Every January, our family quits restaurants. It’s a natural rhythm for us. After all, the months of November and December bring with them jubilation and celebration. We dine out more than normal. Friends and family gather together to break bread both in homes and out on the town. Special dishes appear during this special time of the year (hello, Gingerbread Latte). Caught up in the joy and the wonder, we often over do it — both when it comes to our wallets and our waistlines.
So in January, we pull back. We eat all of our meals at home. No coffee on the go, no special treats after school, no trips through the drive through on busy evenings. Instead, we stock up the refrigerator and go.
Then February rolls around and we indulge in a few cravings but try to keep dining out at a minimum. But somehow, in late February into early March, our calendars overflow. It’s tough to find time to even get to the grocery store, let alone cook a meal for the entire family.
It’s during these seasons of life that meal planning pays for itself in spades. Not only do we spend less by dining at home, we also tend to eat healthier. And the family conversation around the dinner table is sweeter and fuller than it is in a noisy restaurant. All of those benefits come only at the expense of some simple planning. The sacrifice is well worth the effort.
If you’ve never meal planned before, the task can seem daunting and overwhelming. But there are a few guiding principles you can use to keep on track.
Keep intentional staples
Eating at home doesn’t mean you’ll be any less busy in life. For this reason, it’s good to keep a variety of foods on hand that are easy to prepare that also have a long shelf life. You’ll want those items to be flexible as well. The more meals you can add them to, the better. While each family will have their favorites, these are the products that help our family stay full without draining our bank account.
Rice: A plain Jasmine rice can be prepared quickly and become a suitable side for nearly every cuisine. I often make a double batch and stretch the dish into the next night’s meal, too. I’ve taken to preparing rice in the oven instead of on the stove top.
Pasta: Again, pasta has great flexibility and keeps on your shelf for many months.
Frozen veggies: Don’t merely depend on carbs, add some color and nutrients to your meals. For us, frozen green beans and corn work best for a quick and easy fix.
Eggs: On evenings when life is crazy, a simple egg sandwich or scrambled eggs can be made in minutes.
Potatoes: While potatoes don’t have as long of a shelf life as the other items listed, they do provide options as a side dish.
Know what you have BEFORE you shop
Each and every dollar counts when you grocery shop. Buying duplicates leads to both food and financial waste. This is why making a list at home is key. Not only will you cut down on the temptation to buy unnecessary products, you’ll also be making the best use of what’s already in your fridge, freezer, pantry and cabinets.
Make a written plan
Weekly, make a habit of writing out your meal plan. For me, Sunday night is the most accessible time to look at my calendar and think through which nights will be busy and what evenings I’ll have more time to cook. By the way, it’s totally fine to occasionally pick up a pizza or head out to eat. But make that experience part of your overall meal plan. You can pick the place in advance and are more likely to enjoy dining out more. Instead of the hurried rush of quickly trying to decide with everyone squabbling.
Be flexible
Even when there’s a plan in place, rarely does life roll along according to our set specifications. You need be flexible enough to vary your plan when a curveball heads your direction. A meal plan helps you know that you have the ingredients on hand necessary to make enough meals to for your family during a set period of time. But that doesn’t mean you can switch nights or side dishes when life goes haywire.
Fall back on themes
Most families fall into the pattern of eating some dishes over and over again. This is totally fine. You don’t have to serve a different vegetable every night of the month. Sometimes, having a set “theme” like Taco Tuesday or Friday Night Pizza gives our brains the break we need to not worry about needing to make a big fuss. Whether it’s a deli sandwich night or breakfast for dinner, allow rhythms of tried and true family favorites.
Build on leftovers
Leftovers make fantastic lunches. They can make fabulous second dinners, too. When you’re planning, consider using either side dishes (like the rice mentioned above) or even main dishes to repurpose into a subsequent meal. This works especially when cooking large cuts of meat such as whole chickens, pork loins or hams. An added bonus of this practice is being able to cut your meal prep time in half the next evening.
Skip meal planning kits
Home meal subscription services are incredibly popular. While the exposure to new dishes is never a bad thing, these types of programs have a huge mark up. The service they provide should be viewed as an occasional treat in the same lens as dining out, rather than a central component of your meals.
