If you are like Briana- you ROCK at meal planning and this will be a breeze for you. But.... if you're more like me (Sarah), well, you might get to day three and be overwhelmed. There is hope for me and for you, Mama! Either way, check out our methods below and see what works for you!

 

Briana's Meal Planning:

Thank you for the compliment Sarah!

 

My need to be efficient with meal planning arose from the simple fact that I live 25 minutes, one way, from the grocery store (add 10 minutes to that in the winter!). And with small babies in tow there for quite a few years, I did not have the luxury of wasting time while in the store, or to make multiple trips a week to shop. I had one chance, each week, to get it right.

 

Initially when I sit down to plan my grocery list, I go through recipes Ive saved recently, or look through my trusty handwritten recipe book. I like to make sure our protein is well rounded. A little seafood, poultry, red meat and a vegetarian meal. Then I seek out a meal to meet each of these needs. I typically choose 4, sometimes 5 dinner meals because most of what I make lasts 2 days. I also make sure to decide on lunches and any snacks or extras we may need at this time too.

 

Once I have my meals nailed down, I separate my list into 4 sections (click HERE to see the shopping list section of this site for visuals on this process!). Then, as I go through each recipe, I list my needed ingredients into the appropriate section on my list (i.e. Bananas would go under my "Fresh" section, Milk would go under "Dairy").

 

Basically look at the layout of your grocery store and identify sections where you can find certain items in one area and name it. This prevents backtracking and wasting time!!!! Our grocery store is 5 acres in size, so criss crossing all over the place to find things is just not an option!

 

Then, when it's all said and done, I have a dry erase board on the fridge where I write out the meals for the week. That way I don't forget (therefore letting food items rot or go to waste), and the family knows what's coming their way in the next 7 days!
 

 

Sarah's Style:

I can get through about three days of meal planning and then --- things happen and I can't seem to stick to the plan. So if you are like me, give meal planning a go for the first part of the week then continue with the following...

 

The "Sales Meal Planning Method"

 

Its super easy-not organized though... and not the best idea if you are in a time crunch.  But it does accomplish the goal, groceries in the house and meals on the menu (which were on sale!)

 

Use the exterior of the store and stick to the produce and cold sections. Make your (PRIMARILY ORGANIC) selections based upon what is on sale and what you need. Buy a variety of veggies, and of course your salad items. My go to meal is "loaded salads," as long as you have organic romaine lettuce, spinach or mixed greens in the cart you can make a few meals! You can build a meal beginning with the sale items and get creative when you return home.

I always have beans (both black and garbonzo) on hand because I rinse and throw these on my salads. I also make hummus almost everyday. Pick up some cheese and eggs, you can always hard boil some eggs to top your salad. Also if you have the nuts on hand (ie....for Briana's Breakfast Balls) then you have a vareity of nuts which put croutons to the test as they add a crunch to every bite with nutritional benefits that outweigh the croutons! Visit the grains isle and pick up some quinoa or quinoa noodles too! Quinoa is a great source of protein and perfect to put on the bottom of a salad bowl. Quinoa noodles are a great side to top with olive oil and sea salt!

 

Know your "go to" or "staples" that you always need to have and make sure to pick these up.

I always have to buy: coffee, unsweetened almond milk, eggs, organic milk for the babies, cheese, organic yogurt,  organic of the following: grapes,  spinach, bananas, celery, apples, carrots, avacados, lemons, garbonzo or chick peas (same thing) etc..

 

Once you get home flip through our site or google recipe ideas with your some of your groceries on hand and then "MRL Recipe Rehab it up" substituting out the bad ingredients for some of our healthier options.

Build a 3 day menu off of what you picked up and what you have in your MRL pantry.

 

Now, you may have to go to the store again over the weekend, but this works better for me as I have two little ones I always have with me and two shorter trips is better than one long trip. Plus once you have been through the store and know what is on sale you can stock up on the items you use often and build some more meals off of the sale items for the next trip!

 

Work with what you've got Mama!

Still Trying,

 

Sarah