A Meal Planning Guide for the Beginners on a Budget

Meal planning is a great help for people who are busy throughout the week. It can be a good option for anyone and everyone who wants to have an organized life.

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A Meal Planning Guide for the Beginners on a Budget

You can do better when you have a planned way to go. Plan your meal, so you can get enough time for cooking after finishing other work you have already scheduled. It can save you money and helps you to go according to your budget. There are different ways you can follow to prepare a meal plan. If you are confused about how to make a better meal plan that can help to maintain a budget, check out the discussion below. But before going through the steps let’s know what are the benefits of meal planning other than maintaining your budget to give the importance it deserves.

Benefits of Meal Planning

There are several benefits of meal planning:

• You do not have to be stressed out to figure what to cook for each meal.
• It can be a great way to save some money every month.
• It helps decrease your impulsive shopping as an intentional and more specific grocery list is in your hand.
• You can save time as you already know what to do and how to perform the entire process step by step.
• You can exercise some creative ideas also.
• You get the opportunity to provide a healthier meal to your family.

Steps of Planning a Meal

You need to follow some steps to make a great meal plan that works well with your budget. Keep reading to know what you have to do to plan it simply and easily.

1 – Determine the Best Method for You

There are various methods to prepare a meal. You should choose one according to your schedule and cooking style. Some methods you might like to choose from are discussed below:

• Make-ahead meals: If you don’t have much time during the week to prepare meals, you might like to complete cooking your meals in advance. It will help you to make super-fast weeknight dinners only by reheating the food.
• Batch cooking or freezing: You might like batch cooking if you want to save your time. In this method, you need to prepare multiple batches of a recipe. Then portion out and freeze the food time ahead for your meal.
• Ready-to-cook ingredients: If you want to cook right before serving, you should prepare the ingredients in advance. It will be helpful for a busy weeknight.
• Individually portioned meals: If you want grab-and-go meals or want to fulfill specific health goals, you might choose to prepare foods and use them as individual servings.

2 – Choose Meal(s)

Choose a meal according to your schedule. Decide what is convenient for your family. If you have more time to spend in the kitchen, you can choose any healthy meals. But if you are busy, select a meal that is less time-consuming and easy to prepare. If you want to have a healthy dinner on a busy evening, you should get prepared in advance to avoid stressing out. Click Meal Prepify to get new ideas and recipes for your cooking.

3 – Write Your Menu

Rely mostly on the menus you have tried before. You can add some new ones to exercise your creativity. But remember to keep it simple. If you want to get the best flavor, consider cooking meals from seasonal produce. They are less costly, and make a healthy meal, besides adding variety. Before planning for the week, go through the fridge, pantry, and freezer to stop wasting anything. It will also help you to save money and arrange meal ideas.

4 – Schedule

Make a realistic plan. You should plan according to the schedule you will have throughout the week. See if some days you can manage time to shop before cooking. You need to be prepared for the busy days. List what to cook on which days and whether you need to buy some groceries ahead of time.

5 – Prepare a Shopping List

After you are done with the scheduling, stock ingredients that are for daily use. Prepare a shopping list and stock up the items that you will need on busy days. Keep your storage arranged according to the meal that you are going to prepare in the week ahead. It will be helpful to stick with the meal plan and you do not have to be in a hurry afterward.

6 – Go to the Grocery

Make a shopping routine. Go to the groceries every week and purchase the ingredients that you have listed. Buy ingredients after checking the expiry date. Look for fresh seasonal items. They tend to be healthy and cost less. You need to be careful while shopping. Don’t buy anything depending on the shopkeepers’ word. Stick to the list. Check if anything is left out. Make sure you have got everything in the right amount. Don’t buy more than a necessity to stick to the budget and avoid wastage.

7 – Store Properly

Keep the ingredients you have shopped at the correct place. Store them accordingly. Keep the perishable items in the freezer to keep fresh there. Sort out other ingredients and store them in the pantry and fridge. Cut vegetables like peppers and onions and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator to use for two to three days. Lettuce and other leafy vegetables can stay good in the refrigerator for a week if you wash and dry before storing them. You can keep cooked foods for two to three days in the fridge if correctly processed.

8  – Prepare and Serve the Meal

If you are ready with your planning, the last thing you need to do is cook the meal and serve it well. To fulfill your meal planning you have to go according to the plan. If you have done everything appropriately, preparing the meal will not be so difficult. Cook following your menu and plate it well to make the meal look more appealing.

Planning anything ahead of time is always helpful. To remain healthy and eat sufficiently, you have to track the foods you consume. Meal planning can give you the opportunity. Planning helps you to do things without any stress. It is necessary for healthy mental health. You can have a perfect meal plan if you visit the family members and learn about their opinions. They can also help out with your shopping and cooking. Add reminders not to forget anything from your meal plan. Don’t try to make an overly complicated meal plan. Keep things simple and plan every week according to your budget. Add a special meal plan every once in a while to enjoy any special occasion and surprise your family.