Mamas, school is back in session! It’s about to get busy, and thinking of what to cook for dinner should be the last of your worries. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, dinner is often a challenge. It should not be. Meal planning is the best way to start improving your food choices. Grab your favorite recipes and a few new ones your family may enjoy.
Meal planning is the best way to start improving your food choices.
Saves Time
How often have you opened the refrigerator after a long day without knowing what to make for dinner? When you have a plan for what you will eat for the week, there is no time wasted digging through the kitchen trying to figure out what to throw together.
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Reduces Stress
Take daily decision-making off your plate (pun intended), reducing stress and making life easier. Much easier!
Saves Money
When you know what meals are ahead, it’s less likely that you’ll find yourself in the drive-thru line. Fast food and takeout may seem inexpensive, but those family meals can add up. Impulsive spending is less likely at the store with a list of specific ingredients. Buy what you need and nothing else.
Healthier Meals
Aside from saving money, you are likely to prepare healthier options. Eating at home helps to avoid unhealthy convenient foods that are high in calories.
Decreases Waste
Shop your pantry and refrigerator before heading to the store. Make a list and use the food you already have at home. Complete a quick inventory of the pantry, refrigerator, cupboards, and deep freeze.
5 Easy to Follow Meal Planning Tips
- Keep a list of your family favorites to add to the weekly meal plan. You know what meals are a hit, and they will be helpful on those indecisive days.
- Try something new. Keep those family favorites in your back pocket but introducing new food creates variety which can be exciting.
- Manage your time. After work and extracurricular activities, there is little time left before bedtime. Make sure the meals you plan only require a little time. Save the extensive, overly complicated, new recipes for the weekend.
- Have a theme. Dinner themes or theme nights help to narrow down and organize what to make each day. Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Whatever Wednesday, Take out Thursday, Fast Friday, Seafood Saturday, and Soul Food Sunday are great themes.
- Double it up. Cook once and eat twice. Leftovers may not be for everyone, but they can help cut time and reduce waste. Repurpose meals. Leftover roast chicken makes excellent taquitos or chicken and dumplings soup. Change the sides up, and it’s a whole new meal.
The benefits of meal planning make it worth a try.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
Loved this!! So helpful.