

Evaluate your week, then plan meals accordingly. Of course, there will be times that you will need to shop or plan on a different day, but staying consistent can help make meal planning part of your weekly routine. Figure out whichever day works best for you! Try to keep these days consistent, as this will determine the days and meals that you plan. I usually do both my planning and shopping on Sunday due to time constraints, but I definitely find it easier to plan on Saturday and shop on Sunday. Proper kitchen equipment includes everything from knives and pans to storage bags and storage containers. Set yourself up for success! It is hard to cook and store meals if you don’t have the necessary equipment. However, once you have these basic ingredients, recipe selection and grocery list development will be much easier! 3. If you are starting off with limited ingredients, the initial investment might seem large. Keeping your pantry and fridge stocked with basic ingredients helps make meal planning easier and less intimidating.Īs described in our Healthy Pantry Staples and Fridge Essentials article, this guarantees healthy eating and cooking at home.

Other people cook and portion out all of their meals for the week using meal prep containers, so that limited cooking, if any, is done throughout the week.Īnd for others, it is a combination of the two!Ĭhoose the meal planning style that works best for you! Remember that the whole idea is to plan your meals for the week you can prep or not prep as much as you want in advance. Some people plan the meals they are going to cook and eat for the week and use that to make a grocery list. Meal planning looks different for different people. Meal Planning for Beginners – 10 Steps for Success! 1. Follow these 10 steps to make meal planning a snap! Now that you know the benefits, let’s review the points to consider when meal planning. When you plan ahead and stick to a list, you are less likely to buy extra foods that may go bad. Prevents food waste: Meal planning promotes conscientious grocery shopping and helps you pay better attention to a food’s shelf life.At To Taste, we believe cooking is one of the best ways to take control of your health! Although you don’t have to cook every meal to be healthy, meal planning does provide great motivation to get back to the kitchen. Ensures healthier eating: When you plan your meals, you are in better control of the ingredients you put in your body.Creates less stress: Wouldn’t it be great to not worry about what you’re going to make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day? Meal planning takes the guesswork away and gives you a plan for what to cook for the week.Provides more variety: When you sit down and think about what you want to purchase or cook in advance, this will help you vary the cuisine, flavors, and recipes.Plus, this can help cut back on your grocery store trips – a huge timesaver too! Planning your meals ahead of time will also help reduce the time you spend thinking about and coming up with meals during the week.

Saves time: At first, meal planning might feel more time-consuming, but we promise that once you get in the habit, it will become much faster and easier.Meal planning can also help limit the number of times that you get food delivered or dine out cooking at home is usually a less expensive option. Saves money: When you meal plan for the week, your grocery trips will become more focused, and your cart will be filled with foods that you planned to buy instead of foods that you picked up on impulse.Or if you just want to start meal planning now, check out our simple and delicious Whole Life Meal Plan! Meal Planning Benefits We’ll first discuss the benefits, and then we will dive into the steps. Some simple planning ahead can make life a little easier and healthier, and we are all about that! ( 1, 2) If you have never attempted meal planning and the idea sounds overwhelming, don’t stress! This article is focused on meal planning for beginners. What exactly is meal planning? Simply put, it is planning all of yours or your family’s meals for the week.
