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One of the easiest ways to save a bundle on healthy eating is to plan ahead. Meal planning makes it possible to maximize fresh, whole foods and transform them into budget-friendly meals. It’s easy to fall short of the recommended dietary guidelines when you get busy… and ultimately hangry. Menu planning can help you save time, money, and prevent hunger-related mood swings! Here’s how to incorporate menu planning into your routine-
What’s on the calendar? Paying attention to what you’ve got going in during the week can help make menu planning easier. If you have a lot of activities outside of the home, it makes sense to create a menu that includes meals-in-minutes, crockpot or insta-pot meals, or meals that can create leftovers that are easy to re-heat.
Consider meal services subscriptions- While they may not be the cheapest access to healthy foods. For some, meal subscriptions are an excellent way to increase healthy meals in their home with less waste. Meal services offer a wide variety of foods with very little waste and zero trips to the store. Incorporating meals delivered to your doorstep may be an excellent way to plan ahead on occasion and will likely be healthier than options like DoorDash.
What do you have on hand? Having a well-stocked pantry can help make menu planning simple. Looking at shelf-stable items like rice, beans, and pasta, can help you determine what meals work best for the week. Stocking up on lean meats and fish in the freezer can also help. Look at what meals can be made with similar ingredients throughout the week and make a larger supply of staple veggies or starches to reuse. You might enjoy baked chicken and rice one day and use the left overs to make chicken tacos with Spanish rice later in the week.
Create a master menu- When your family loves a meal, create a cheat sheet and list the meal and ingredients for grab-n-go menu planning at a later date. Everyone gets bored with the same ol’ thing. It helps to have reminders on hand of meals that your family enjoys.
Stuff your freezer every chance you get- Your freezer is a wonderful resource when it comes to menu planning. Try stocking up on seasonal produce, blanche and freeze for use throughout the year. When meats go on sale, make a larger purchase and freeze meat for later. Some meals freeze well. Make larger batches of foods that keep well in the freezer and save them for a week when your schedule is full and you need healthy meals in a hurry.
Get feedback- Your family can be an excellent resource when it comes to menu planning. From Taco Tuesday to Make-your-own pizza night with whole wheat crust, asking your family what healthy meals they want can help you plan nutritious foods and reduce trips for take-out.
Wondering what’s for dinner doesn’t have to be a worry any longer. Menu planning can help you and your family eat better, for less.
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