Planning ahead helps our family save money, and cuts additional stress out of trying to decide what is for dinner. If you do not plan ahead, then you will wind up having to throw away food that was previously purchased with good intentions, due to expiration dates or freezer burn. A waste of money, time and food you did not get to eat.
Make a weekly plan around what is on your shelf or in your freezer. Shopping with coupons and two for ones help too. Buy in bulk and divide portions for meal time. Label and date your freezer goods. List all the meals your family likes. Plan your side items to go with your main dish. To be versatile mix it up so your family will not get tired of chicken tacos, chicken potpie and chicken dumplings. Instead, plan beef tacos, pork, and chicken meals.
You will need to plan the time necessary to prepare your meals. Planning your weekly meals, will be no help to you if you do not include the time. Review your weekly calendar for your busy days and less busy days. Plan your easy meals on the busy days. Tacos, grilled cheese, smoked chops and grits. (Quick fixes to prepare fast.) To save some time the night before your next planned meal, you could brown beef for tacos, or chop vegetables, or take your frozen meat out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator.
I especially love planning meals with my crock pot. Takes just a few minutes in the morning before work to brown a roast and pop it in the crock pot. Add some veggies and a complete meal is ready when you arrive home. The aroma in the house is awesome. I love to come home and open the door and smell dinner all ready to eat. Fall and winter time is fast approaching us, and planning soup time with the crock pot is a cinch. Leftovers can be eaten for lunch or frozen for another meal plan day, thus, saving you time and is easy on your budget.
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