Meal Planning

[Cash Cow]

This is (yet again) another 'process' I am incorporating into my life as a means of saving money and organising myself - not to mention using my daylight hours more effectively and creating head space for other tasks.

By shopping for food with a focused mindset I am aiming to spend only what I need to when I need too.

I have also noticed that there are certain ingredients that I commonly use and/or incorporate in our meals (eg, Herbs, Cherry Tomatoes, Bananas, Chillies) which I can grow at home to save money.

In the past I have noticed that if I try and grow 'lots' of different things, I only end up with the bare minimal (if that) that I require. So instead I am limiting what I choose to grow, and am going to plant a greater quantity to make it worthwhile rather than pointless.

Here is a link to a Meal Planner article (FYI)


And here is a link to establishing a Box Garden - if you have no space

OR

a Standard Veggie Patch if there is room to spare

[alexwilson101]

Meal planning is very important!

We introduced it into our household only a month ago and it saves a lot of time and money for us.

Plus it allows us to have variety as we plan ahead!

We made an article about it at: Menu Planning to Save Money on Food - Planning your meals in advance

[carole]

I know your probably already aware of my money saving method RSM Quicksave. I have to tell you without meal planning the method would fall down in a heap. It along with budgeting are the two KEY elements to it's success.

Even though I'm not a totally100% organized person and I'll be totally honest I don't plan the complete meal. I just plan to have the right amount of of basic main ingredient by this I mean meat, tuna, etc. So because I shop every 9 days or ten for my last before no shop. I buy 9 or ten main ingredients. I always buy tin tuna, mince, lamb chops, etc. Each shop time there will be something different because I tend to look for a meat cut that might be on special. For those people like me that don't want to conform completely and follow a strict we're having this meal on this day, take heart you too can plan and succeed. It will still work if you have a wide variety of options available in your cupboard. Some of our most delicious meals have come from I wonder what this and that will taste like together.

[cristina.smith95]

Scan the food ads from your local newspaper for the week's sales and bargains. Rough draft a menu plan. Check the pantry and refrigerator for any of last week's purchases. Review your shopping list and note needed items. Lastly, shop from a list.

[jon.gordon]

A menu plan saves money and time.
It is very important to plan your meal before going to the store.
Make a list and stick to it.

[lilibeth.wilson]

Meal planning can help improve your life. It saves your time and money. One thing that you should consider about the food you store or the menu your planning are those you know your family likes.

[Motherhen]

Meal planning can be as detailed or as simple as works best for you.

For those that can be super-organised and have the time - Omac Once A Month Cooking - Freeze Food is a great idea. Cook enough meals for 1 month and freeze them, then you can eat from the freezer all month. It's also great to combine with a few friends and do a cook and exchange, and then you might get a bigger variety.

For those (like me) who suddenly decide they don't feel like eating what was planned for tonight (or if life intervenes and you don't have time for a planned recipe), then the most basic form may work for you. My kitchen whiteboard is a one week calender, and lists the main ingredient for dinner each day - Monday / Meat, Tuesday / Pasta, Wednesday / Chicken, Thursday / Takeaway, Friday / Fish, Saturday / Meat, Sunday / Vegetables. Thursday nights we don't get one untilo late as we have softball training straight after work, so takeaway is fast and easy. Each morning (or night before) I have a basic idea of what dinner is based around, and can organise as required. Or the kids can start dinner before I get home, knowing what basic to use.

[pennypincher]

I have also found that planning ahead with meals helps save us alot of money! As a working mum i sometime don't have the energy at the end of the to cook the evening meal, so instead of spending extra grocery money on convenient frozen meals, i use my slow cooker for the first two days of the week and make twice as much as i need. I then serve half for dinner that night and freeze the other half as back up meals for other nights that i might not feel like cooking! I also find that my slow cooker meals use less expensive ingredients, which save me even more money. YAY!