The one small thing I do for our family that saves us the most is meal planning. It might sound tedious and like something you may not want to do but I guarantee it’s worth it! Once a month, I sit down and evaluate our food situation. I look through the pantry/fridge/freezer and make a mental list of everything we have. From there, I have a good foundation to base the month’s meal plan on.
One month may sound like a long time to plan for so you could definitely do this every week or every two weeks but I find the money saving potential a lot more appealing with a monthly meal plan. This way, I can buy an ingredient in bulk and repeat it throughout the month. (Not to mention that I only have to do it once a month… really… it’s all about laziness!)
I only grocery shop (I call it my Big Shop) twice a month or every two weeks. This helps me avoid impulse buys. Now, I do go to the grocery store every other week as well to stock up on the veggies we need for the week but that’s IT! It’s so important to follow the list and stick to it. This guarantees you will stick to your budget and your bank account will thank you.
My meal plan may change every month but the general idea stays the same. I start off by sitting down with my family and having each of them (in this case me and my husband) make a list of their Top 10 favourite meals. This works well because I then already have twenty meals to choose from without even batting an eye!
As you can see, my hubby isn’t the best at being specific but it gives me a general idea. Once I’ve gathered the meal ideas, I move on to the next step: Theme Nights! I know it sounds really silly but I assign a theme to every night of the week for the month. For the month of June, my themes are
Monday
BBQ Chicken Night
Tuesday
International Night
Wednesday
BBQ Pork or Oven Roast Night
Thursday
Pasta Night
Friday
Hamburger Night
Saturday
Breakfast For Dinner
Sunday
Leftover/Freezer/Pantry Night
There are a few more rules I always follow:
-
At least one meal per week is vegetarian (this cuts down cost since meat is generally the most expensive ingredient in a meal)
- Our lunches are usually leftovers so I plan to make extra
- I stick to the meal plan no matter what so if know I will have company, I either plan for it ahead or work with what I have.
- I schedule one night a month to go out to a restaurant and work it into our budget
- I make as many things homemade as I possibly can
That’s it! The next part is the fun part. I check out the flyers and select meals for the month.
SAMPLE MEAL PLAN
Week 1
June 10 (M) – Chicken Kabobs in a Balsamic Marinade with Brown Rice and Seasonal Grilled Vegetables
June 11 (T) – Garlic Spare Ribs with Vegetable Fried Rice
June 12 
– BBQ Pork Chops with Garden Salad
June 13 (Th) – Spicy Thai Noodles (vegetarian)
June 14 (F) – Turkey Burgers with Garden Salad
June 15 (S) – Classic Bacon & Eggs with Toast and Sliced Tomatoes
June 16 (Su) – Leftover Night
Week 2
June 17 (M) – Grilled Chicken Club Wraps with Oven Fries
June 18 (T) – Pork Enchiladas
June 19 – Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Memphis Style Coleslaw
June 20 (Th) – Spicy Sausage & Pepper Pasta
June 21 (F) – Vegetarian Omelettes with Garden Salad
June 22 (S) – Beef Burgers with Coleslaw and Garden Salad
June 23 (Su) – Pantry Meal
*NB: I knew in advance I was having company over on Saturday night so I decide to switch Friday and Saturday’s theme to accommodate my guests.
Week 3
June 24 (M) – Chicken Kabobs in a Red Wine and Garlic marinade with Grilled Potatoes and Garden Salad
June 25 (T) – Chicken Fajitas with Homemade Salsa and Black Bean Dip
June 26 – BBQ Ribs and Oven Fries
June 27 (Th) – Pasta with Tomato Basil Marinara (Vegetarian)
June 28 (F) – Sloppy Joes with a Garden Salad
June 29 (S) – Huevos Rancheros
June 30 (Su) – Leftover Night
Week 4
July 1 (M) – BBQ Lunch and Restaurant Night!*
July 2 (T) – Vegetarian Stir Fry with Chow Mein Noodles
July 3 – Pork Souvlaki with Rice and Greek Salad
July 4 (Th) – Spicy Thai Noodles
July 5 (F) – Turkey Burgers with Oven Fries
July 6 (S) – French Toast, Bacon, and Fresh Fruit
July 7 (Su) – Pantry Meal
*We are moving to our new home July 1st with lots of help from wonderful people. It’s only fitting we provide the food and the beer, right?
So there you have it! One month worth of meals in my home! I then make a list of all the ingredients needed and write up a grocery list for two weeks at a time. I shop for our meat at the local butcher’s. It saves me money since I only ever buy what I need unless they’ve got a super sale on at the grocery store.
To this list, I will add things like drinks, snack, and breakfast items. If you are anything like us, you are stuck in a rut and you eat the same breakfast almost every day! I make all of our baked goods at home now so none of those make it on the list.
It might seem intimidating at first but once you get the hang of it, it really is a breeze! And you know what? It’s so nice not to have to look at the clock, realize it’s almost dinner time and not have a clue what to make for supper! It’s all planned out in advance.
Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead! Make a plan!
She Smiles On A Budget 