Do you want to save time and money?
Have you ever tried meal planning?
Try these simple steps to get started …
Step 1: Get started with a meal planning calendar
| Keep an eye out for new recipes that fit your time frame and your appetite. In the beginning, flexibility may be necessary. Write it down, see what works. |
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Step 2: Make that shopping list
| Keep sales in mind. Working with sales to do your meal planning can save you big time.
Check out your local grocery store online. Many offer online couponing and buying rewards. View ads, clip what you use, and earn rewards in one location! |
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Step 3: Prep your food
| If your upcoming recipe requires sliced or diced veggies, do the work now and store them for easy access later. Prepping food ahead of time can be your biggest time saver on busy days. |
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Step 4: Practice preemptive cooking
| Precook components of lunches and dinners for easy access. Store them strategically for on the go meals.
If a recipe can be cooked in advance and frozen, why not? Spending time on prep day by doing some bulk cooking will cut time and energy later. If you have a day of chaos in the cards, it may be the day to pull from your pre-frozen entree list. Don’t underestimate the value of doubling batches! Double up now to stock your freezer and use up extra fresh ingredients before they go bad. Double the reason to double batch. |
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Pave your way to meal planning success with the help of quick recipes
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Or check out these books to save time and money
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No time to visit the library? Explore our eBook collection
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Web Resources for Meal Planning
10 Family Meal Planning Tips & Ideas on a Budget – Money Crashers
$200/Month Menu Plan for Our Family of 5 – Thrifty Frugal Mom
Meal / Menu Planners – Money Saving Mom
Weeknight Family Meal Plans – My Recipes
Your Four-Week Dinner Plan – Real Simple
Originally posted by Jessica H. on ToledoLibrary.org/blog/meal-plan-to-save-time-and-money