As a mother, you are constantly juggling a multitude of tasks that compete for your time. The idea of meal planning for an entire calendar month can be overwhelming. With a little strategic planning and an organized plan, you can make monthly meal preparation a time-saving tool that will ensure your family has wholesome, delicious meals each day.
Take the Monthly Calendar to heart
Begin by using a planner or calendar for the month. You can see all of the days in a month with this visual tool. It is easier to recognize special occasions or events that require simple meals. A clear view of the month helps you plan meals efficiently. I personally use the Designs By Planner Perfect yearly planner. It's customizable and comes very handy. You can slide it right into your purse when going out for a quick grocery run.
Meal planning has become routine for me but the reason why I meal plan is why it's so important. So much so that if I don't meal plan, my entire day, week and month is off. I can literally feel the weight of not meal planning. Taking a few days out of the month to get this done allows for me to be more consistent and also saves me time to be able to do other things for my family.
Take Inventory
Take a few moments to take stock of your refrigerator, freezer and pantry before you begin the planning phase. This will not only help you use ingredients that you have, but it also reduces waste. It can save you money. The foundation for a successful meal plan is a well-stocked pantry.
Family Communication
When discussing the monthly planning of meals I want to highlight the importance that open communication is for our family. In order to create a good meal plan, it is crucial that you consider the tastes and preferences of your family members. This will help ensure we are meeting their needs while also bringing joy and enjoyment to their meals. Please allow them to take a few days provide you with their desired meals. This will be helpful to you and exciting for them. The preferences can be shared openly to boost family morale.
Have A Theme Night To Add Fun and Excitement
You can plan some fun into meal planning by assigning themes for certain days of the week. It doesn't matter if it is Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays or Pasta Thursdays. Having themes can help you simplify your decision making process and add some variety. These themes can also be used to create meals that are tailored for your family.
Take The Time To Explore New Recipe
Here's a list of my recommended must-have items to make your meal planning more enjoyable.
Stalogy365 Planner: I've used Stalogy365 for all my brain dumping, test pages and just about anything you can think of. I am also honored to present to you my complete meal planning companion as well as my complete grocery savings companion. While I understand the true nature of rising costs just about everywhere, I would also love to recommend additional ways for you to save by using a few apps. By joining BeFrugal you will receive $10 upon signing up. Fetch Rewards is one of the best apps you can have and use on a daily basis. You can snatch every single receipt, doesn't matter if it's a grocery receipt or a receipt for your toddler's clothes. Isn't that AMAZING!?
Remember, mastering monthly meal planning is a skill that evolves over time. It's taken me almost a full year to get a good planning routine down. So, feel free to adapt these tips to suit your family's unique needs and preferences. With a little organization and creativity, you can streamline your mealtime routine, leaving you with more time to savor the moments that matter most.
Happy planning and happy eating!
