How to meal plan- 10 tips on how to get started, how to plan for busy weeks, and how to write a meal plan quickly! Free meal planning template and how to video sharing my meal planning process.
Sometimes, deciding what to cook for dinner is half the battle!
I used to spend 15-20 minutes at 5-pm, madly Googling recipes, trying to figure out what to make with what I had in the fridge. It was stressful, and often ended up taking me so much longer to cook than it would have otherwise.
These days, I take those 15-20 minutes and spend them at the start of the week, writing down our meals for the week.
Even if you don’t prep your meals ahead, having a meal plan in place is an easy way to get organized in the kitchen!
Why you need a meal plan
- reduces your ‘what to cook for dinner’ stress
- makes you more efficient in the kitchen
- keeps you on track with healthy eating
- saves you money at the grocery store since you are buying just what you’ll need
Watch the video below to see my process for how to meal plan. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
How to meal plan
Writing a meal plan is going to look different for each individual. For me, I like to plan a week’s worth of meals ahead so that I only have to do one grocery shop.
I write out our meals but that doesn’t mean I 100% stick to my meal plan…some nights I just don’t feel like eating what was on the plan and I will repurpose the ingredients for a different recipe, swap it for a freezer meal, or we might order in.
But on busy nights when I’m feeling overwhelmed, I refer to my meal plan and it gives me peace of mind. It’s one less thing for me to worry about.
Here is my process for writing out our meal plan:
It can seem daunting if you consider all meals for the week, so instead, I focus on each meal one by one.
- I start by writing out our dinners, since we eat something different each night.
- Next, I add in breakfast and lunches. We often eat the same thing 3-4 days in a row for breakfast and lunch, so they are easier to fill in.
- And last but not least, I pick some healthy snacks.
Meal plan template
If you like to write things down on paper, you’ll love my meal prep-friendly meal plan template!
I’m not really a paper kind of gal, and I actually write my meal plan in an app called Evernote.
Here’s a post with 5 Free Meal Planning Apps that I use, in case you’re interested!
Where to start with picking meals?
Sometimes I can get stuck with planning our meals. Here’s how I decide what to put on my meal plan:
- Take stock- The first thing I do is check my fridge and take stock of what is left over. I plan a few meals early on in the week around those items. You can also check out the freezer in case you have any frozen protein or meals that need to be used up.
- Check what’s on sale– I mostly check out proteins and stock up on chicken thighs or chicken breasts, pork tenderloin or salmon. But costly produce like berries are also great to price out. I will use these as the starting point for deciding on meals.
- Write out theme days- Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Stir Fry Wednesday, Pasta Thursday, Pizza Friday, Slow Cooker Saturday, Leftovers Sunday. You get the idea. This is a great way to get the ball rolling if you can’t think of anything.
- Check my inspiration boards- aka Pinterest. I have a LOT of Pinterest boards filled with meal prep ideas, and they are my go-to’s when it comes to planning out my meals for the week. Come and check out all my boards!
- Remember which items will go off! I plan for non-frozen seafood early in the week. Berries are best consumed within 3-4 days of purchase. And our small family always has leftovers so I build that into our plan either as lunches, or as a leftovers for dinner day.
- Consider which days I’m not going to want to cook- I hate cooking on Fridays and am really uninspired on the weekends. I try to keep these meals as easy as possible: plan for leftovers or plan to order in!
Tips to write an easy meal plan
Some weeks are extra tough to write out a meal plan. Here are some tips for how to meal plan during busy weeks:
- 7- Plan for leftovers– you can make a big batch of something and enjoy for multiple nights, or repurpose for multiple meals.
- 8- Raid the freezer– this is where meal prep can really be helpful! Stocking up on freezer marinades, soups, stews, freezer slow cooker recipes etc can really help out on those busy weeks.
- 9- Keep breakfasts, lunches & snacks simple– eating the same thing for these meals all week will make your planning much simpler.
- 10- Use dependable recipes- sticking to a core set of recipes that you know well and are dependable is also smart for busy weeks.
Those are my tips for how to meal plan.
Did I miss anything? What is your process for writing out a meal plan? I hope you share it with us in the comments!
XO
Looking for more? Check out:
- How to Meal Prep
- Budget-Friendly Meal Prep Tricks
- My Weekly Meal Prep Routine
- Pantry Staples for Meal Prep
- Pantry Organization Ideas
Or check out some meal plans on my site:
Camilo Karpf
Awesome blog and content. I feel here so much … love.
Denise
Thank you so much, Camilo! <3
yvonne
OMG BN waiting to find you forever absolutely love everything u have sent love love love feel really inspired thank you sooooo much
Denise
LOL! So happy you found my site, Yvonne, and let me know if you have any questions! <3
Emma
I am 69 years of age and have dental problems. Hard vegetables are difficult to eat and over cooking them depletes the taste and nutrition. Can you suggest some alternatives for me?
Tiffiny
Find a good green superfood! I personally like Vibrant Health. Amazing Grass is also a good one.
Tiffiny White
Baking veggies in the oven on 400 for 20-30 minutes softens them up nicely and doesnt deplete nutrients
Denise
Hi Emma! What about roasting them? You can get them tender (but not over cooked), and unlike boiling, the nutrients are not leached out into a cooking liquid.
Mary Kulak
Hi Denise, I am a new follower and I like what I have read so far. I just ordered meal prep containers from Amazon and can’t wait to get them and start making a plan. But I go the plastic ones cause my hubby doesn’t like the glass to take to work. But just wanted to say Thankyou for inspiring me to do better. Have a wonderful day and keep up the great job your doing for everyone.
Denise
Hi Mary! I’m so happy you found us. Let me know if you have any questions and I hope you enjoy your new meal prep containers!
Sue
Hi, I’m a new follower and so happy I found your site. I was getting so lost in all the online recipes and such. I really appreciate all your tips, and yummy recipes. I tried the spaghetti squash by cooking it whole, awesome!
Thank you so much and keep up the good work.
Denise
Hi Sue! Thanks so much for your message. I’m glad you enjoyed the whole roasted spaghetti squash! Let me know if you ever have any questions.
Rick
This is my second time making a comment, which is probably not appropriate, but I am so glad I found your website! I have been reenergized, creatively and nutritionally. Especially with lunches. The container ideas and the meal ideas have made our lunches something to look forward to. It is no longer just sustenance, or a break from the work of the day, but a real treat visually and nutritionally. Not to be too gushy, but I’m on a new track and I thank you. Rick
Denise
Hi Rick, thank you SO MUCH for your comment, you have seriously made my night. I am so happy the recipes have been helpful to you and please let me know if you ever have questions or a recipe request 🙂
Nathanael Bennett
Hello,
Great post! I tried downloading the Meal Prep Cheatsheet, but it never prompted anything. Is there an issue with the link?
Denise
Hi Nathanael, so sorry I was having some technical issues. If you email me at denise@sweetpeasandsaffron.com I will send it over to you manually!
Afsheen
Hey Denise – these are great tips. On top of everything you mentioned one above, you may also find the “Flipp” flyer app helpful. I plan out our menus based off of what’s on sale that week too. Flipp is great for price matching in a pinch 🙂
We love your blog!
Denise
Hi Afsheen! That’s a great tip. I used to use that app but haven’t added it to my new phone. Thanks for the reminder!
Lori
What wonderful ideas and what a very useful, well-planned printable! Thank you so much!
Denise
Thanks so much, Lori!
Holly B Houser
Thanks for your posts – I’m a new follower and I use Feedly to read blogs. I just learned that reading through that platform doesn’t register as traffic for blogs I read. I just wanted to let you know that the short bullet point summary that you post, which shows up at the bottom of the feedly page where the post is cut off, is really effective – it both serves as a reminder that I should click through to support your blog AND entices me to want to read the rest of each post. Loving all the meal prep recipes. Thank you!
Denise
Hi Holly! Thank you so much for your comment! I didn’t know that about Feedly. I appreciate you clicking over 🙂