• Cleaning
    • Bathroom
    • General
    • Green Cleaning
      • Baking Soda
      • Hydrogen Peroxide
      • Norwex
      • Other
      • Rubbing Alcohol
      • Shaklee
      • Vinegar
    • Kids
    • Kitchen
    • Laundry
    • Spring Cleaning
    • Fall Cleaning
    • Love to Clean
    • Video tutorials
    • Shop my Favorite Cleaners
  • Organizing
    • Bathroom
    • Closets
    • General
    • Kitchen
    • Series
      • 14 Day Challenge
      • For under $15
      • In Less than 30 min
      • Organize it!
      • Organizing Resolutions
      • Organizing Revolution
  • Decorating
    • DIY
    • House Projects
    • Our new home
    • Our old home
    • Outdoors
    • Tutorials
    • Shop the Look of our House
  • Other
    • Crafts
    • Family
      • Trafficking
    • Gift ideas
    • Giveaways
    • Holidays
      • Christmas
      • Halloween
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine’s Day
    • Kids
    • Printables
    • Sponsored posts
    • Recipes
      • Breakfast
      • Cakes
      • Crockpot
      • Desserts
      • Dinner
      • Drinks
      • Gluten Free
      • Kids
      • Vegan
    • Themed Parties
    • Video tutorials

Ask Anna

Answers to your cleaning, organizing questions & more!

  • home
  • About Anna
  • Privacy
  • Press
  • As Seen In
  • Contact
  • The Blog

Meal Planning 101

I have written about meal planning before but it’s been a few years and I’ve slightly changed how I do it, so I thought I’d revisit the topic. The way I meal plan is so easy, and even though it takes a little time, at the same time it’s a valuable tool and saves me so much time in the long run!

Step 1

The first thing that’s important is to write your recipes on a meal calendar. Here’s the one I use.

click here for printable version

It doesn’t have to be this one but it’s important that you write your recipes down so that you have a visual aid for what is available to be made for dinner that week(s). Even though I have Mon-Sun written out on the top of my calendar I don’t actually go by the days, I usually decide what to make for dinner based on what I feel like making, or what I have time to make.

Before we get started you’ll also need a grocery list. This is the one I use and I love it! You can print it from this post.

click here for a printable version

Step 2

Now it’s time to find recipes. I still use my recipe boxes from time to time but often times I go to Pinterest to find recipes. I have lots of recipe boards, with hundreds of delicious recipes, which makes it fun and easy to switch things up all the time, rather than making the same things over and over.

I scroll through my recipe boards and each time I come across a recipe I want to add to my menu I right click on it and open it in a new tab. Keep scrolling until you have as many recipes as you need opened up in new tabs. I meal plan for 2 weeks so I usually have about 8 other tabs open.

Meal planning 101 - Ask Anna

Write each recipe on your meal calendar as you open it in another tab. I always make little notes for how longs something takes to cook if I’ve never made it before, or if it’s a crockpot vs. stovetop recipe. These are helpful for when I’m trying to decide what to make for dinner each day. If I’ve written down crockpot then I know I need to get the meat out of the freezer the night before or put it in the crockpot first thing in the morning, etc.

Meal planning 101 - Ask Anna

Step 3

Next it’s time to make our shopping list. One at a time open each of the recipe tabs and click over to the site where the recipe is written out. Look through the ingredients and write the ones you don’t already have, on your grocery list. Always double check to see if you already have some of the ingredients in your pantry/fridge because you will save so much money not buying things you already have on hand!

Meal planning 101 - Ask Anna

Once your grocery list is complete head to the store!

Step 4

Place your meal calendar somewhere that’s easily visible and will remind you to look at it each morning. I have mine in the pantry and every morning I look at it, decide what I’m going to make that day, pull out meat to defrost (if I need to), take note of about how long it will take me to make that recipe (so I know what time I need to start making dinner) and then I can relax the rest of the day knowing exactly what my plan is for dinner that night!

To be honest I don’t always enjoy meal planning because it takes a little extra time before I can head to the store but I am always thankful that I do it because it saves me so much time each night and it saves us so much money because I’m not buying unnecessary food items at the store!

Meal planning 101 - Ask Anna

Have you ever given meal planning a shot? If you haven’t then it’s time to start, trust me you’ll be thankful you did! Please feel free to leave me a comment if you have any questions about my method. 🙂

 

 

General// Kitchen// Organizing// Printables// Recipes

About Anna

"Hi, I'm Anna! Wife, mother, child of God, and the founder of Ask Anna. I have always enjoyed cleaning, organizing, decorating and helping people, so I've put that all together on the pages of this blog. I truly hope my tips help you in your home and make sure to contact me if you have a question!"

« What NOT to Spring Clean
Tips for How to be a fabulous Hostess »

Comments

  1. Janet says

    April 19, 2015 at 5:02 am

    Another money saver is to look through the grocery store flyers, see what’s on sale, and your family likes, plan around these. Who doesn’t like variety, happy family, plans?!

    • Anna says

      April 20, 2015 at 7:51 am

      That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing! 🙂

Some of my Most Popular Posts

  • How to Clean Between Oven Glass
  • How to Clean Window Tracks
  • How to Clean Water-stained Shower Glass Doors
  • How to Organize Paper Clutter in less than 30 min
  • My Favorite Moscow Mule
  • How to Clean Glass Shower Doors
  • How to Paint a Straight Line
  • How to Update an Ugly Bathtub
  • How to Clean Cloudy Glass Vases

Search Ask Anna

Meal Planning Tips & Free Printables

Free Printables

Print 35+ Printables for your Home!

Meet Anna

Hi, my name is Anna, welcome to my blog! I have always loved to help people, and my desire to help my friends and family clean, organize and decorate their homes, is what started this site. Read More…

Don’t Miss a Thing!

Visit my other blog

Copyright © 2023 · Savory theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Savory Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in · Disclaimers · Privacy Policy