Planning meals for an entire month will save time and money by cutting food waste and the number of trips needed to purchase groceries. Plus it gives you the chance to try new recipes while eating healthier!

At first, take a good, hard look at your family calendar to determine what’s happening – such as nights out with friends or sports practices that require transportation, doctor appointments or anything else which may impact the meal plan.

Make a Calendar

Meal planning can save both time and money in the kitchen. Plus, it helps cut food waste! However, creating an effective meal plan may seem daunting; don’t fret though – these simple tips will get you underway and create one tailored to fit your family’s individual needs!

Start by creating a calendar on your computer. There are various tools available, from word processing software and online planners, to spreadsheet apps like Google Sheets that allow for easier text, image and shape addition. A spreadsheet also allows for easier customization with colors highlighting specific days of the week while formatting month fonts to make them pop out from their schedules.

Once your meal plan is in place, take stock of what’s already on hand. Take an inventory of your pantry, fridge, and freezer; doing this can reduce food waste while saving money. If there is ground beef that is set to expire or lettuce that will soon go bad in your freezer or fridge, incorporate these items into your meal plan as soon as possible.

First, decide what meals to serve each week of the month. Think about what dishes your family prefers while keeping an open mind when trying new recipes! Look out for healthy ingredients such as nuts or beans while noting any dietary restrictions or special events such as church potlucks or barbecues which could impact on your meal plans.

Once completed, print and laminate your meal plan for added protection before hanging it on the wall or placing it in your recipe binder. Don’t forget to update it every month as your work and family circumstances change – for instance if Dan begins commuting to work instead of driving alone! As with anything, keep your goal in mind of having healthy dinner options ready when life becomes hectic; that way it can prevent last-minute drive-thrus and fast food runs!

Take Stock of What You Have

At first, begin by checking your fridge, freezer (I recommend these freezer containers!), and pantry to see what ingredients you already have that could be used in recipes throughout the month. This step is essential as it saves both money and reduces food waste – two important considerations when setting goals!

Examine your family’s schedule to identify which nights will present the biggest challenge when it comes to meal planning. Keep track of any special events or holidays coming up that could complicate meal preparation at home as well as regular activities such as sports practice and games that could make meal prep difficult – you could plan for these in advance by jotting down easy dinner ideas for these particular days.

Once you’ve decided which nights would work best for your meal planning, write them on the calendar you printed out or opened in your favorite meal planning app. Make note of any nights with regular activities requiring easier meals – like kids eating free nights or family nights with grandparents on Saturday.

Fill in your remaining weeks with dinner ideas using the recipes printed or saved on your meal planning app. Consider mixing in family favorites, new dishes from bloggers or recipes you have been meaning to try for added variety in your dinner options.

Examine what ingredients are necessary for the dishes you selected and add them to your grocery list. Also, it might be worthwhile checking your fridge and pantry to see what foods might already exist that could be used (such as quinoa, chicken breasts, and arugula) that can be utilized.

Once your list is complete, go back through and cross off items you already have in stock – this is also an opportunity to use any leftover food from past meals, or any produce beginning to spoil, before it goes bad!

Make a Shopping List

Once you have determined which dinners will make up your menu for the month (Step 4) and have written down breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas (Step 5), it is time to create your shopping list. Check your freezer, fridge, pantry to determine what needs to be used up as this can reduce food waste while saving you from buying unnecessary products that you already own at home – make sure that staple items, baking essentials, oils condiments as well as canned or frozen goods make your list!

Next, consult your family calendar to identify any upcoming events that may require eating out or being too busy to prepare dinner yourself. Write these dates down as well as any others like sports practices and doctor visits for children that might come up. This will ensure you’re not buying ingredients you won’t have the chance to use and planning meals when no one will be home to cook!

Consider other events that will alter your meal plans, such as takeaway nights or days when the children visit grandma, which might influence them and offer you the chance to try something different from your normal routine! Take this chance and give something new a try!

If possible, when creating your shopping list it would be helpful if the items were organized by aisle. This will make shopping quicker and more efficiently for you as you’ll avoid last minute additions becoming necessary; saving yourself from running around franticly trying to complete it all at once!

Do not forget to set aside a portion of your grocery budget for any additional supplies you might require, particularly perishables such as fruit and veggies or meat that require refrigeration. Doing this allows you to spread purchases out over the month and prevent overspending.

Plan Your Meals

Trying to simplify meal planning? Create a monthly menu plan as an effective solution. It is especially useful for busy families or those who find weekly plans inconvenient; taking this route allows you to save yourself the trouble of creating new menu plans every week while spending less on shopping overall.

Start by inventorying your pantry, freezer and fridge to assess what ingredients and items you already have on hand – this will reduce food waste while helping you avoid purchasing unnecessary ingredients such as three jars of cinnamon at once! If starting from scratch, look for recipes using commonly sold items at grocery stores as they will likely appeal to everyone in your family.

Make a note in your calendar to schedule these meals; making sure to include variety in terms of dinners (such as pasta for 5 nights in a row). Writing these out on a meal planner sheet or sheet of paper allows for easier reference when creating your shopping list.

When planning meals for your family, try choosing a mix of your family’s favorites and new dishes you have been dying to try. This will keep everyone satisfied while adding variety and keeping dinners interesting! If a new recipe fails miserably with your family, don’t get discouraged; simply swap it out and give another recipe a go instead!

As part of your monthly calendar planning, be aware of any anticipated busy days (children’s activities or date night with Dan). Plan for these dates accordingly so if ordering takeout or having to rely on ready meals comes up unexpectedly one night, you won’t find yourself scrambling last-minute to make dinner plans.