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Meal planning.

I want to do this so badly. We are that family that order in like 3 days a week, if not more. We def need to eat more at home, I just don't know where to start!! How do you typically plan your meals? Do you do a big cook day, where you cook everything, then freeze it until you need it?

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I started meal planning a little over a year ago and it's really not as hard as you think.

For me, I try to have a home-cooked meal about 3 times a week (I make enough for leftovers and a lot of things I can turn into something else). I usually sit down towards the end of the week and plan for the next week. I take into account what we have on hand and what needs to be used up and what is on sale. I also consider if there are any recipes I really want to make or something. I then decide on what we're going to have for dinner for each night and make a list of what I need for each one for the grocery store.

I typically do a lot of cooking on Sunday and freeze or prep stuff. If I'm going to make chili, I make tons for us to eat and some to freeze for dinner another night. Same thing with sauce, lasagnas, pulled pork, etc...(I love disposable aluminum pans!).

The key to meal planning I think is to really sit and think about each day and then just sticking to it.

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I personally cook every single day. I don't do it in batches like some do (say on the weekends). But I also like to repurpose leftovers or at least leftover ingredients and make some quicker meals along with some elaborate ones.

I say you start by making a menu (I have a blank sheet of paper that is labeled Mon, Tues, Wed, etc.) I write down the date and then write in the name of the item I want to make. I decide what to make based on our favorites, based on sales at the supermarket (i read the circular, look at the products and find which sale products match some of our recipes), and also on holidays or other events taking place. Then I make a shopping list. I go to the supermarket once a week and buy for the week ahead.

My meals tend to have 1 or 2 single person leftovers, so DH either takes it for lunch the next day or we freeze it for a "leftover" night.

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I check out my upcoming sales to see if there are any 'can't miss' items that I want to put in rotation for the following week. I also check my pantry to see what I have that I should use.

I think about what I'm craving, ask if there are any cravings from my fam .. and go from there. It actually makes my life WAY easier to know what's coming instead of scrambling at the last second to throw something together Chopped style! And.. I save money.

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I would love to be able to cook every night, but my husband and I both work in Manhattan, by time we get home and pick up the kids, it's already too late to cook and have them eat and be in bed at a decent time. I was hoping with the meal planning I could either make batches, or have stuff ready to be thrown in as soon as we get home.

I am going to look at the circulars and cookbooks, I think at this point it's so overwhelming, that I don't even know where to start!

Thanks!

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I'm a FTWM and the crockpot can be your best friend.

We also grill a lot in the spring, summer and early fall.

You can prep the meat the night before.

I also will just throw together a simple bagged salad, or chop up a cucumber in seasoned vinegar as a quick side.

Cous cous is also really fast to make or you can do the rice in a bag.

I'd go broke and gain a gazillion pounds if I ate out that much!