The Importance of Meal Planning

I am not what one would call an organized person.  Sometimes this basic tenet of my personality drives me crazy.  I really wish I were on top of things, but more times that not, I honestly don't have a clue what's going on.  Also I forget things easily and I...what was I saying?  You get the point.

But back in the fall, I decided that my grocery budget was out of control, and the main reason it was out of control was the simple fact that we were grocery shopping too often.  The more times you step foot into the grocery store, the more opportunity you have for impulse buys, and the grocery store marketing team is an expert at setting you up for these impulse buys.  Whether it's a last minute reward for your kid or a sudden treat for you, those chips and M&Ms have a way of making it into your cart, or my cart anyway.

So back in November, we started meal planning.  I took stock of my freezer, fridge and cabinets, thought of a few meals I could make with what we already had, wrote out a list of other meals we like and the ingredients we would need, and voila, a meal plan for the next four weeks came together.

I honestly wasn't sure I could stick with it at first.  Like I said, Type A, I am not, so I viewed the first month or two as something of a trial.  Of course, the holiday season--with its unexpected treats and meals out--managed to throw some weeks out of whack, but such is life.

There are a few things that I love about meal planning.  First, one of the things I always tended to forget in my pre-plan days was to actually take meat out of the freezer, so I would have a fully stocked freezer, yet nothing to eat.  And I know I can thaw things in the microwave, but it always seems to partially cook and make the meat kind of tough.  Second, my husband is organized, and he loves the idea of knowing what's coming ahead of time.  And third, it's definitely saved us money.

The first month, I kept it very bare bones.  In fact, I pretty much forgot to buy snack or lunch food.  It kept the budget down, but it's not practical as a stay at home mom of little ones to have ZERO snack food and rely solely on dinner leftovers as next-day lunches.

The first month...sloppy, confusing with lots of changes to account for the holiday season.  I also kept track of how much we spent in the margin.  Where is says "fish" is not actually fish, but a local farm, Fish Family Farm, where I buy milk and sometimes eggs.

The following month, I bought a few more snacky items, but honestly the cost of granola bars and such is astronomical.  Especially considering my kid loves food in bar form and would eat 10 granola bars a day if I let him.  Add in my fight against GMOs, high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils and purchasing bars just came to seem like a losing battle.

December 2013, still contains lots of holiday craziness, still has margin notes on extra trips to various markets, and still lacks any kind of mention or lunch or snacks.

So to keep costs down, I started making bars.  It's really easy and I promise I'll post a recipe soon.  But the point is, by not buying convenience foods, I can spend more on organic/GMO-free ingredients and make those items myself.  

Another way to keep costs down is to be diligent in price comparisons.  My sister learned that she can get a better deal on things like organic flour, sugar, and organic snack/lunch foods by ordering through Amazon.  So she orders, using Prime and Subscribe and Save to save money, and we split orders.

So here is a rough guide to meal planning:

1. Take stock.  What do you already have?  Boxes of pasta? Packages of frozen meat?  Bags of frozen veggies? Make a list of all the major ingredients you already own.

2. Keeping the above list in mind, write down meals you like and eat frequently.

3. Take out a calendar and see how your month looks.  Do you have a date on the horizon? Plans with friends? A special birthday dinner? Take those things into account when making out your plan.

4. Write or type out a grid of the next four weeks.

5. Fill in the blanks with your planned meals.

6. Referencing your meal plan, make a shopping list.  Don't forget snacks and breakfast/lunch food.

7. Do a little price comparison.  Do you have a mega-mart nearby? We do our major ingredient shopping at our local mega-mart, then I hit Whole Foods for meat.

Some things to consider.  First, going vegetarian once or twice a week will save you money.  I occasionally replace the meat in our tacos with beans or serve just spaghetti with a side salad rather than meatballs or chicken Parmesan.  Next, buying seasonal fruits and veggies will also save you money, plus it's better for the environment and your local economy.  Third, think about the days you are busiest and either plan a leftover night or use your Crock-pot those days.  Last, buying ingredients and making your own food will cut down your budget, allowing you to buy organic/GMO-free foods for your family.

The month ahead, a far more readable plan, with a space for monetary notes in the margin and suggestions below for breakfast, lunch and snacks.  Getting better at this whole planning ahead thing.