Before I begin, let me tell you how much meal planning is a chore for me. I hate meal planning for myself. While I love cooking and planning meals, I don’t love the task of MyPrep Delivery for my family.
I used to meal plan every two weeks (because that’s how frequently I get paid), but I stopped doing it. There has been a lot of “What do YOU want for dinner?” conversations. These conversations have been going on for six months. It’s gotten tedious. It is almost as old as meal planning. See paragraph 1. See paragraph 1.
To that, I respond with Ugh. And yay! Although I don’t like the idea of buying in bulk, it is a good option for our family’s budget. Bulk buying is not my favorite thing, but it’s a good way to save money. (And healthy dinners, too!) It is well worth the effort to select 14 meals. Each two weeks, one hour and 14 meals. This is possible!
So. Now I have explained WHY meal plans are important. Next, I will show you how to actually plan.
You need a calendar, a pen, a piece of paper, and the wonderful internet//Pinterest//fave book of recipes to select your dinners.
Consider the family’s favorite meals. What dinners are most popular with your family? Which events should you plan for? Do you want to eliminate dairy and gluten? Are you open to trying vegetarian recipes? My family should eat less dairy and more whole foods (i.e. heavy pastas and breads). More whole foods. These choices are what I am incorporating into my menus. It is also important to think about what my daughter likes and doesn’t like. Although she has made great strides, she still is very picky about the foods she chooses.
Please fill in the dates for the meals that you have selected.
From the recipes you have chosen, create your shopping list.
You can also add other miscellaneous items that you may need for snacks, breakfasts, and lunches.
Go shopping! If you are feeling really ambitious, prepare some meals for the next week. I am not so ambitious.