5 Ways Meal Planning Can Save You Money and How to Start Today

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This is a sponsored post brought to you by Katherine's Epic Meal Planning. We at ABQ Mom strive to work with businesses we feel would benefit our readers.

Did you know that Americans waste 108 BILLION pounds of food each year? That is nearly 40% of all food purchased in the United States! How sad to think that 40% of the food purchased in our country goes to waste. And wasting food is the same as money going down the drain.

When my daughter was born with health issues in 2009, I made the decision to quit my job and stay home with her. Shortly after that we were “surprised” with another pregnancy that turned out to be “surprise” – TWINS!

With four kids under the age of six and less income, I soon realized I needed to buckle down on our grocery budget. That’s when I discovered the benefits of meal planning.

Meal Planning has so many benefits and has become something I am truly passionate about. Meal planning can help you save time in the kitchen and therefore reduce much of the stress involved with cooking and more so, the stress involved with deciding what to make each night.

5 Ways Meal Planning Can Save You Money and How to Start Today

Another benefit is healthier meals. People who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier and consume fewer calories than those who cook less, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

Numerous studies have also shown a direct correlation to the benefits of sitting down and eating as a family. Eating together as a family helps children develop communication skills, build self-esteem, and learn better eating habits. Children who routinely eat dinner together with their families even perform better in school. 

Meal planning is also a great tool to help you save money. Here are five ways meal planning can save you money and help stretch your grocery budget.

1. STICKING TO A LIST

By planning your meals, you know what you need in advance and can stick to a shopping list, instead of guessing the ingredients you might need to create meals and over-purchasing. How many times have you found yourself at the check out with way more than you came in for? Sticking to a list greatly reduces impulse buying.

2. FEWER TRIPS TO THE STORE

Planning your meals also means fewer trips to the grocery store and fewer opportunities for impulse buying, not to mention a huge time savings.  

3. SHOP FROM YOUR PANTRY

When planning in advance, you have the opportunity to check your pantry and freezer first to avoid duplicate purchases. This not only decreases how much you are spending, but it also helps you use up what you already have.

4. LESS FOOD WASTE

Throwing food away is the same as tossing your hard earned money in the trash. When you plan your meals in advance, you then know exactly what ingredients you need to make each meal. If you need three carrots, buy three carrots instead of a 5 lb bag!

5. DITCH THE DRIVE-THRU

If you have your meals planned out, you are far less tempted to order take out or hit the drive-thru. Restaurant meals are easily four times as expensive as cooking at home or more! Reducing the amount that you eat out is probably the biggest impact you can make on your budget AND your health.

So where to start?

The first step in meal planning is to make some lists.

Make a list of your favorite meals. Make a list of budget-friendly meals. Make a list of quick and easy meals. Make a list of meals you can freeze in advance. Introduce some variety and keep a list of meals you want to try out. There are plenty of sites online that can give you inspiration and help you find recipes and even complete meal plans.

Once you have meals to pull from, take a look at the calendar.

What meals will work with your schedule each day? Slow cooker meals are great if you are going to be out of the house. There are also lots of meals out there that can be made in 20 minutes or less. Or maybe you have a little more time one night and can get the kids involved when trying a new recipe. Schedule in as much as you can but also stay flexible. I often schedule in a “leftovers night” so we can use up what we have and avoid more food waste. 

Start off small by scheduling 3-4 weekdays.

Work towards scheduling a full week. The more you get into the habit of planning, the more efficient you will get. Eventually you can work up to scheduling a full month’s worth of meals, only going to the grocery store once a week for milk, eggs, and fresh produce. Whether you are planning for one week or three months, find what works for you and stick to it until it’s a habit.

Finally, you will make your shopping list and head to the store.

Save time at the store by organizing your list into categories. Take a minute to check out the sales and compare them to your list. Shop for what is in season but don’t forget about frozen items too. They can be a real time saver. (Think diced onions, sliced peppers, mixed veggies, etc.) Save money by comparing prices before you leave the house. Big warehouse stores can often save you money but not always, especially if you don’t use everything. Often times they will have better prices on bulk produce. But your local grocery store may beat them out on bulk meat prices.

You’d be amazed to see that the more you plan, the easier and faster it gets. Your fridge will look emptier as your efficiency increases and you eliminate unused items. You will be able to see your pantry shelves again as you use up all those beans you purchased in bulk. Prepping fresh meals and snacks in advance will reduce your stress levels and help you eat healthier. All while saving you money and stretching your grocery budget to the max. 

I am a local meal planner and would love to help you get your meal planning game off the ground! I help busy families spend less time in the kitchen and more time with each other with good food made real fast. Join my Facebook group for details on freezer meal prep, daily recipes, and free meal plans.

Katherine Morgan, meal planner, and her family

Meet the author:

Katherine Morgan is a local meal planner and mom of four. Her services include custom meal planning, cooking classes, demos, freezer meal prep, and more! When not in the kitchen, she can be found cheering for her kids at the ball field, gymnastics event, basketball court, or helping out at their school. She loves that her meal planning business allows her to be so involved with her busy family and wouldn’t have it any other way! You can connect with her through linktr.ee/katherine.morgan.