youre either buying food off the cuff or buying food with intention but no real meal plan.
Im talking from experience here.
When I decided to start meal planning, shopping and mealtime became so much easier and more focused.
I knew what I was doing in the store and I knew what I was doing in the kitchen.
It wasnt hard either.
What do you mean by meal planning?
Why meal plan?
If youre someone who wants all the benefits of meal planning without actually meal planning then youre dreaming!
But listen, meal planning isnt difficult.
It can actually be fairly simple so long as you have the tools and know what to do.
Just take the time once a week to plan your meals and you will honestly feel great about it.
How to meal plan?
When it comes to meal planning you have to put some thought into it.
Its not just about grabbing some delicious-looking recipes and going for it.
Remember, you oughta prep and cook these recipes and you oughta know why youre meal planning.
you could find a ton of recipes online that will be specific to your diet or goals.
Simply search for budget-friendly recipes, family-friendly recipes, vegan recipes.
Whatever it is you need.
More on that below!
Remember, you dont need to cook every day of the week!
Utilize any leftovers, enjoy a takeaway or a special dinner out.
It all depends on your goals!
Make your grocery list
Next, you will need to write the grocery list for your ingredients.
Before you go shopping I would suggest already going through your pantry and seeing what ingredients you already have.
A good way of keeping your pantry organized is by using an inventory.
Also, dont forget to use any discounts or coupons!
Prep any ingredients
To save time you’re free to always prep some ingredients beforehand.
Chop up some herbs, marinate some chicken for the next day, make sauces, and freeze.
Doing this will save you some time during the week and make things more streamlined.
How do I plan a menu for a week?
Weve already discussed how to meal plan but what do you actually need to get started?
Id recommend gathering someprintable meal plannertemplates to help you on your meal planning journey.
You might have some already that you want to use, if not, check out ourMeal Planner Bundle.
It includes meal planner templates for everything from inventories to planners for every meal.
What is in the Meal Planner Templates Bundle?
TheMeal Planner Bundlereally is so amazing and will make your meal planning journey much easier and straightforward.
Favorite meals list
Write down your favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and snack meals.
Monthly meal planner
The monthly meal planner is perfect for planning a whole months worth full of meals.
Breakfast meal planner
Plan your breakfast with this breakfast meal planner page.
Kitchen inventory
Keep an inventory of your kitchen so you’re able to stay organized!
Inventories are a great way of staying on top of what you have and what you need.
Fridge inventory
Use this page to keep a note of whats in your fridge!
Its a great way of helping you avoid buying foods you dont need.
Freezer inventory
Keep a freezer inventory and review it every so often.
Pantry inventory
A pantry inventory is definitely something I have benefited from and I think you will too.
No more buying more onions when you already have two bags at the back of the pantry!
Keep your pantry organized with this pantry inventory.
Recipe planner
Use this recipe planner to note your own recipes along!
Fill in the ingredients, instructions, serving size, ratings, difficulty and so much more.
Meals and workout tracker
Track your meals and workouts side by side with this tracker.
See the calories you put in and the calories you burn all at a glance.
Use this list to get all of the basic foods you might need as a vegetarian.
Vegetarian meal plan ideas
If youre looking for some great vegetarian meal ideas then you will find plenty here!
Vegan grocery list ideas
Perhaps youre a Vegan?
Maybe youve watched that impressive documentary that was trending in 2019 and its piqued your interest?
Get started with this Vegan grocery list.
Vegan meal plan ideas
Why not swap out a day or two a week to eat a vegan meal?
There are plenty of gorgeous vegan meal ideas right here.
Low calorie meal plan ideas
Why not try out some of these great low-calorie meal ideas?
Great if you want to cut back a little but not starve yourself!
Its got great options.
Low carb meal plan ideas
These low-carb meal ideas have been well thought through and they all sound amazing.
How does Asian Sesame Beef Salad sound?
Or Buffalo Cauliflower Hot Wings?
Dairy free grocery list ideas
Maybe you have allergies and youre on a dairy-free diet.
We also have a grocery list for that.
Dairy free meal plan ideas
Amazing dairy free meal ideas await you.
Perfect if you avoid dairy in general or want to try going dairy-free for your health or other reasons!
Gluten free meal plan ideas
We also have delicious gluten-free meal ideas for you to try out.
Im talking salmon tacos or crispy mustard chicken…yum!
Keto meal plan ideas
Enjoy delicious Keto friendly meals with this keto meal idea list!
Generic grocery list ideas
A master grocery list for those who dont have any dietary requirements!
Generic meal plan ideas
There are some really fun and delicious meal ideas to choose from.
As a mom, Ive injected a ton of gorgeous comfort foods in here and some family favorites.
Kids meal ideas
When it comes to food, kids have their own ideas and thats fair enough!
This list features fun and delicious foods that my own kids love to eat!
Recipes to try
Found a recipe in a book, magazine, or Pinterest?
Make a note of it quickly with this recipes to try page!
This bundle is full of high-quality versions of our templates in PDF format, which look amazing when printed.
Find 100s more stylish planner templates that youll love
Some of our recent planner templates.
Find many morePrintable Planner Templatesthat will help you get on top of your life with ease.
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