Weekly Meal Planning (Along with the Shopping List That Preserves My Sanity)

We cook most evenings because we truly like it, not because we feel compelled to. It is a creative outlet, a healthy habit, and, to be honest, a way to save money that seems especially wise when supermarket expenses are rising due to inflation. Additionally, because my spouse and I both work from home, we must have a plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that uses readily available products.

Why I am hooked with meal prep and why it works

A meal prep grocery list is your new best friend whether you are trying to eat healthier, cut costs, or simply break the pattern of impulsive takeaway orders that leave you feeling bloated and a little guilty. It serves as the cornerstone. The blueprint. The true key to having your "we will only cook at home" goals come true.

My Sunday custom. browsing the aisles and possibly purchasing an expensive latte. However, after COVID? I will never go back once we switched to grocery delivery. It now just takes ten minutes at most, whereas it used to take up most of my afternoon. from my mobile device. in my bed linens.

Every Sunday, I simply glance over the list, make adjustments based on what we still have, and add anything we need for the week's meals because we have a rolling cart filled with our essentials (bananas, oat milk, eggs, you name it). We are done with last-minute shopping runs, standing in line, and placing frantic orders at six of the clock in the evening from a subpar delivery app after Amazon Fresh and Costco deliver the products by Monday morning.

Do you want meal preparation to feel like a reality?

Because dinner preparation does not have to feel like just another task on your list, here's what has worked for me over the years.

Five Easy Steps to Weekly Meal Prep

1. Let rotisserie chickens handle the labor-intensive tasks.

The best part of my dinner preparation is using Costco or Whole Foods rotisserie chickens. For quick comfort food, I shred them and add them to salads, tacos, wraps, or combine with noodles and sauce. They reduce your week by hours without compromising taste.

2. Make food preparation a family pastime.

Give your children a stack of large index cards and ask them to make a "recipe deck." For dishes they enjoy, write down the name, ingredients, and the source (a cookbook or website link). They can assist with selecting 3–4 for the week on Sundays. Bonus: It also functions as a subtle artistic endeavor.

3. Make an appointment for your preparation time.

I give myself an hour every Monday night after the kids have gone to bed. I prepare the food, chop the vegetables, and roast what I can.

4. Maintain a loaded and locked pantry.

I always keep a few things on hand because they serve as the foundation for almost everything:

Spices: crushed red pepper, oregano, ginger, chili powder, and cumin

Olive oil, sesame oil, balsamic, and rice wine vinegar are examples of oils and vinegars.

Products in cans: chicken bone broth, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, and San Marzano tomatoes

Proteins and grains: red rice, jasmine rice, and quinoa (particularly the microwaveable Seeds of Change variety).

Nuts and seeds: almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, hemp, sunflower, and chia

Extras include almond butter, peanut butter, and SodaStream sparkling water (for hydration, but add some flair).

The Benefits of Meal Planning, Even if Only a Little

You do not have to be the type of person who labels refrigerator bins and has spreadsheets with color coding. However, having a simple plan—just a general notion of what you will have for supper every day of the week—can save hours of time and reduce the number of decisions your brain has to make.

And I can inspire you if you need it. Our best quick, simple, and healthful supper dishes are compiled here; the majority are kid-friendly and take no more than 30 minutes to prepare.

Food is only one aspect of meal preparation. It has to do with sanity. about lowering tension.