Planning = Less Stress
Fall in my house means crazy schedules! Between last minute camping trips, work, football practice, ballet and the start of school, there is a lot going on right now! I have always been an advocate of meal planning but with this years crazy fall schedule, I feel it’s essential!
I say this with experience! Last week I did not meal plan and I can honestly say we spent more money going out to eat or take out than we have for the last month! It was just easier! But easy doesn’t make it healthy for you or your budget!
TCO has 3 meal planning worksheets available on our Resources Page! One is a Master List of all the meals your family enjoys. This form is particularly helpful when trying to remember or think of something to make! The second form is Weekly Meal Planner, a place for you to put what you are having on what day, and the third form is a standard Grocery List.
Once you downloaded the sheets, save them and use them over and over again! I love having the typed weekly menu posted up on our family bulletin board, everyone can see what we are having and on what nights!
My “normal” routine is to do this meal planning on Sunday and then I visit the grocery store that afternoon with my list.
Bonus Tip: At the beginning of the summer, we started something new in our home. When I was planning the meals for the week, I let everyone in the family pick one meal they wanted. There are 4 people in the family, which left 3 days open, one day is usually a Pizza day and the other two days are left overs or I put together something simple with ingredients we already have.
Our kids love the opportunity to choose. I love not being responsible for every meal… everyday!
The biggest benefit I see with weekly meal planning, is not only the money you save at the grocery store, but the decrease of stress…wondering what is for dinner! I dislike the nagging feeling at around 4pm, wondering what to make for dinner and needing to take a trip to the grocery store to get the ingredients…
When you plan, the stress is taken away, the decision has already been made, and the ingredients have been bought!
Recently, I asked on my Facebook page what ideas people had for quick and easy recipes… Especially with football practice right in the middle of the dinner hour, this can be challenging. I received some great ideas! The Crock Pot seemed to be one that came up often. As well as cooking extra meat or chicken and then freezing it for later. I like the idea of making a large amount of food like chili and freezing the leftovers for another night.
If you have any other ideas to share, please do! I am sure we all could use a little extra help!
Happy Organizing!
