Everyone knows the feeling of being hungry without having a clue what to prepare for dinner. You feel scattered, stressed and “hungry” at the same time, what a bummer. Instead, spend half an hour planning your week’s meals to lower your food bill, feed your family healthier meals, save tons of time on prep, and reduce mealtime stress.
Plus, the more you do this, the more proficient you become at scheduling recipes, purchasing ingredients, and later reusing previous meal plans. Try meal organization with these 5 easy steps and see what you think. Even if you only follow it for part of the week, you will still see the benefits.
How to do it
Step 1. Start with the right tools.
Browse cookbooks or food websites and apps, and ask family members for suggestions. Think of theme nights like Meatless Mondays or Taco Tuesdays and use a menu / shopping list panel to help you organize your week of meals. Check your refrigerator and pantry for necessary items and then create a shopping list as soon as your menu is set up.
Step 2. Consider the season and the weather.
When planning, you will want to think about foods in season and temperatures. Colder fall weather typically calls for soups and stews with fall squash and root vegetables, while warm weather is better suited for grilled meats and seafood and fresh salads. Eating in season keeps food costs low because seasonal produce is more abundant and easier to get.
Step 3. Make a note of special occasions and activities.
If you have company or a busy night of activities in a particular week, plan accordingly. Take note of whether more or less time is required to prepare food on a given day. Write down the source of specific recipes for easy reference so family members can start preparing meals even if the official “chef” is not yet home.
Step 4. Get help from family members.
Remember to have your spouse and children help out whenever they can. Many hands make work easier, so delegate specific tasks based on everyone’s preferences and abilities. Have a young child grate the cheese and wash the lettuce for the salad, while an older child heats the sauce and cooks the noodles to make a pasta dish.
Step 5. Look for efficiency opportunities.
Cook more meat one night so leftover roast beef or baked ham can be reused for lunch sandwiches or a casserole the next night. When you plan your meals ahead of time, you feed your kids healthily, save time and money, leave a small ecological footprint, and lose weight too!
