Okay, so today I want to talk about something that I’ve been trying to get a handle on – meal planning. It’s one of those things that sounds simple enough, but in the hustle and bustle of daily life, it can get away from you.
So, I started by listing out what I wanted to eat for the week. I sat down on a Sunday afternoon with a notepad, and I just jotted down some meal ideas. It wasn’t fancy, just some basic stuff that I knew I liked and were relatively easy to make.
Then, I checked my fridge and pantry to see what I already had. No point in buying stuff that’s already there, right? This also helped me figure out what meals I could make with what I had on hand.
Next, I made a grocery list based on the meals I planned and the ingredients I was missing. I tried to organize it by section, like produce, dairy, meats, to make the shopping trip quicker.
I went to the grocery store and stuck to my list. This was tough! I wanted to add some good food to the cart. I had to remind myself that deviating from the list would mess up the whole plan, so I did.
After getting home, I did some basic meal prep. I washed and chopped veggies, cooked some grains, and marinated some chicken. This took a bit of time, but it saved me so much time during the week.
Throughout the week, I followed my meal plan. It wasn’t always perfect, and I did a good arrangement from time to time, but having a plan made a huge difference. It was so much easier to come home and know what I was going to make, rather than staring into the fridge feeling lost.
Here are a few things I learned along the way:
- Start small: You don’t have to plan every single meal for the week. Maybe start with dinners or just a few meals.
- Be flexible: Life happens. Sometimes you won’t feel like cooking what you planned, and that’s okay. Just have some backup options or be prepared to swap meals around.
- Prep is key: Doing some basic prep on the weekend can save you tons of time during the week. Even just chopping veggies can make a big difference.
So, that’s my experience with meal planning so far. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s definitely helped me save time, eat healthier, and reduce food waste. I’m still figuring it out, but I thought I’d share my journey in case it helps anyone else out there. If you have any tips or tricks, feel free to share them in the comments!
