Do you ever get home at night and wonder, hmmmm what’s for dinner? If this is you, you end up eating about 2 hours later and soon get ready for bed. If you have children in after school activities than you really know the struggle of having to use your time wisely and having dinner ready as soon as possible. Meal planning does take time and patience, but trust me, it is worth it in the end.
It is simple and let me tell you how:
Separate folders in to separate groups ( chicken, beef, pork, sandwiches, soup, etc), that way it is easier for you to go through and figure out what you want to make. Next, go through each group and organize each group to specific days, I like to do Fish Fridays and Soup Sundays. After you figure out what you want for each day of the upcoming week write down the items that you need to buy from the store, this process usually takes about 15 minutes. You can choose to prep your meals ahead of time and get them ready in freezer bags, or you can cook ahead of time in a casserole dish to heat up the night of. This process definitely takes the longest but it all depends on what works best for you. Cooking the day of is what most people have in mind, but having that plan of what you’re having each day cuts your prep time drastically. On the nights that the kids have sporting events or you have limited time, make them nights into crockpot days or recipes that are very simple and quick.
Make sure your meal plans are those that still give you the type of foods your body needs with the ease of continuing your everyday life.