Only 29% of Americans plan their meals for the week. Are you one of them?
Meal planning saves both time and money. When you know what you’re going to eat for the week, you don’t stress about meals. And instead of spending hundreds of dollars each month eating out, you save money by cooking at home.
If you’re thinking of trying healthy weekly meal plans but don’t know where to begin, here are five tips to get you started.
1. Shop Sales and Make a Plan
One of the best ways to get started with meal planning is to shop the sales. When you look at your local grocery ad, find foods that are on sale that you can use in recipes throughout the week. Plan out your meals this way instead of using complicated recipes.
Before shopping, look over your local ads and see what the best sales are for that week, and make a list. Making a list keeps you accountable and may deter you from buying food you don’t really need.
2. Try a Subscription Box
If you’re truly pressed for time and still want to save money, try a meal subscription box. These meal subscription boxes come with a few meals for you to prepare with the ingredients already portioned out and measured. All you need to do is follow the directions.
There are even subscription boxes that offer specific foods like produce or even the best meat subscription box. These save time because you have frozen meat or fresh vegetables delivered to your door.
3. Double up on Recipes
Making the recipes and then doubling them saves you even more time, especially if it’s with healthy food. When you find a recipe you love, or that’s easy to make, double up on it and eat it a few times that week.
Finding a recipe you love always makes things easier. Keep at least 10 recipes you enjoy making on hand so you know what ingredients you need. Your preparation will go faster when you’re familiar with a recipe.
4. Stick to Healthy
Healthy foods cook and freeze well. The best healthy family meal plans contain whole foods like meat, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. Make sure you have an abundance of these foods included in your weekly meal plan to ensure that your family gets their fill of wholesome foods.
5. Have the Right Storage
While you may have easy-to-make recipes, you need to ensure that they stay stored properly so they don’t spoil throughout the week.
One way to do this is by investing in a set of containers or jars that seal out air and moisture. Make sure that if you need to reheat food, the containers are microwave safe, or if you need to freeze it, freezer safe.
Start Making Your Healthy Weekly Meal Plans
Healthy weekly meal plans save you time and they can be incredibly delicious. Not having to pick up dinner on the way home from work is a stress reliever for you and your family.
Are you looking for new recipes to add to your weekly rotation? Check out our website for more ideas!
