8 Simple Tips to Meal Plan Like a Boss

Hi, Hey, Hello! Warning: Don’t read if you’re hungry 🙂

You’re here today because you’re either curious about what I eat, looking for a meal plan or how to set your week up for sucess. Either way, grab a cup of coffee (I sadly ran out this morning), pen, paper and start taking some notes. In our house, the hubby handles paying all the bills, budgeting, etc. While I on the other hand, handle more the of the day-to-day household chores i.e., meal planning, shopping, etc. BTW — Check out his annual budget spreadsheet HERE. Yes, he lays out an annual budget. I’ll save that for another post.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Hummus

Back to meal planning. Why do I meal plan? Well, for a few reasons which include: creating healthy nutritious meals, to limit dining out/ordering in, and to save money. One of my goals for 2018 is to cut our food budget in half — keeping it roughly between $400-$500 a month. It’s not because we’re hurting for money it’s simply because we have lofty financial goals. Besides, I think you would agree to spend $700- $1,000 a month, not including meals out, for 3 people is just ridiculous. Plus, I love challenging myself. Once I have a few months under my belt I’ll share my tips and tricks. Right now I’m in the trenches and only have $55 left for January or I’ll go over budget. Not a biggy, but I’m trying hard to stay under $500!

I’ve always loosely meal planned, but as of January first things got serious. As in I was actually paying attention to how much I was spending. And no we’re not doing the envelope system. While some people need that we don’t. We like the cash back on our card, plus we pay off our credit cards in FULL every month – yes every month! We have zero debt aside from our house and my car… that’s for another post. Back to meal planning…. how do you become a Meal Planning Machine/Boss? Simple, make a plan, write it down and stick to it 🙂

7 Simple Tips to Meal Plan/Prep Like a Boss

1. Once a week take an inventory of your fridge and pantry. I like to do this Saturday night because I typically shop on Sunday for the week.

2. Think about what you could make using what you already have. We keep our freezer stocked with meat and fish. Plan your meals around what you have first then dive into Pinterest or a cookbook for additional ideas.

3. Decide on 3-4 meals, but make sure they are big enough to provide leftovers for the days you aren’t cooking.

4. Yes, you need to eat leftovers. This will help cut spending and you don’t have to cook dinner every night.

5. Think about the staples you need to the week. i.e., coffee, milk, fresh fruit, snacks, etc.

6. Don’t forget about breakfast and lunch. Every Monday I cook the hubby a frittata for the week. It’s super easy and makes breakfast effortless. He doesn’t get bored because we constantly switch up the combinations, which are endless.

7. Prep what you can Sunday night. For example, we eat a ton of potatoes so I’ll chop them all Sunday so all I have to do is add spices and oil before roasting.

8. Think about using your slow cooker once a week. A few examples include pulled chicken/pork, soup, chili, bread, etc.

If you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack inspiration make sure to check out my IG stories. Because that’s where I share all the details about what I eat daily.

P.S. Get your kids involed. Emerons LOVES helping me in the kitchen and is proud

Do you meal prep? I would love to hear some of your tips.