TIPS FOR MEAL PLANNING

REPOST NUMBER 3


WHEN YOU PLAN YOUR MEALS, EACH WEEKEND SHOULD HAVE A SMALL LIST OF PERISHABLES THAT YOU NEED TO BUY FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEKS MEALS. SUCH AS DAIRY, FRUIT, AND FRESH VEGETABLES. ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS CAN BE PURCHASED ON YOUR ORIGINAL SHOPPING TRIP. IF I MEAL PLAN FOR A MONTH, EACH DAY IS FILLED OUT AND EACH WEEKEND HAS A SMALL PRE-PLANNED LIST OF THESE ITEMS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.  ALL MY MEALS AND ALL SHOPPING LISTS WERE PLANNED AND WRITTEN DOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH SO IT'S SMOOTH SAILING FOR 30 DAYS OR SO! HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT I HAVE FOUND USEFUL:

PLAN FOR ONE MONTH SO YOU CAN BUY MEAT IN SUPER PACKS AND SPLIT UP THE PORTIONS BEFORE FREEZING

DO YOUR HOMEWORK AS TO WHERE THE BEST PRICES ARE ON MEAT....SUPER PACKS MAKE YOU THINK OF COSTCO, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT COSTCO IS  OFTEN ,QUITE OFTEN, NOT THE CHEAPEST!

MAKE MEALS THAT USE THE SAME PERISHABLE INGREDIENTS IN THE SAME WEEK SO YOU AREN'T WASTING ANYTHING.
EX... BAKED POTATOES AT ONE MEAL AND TACOS AT ANOTHER....SAME SOUR CREAM TUB

PLAN YOUR SNACKS AND BUY THEM ON YOUR ORIGINAL SHOPPING TRIP ...THIS SAVES YOU FROM RUNNING TO THE STORE FOR CHIPS OR ICE CREAM AND WON'T TEMPT YOU TO GRAB MORE THAN THAT!

MAKE CASSEROLES SUCH AS MANICOTTI AND MAKE ONE DISH FOR NOW AND PUT ONE IN THE FREEZER FOR A QUICK SUPPER IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

NUMBER ONE TIP.....IF YOU PUT THE WORK INTO PLANNING AND SHOPPING FOR YOUR MEALS....STICK TO THE PLAN.....DON'T LET YOURSELF WANDER AND RUN TO THE STORE BECAUSE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE HAVING WHAT YOU WROTE DOWN. STICK TO IT AND MAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE FOR NEXT MONTH. YOU WILL GET BETTER AT VARIETY AS YOU DO IT! SOON YOU WILL BE HORRIFIED AT THE IDEA OF NOT FOLLOWING THE PLAN! LOL!

THIS HAS BEEN CRAZY GREAT IN OUR HOUSE FOR SAVING ALOT OF MONEY OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO FOR HAVING A BETTER VARIETY IN MEALS, AND ALOT LESS WASTE. EVERYTHING THAT IS BOUGHT HAS A PURPOSE AND GETS USED UP.

THE ONLY "FOOD" ITEMS THAT I STOCK UP ON ARE COFFEE,(WE HAVE AN ADDICTION), AND EARL BUYS SEVERAL BOXES OF CEREAL WHEN THEY GO ON SALE BUT HE EATS SEVERAL BOXES IN A WEEK SO THEY ARE NEVER OLD!

HAPPY MEAL PLANNING!