Over the last couple of months I've finally started meal planning. Now it's a habit, I can't imagine not doing it.
I usually write my meal plan and shopping list on a Thursday and go to the supermarket on a Friday. I check what's in the fridge and plan to use it up. I used to go to the supermarket at least every other day looking for meal inspiration. No more. I rarely throw any food away. We eat a more varied diet, we eat more healthily. I always cook from scratch and having a meal plan means I am super organised, preparing meals during the day when I can. We never run out of anything. I can plan for busy days and get the slow cooker out and on in the morning. I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure our food bills are lower. If I shop online (when Ocado send me a voucher) I can take advantage of all the special offers. We also have far fewer takeaways.
I'm a meal planning convert. Read this top tip post from Mrs M if you're still not convinced.
Want to know what's on our meal plan for this week? Of course you do.
Wed - steak pie, new potatoes, sprouts, broccoli
Thu - fish cakes, rice, leek and cauliflower cheese
Fri - meatballs, tomato and vegetable pasta
Sat - roast (whatever's on offer), roast potatoes, carrots, swede, sprouts
Sun - stir fry vegetables, noodles, prawns
Mon - fish pie, peas
Tue - cottage pie, carrots, peas, sweetcorn
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it saves so much time to meal plan
ReplyDelete@divasupermum, absolutely, I love doing it now too.
DeleteHa ha everyone is slowly coming over to the dark side ;-D
ReplyDelete@Cass, ha ha, it took me a few years to come over, but I'm here now!
DeleteI cannot imagine not planning meals now. As has been said, it saves time. I do sometimes change the order of meals but having the meal plan there really helps me to juggle round. I now note down meals I want to try in sticky notes so that I have ideas before I even start to make a plan. Then it's often just a case of juggling them into a semblance of order that works for us.
ReplyDelete@Kate, I juggle too if something unexpected comes up. That's a great idea re sticky notes. The other thing I do is list what's in the freezer to try to use up anything that's been in there a while.
DeleteGreat to have you on board and thanks for linking to my new post. Meal planning is addictive I think. I feel all bereft if I don't do it! Thanks for linking up with #mealplanningmonday.
ReplyDelete@Mrs M, my pleasure, it's a great post. I'm a total convert.
DeleteI've been planning our meals each week for twenty years now; some friends think I'm a geek, but I never throw food away, we have a good variety of healthy meals each week and I don't have to think what to cook for tea when I get home from work. What's not to like?!
ReplyDelete@Working Mum, wow, I feel really left behind now. You're absolutely right about not having to think about what to cook, it's much healthier and cheaper than phoning for a pizza.
DeleteSo funny, I have been inspired by the meal planning posts but realised that it does not work for me - ever the contrarian - so I am just writing a blog to explain why. I am very open minded, and can be happily swayed :)
ReplyDelete@Moixx, I'm also a contrarian - thus I'm a late-comer to meal planning, but it has worked for us so far. I'm looking forward to reading your post.
DeleteWe just started meal planning last week and it has worked a treat!
ReplyDelete@Grenglish, another one comes over to the dark side ;)
DeleteWe've been doing it for a couple of months now. Like you say much less waste and more money saved! Also with such a busy family I find that by pinning the list up in the kitchen, the first one home starts cooking and we're rarely left without the vital ingredients needed for a meal!
ReplyDelete@Mary, I wish I had someone to start the cooking! Glad meal planning is working for you too.
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