Every week we’re tasked with our regular trip to the grocery store, often filling up our trolleys with the same ingredients and sticking to our beloved (yet slightly repetitive) weekly meals. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Meal planning is a great way to get out of auto-pilot grocery shopping, broaden your weekly menu, and if you follow the steps below, you might just save a few extra bucks (who doesn’t love a saving?).
To meal plan like a pro we have put together a downloadable 7 day meal plan and shopping list here.
Or create your own weekly meal plan and use this downloadable shopping list template to help you plan.
Meal Plan guide
1. Create a meal plan
Having a meal plan and knowing exactly what recipes you’re going to cook for the week will cut back those impromptu grocery store buys and inspire you to broaden your menu. After all, when you sit down and really think about what meals to cook, you’re bound to come up with something you haven’t tried before.
2. Make your shopping list (and stick to it)
It’s certainly no easy task shopping for meals that are nutritious, budget-friendly, and tasty. But a thoughtfully considered shopping list can help you achieve supermarket success! Not to mention, it will speed up the process of wandering through the aisles.
3. Set a budget
Be sure to set yourself a budget – one that’s reasonable enough to follow but still cost-effective. If you’re not sure what price point to aim for, then a simple web search will point you in the right direction. Be sure to think about how many mouths you must feed and any dietary requirements that could affect the cost of your shop.
4. Think savvy at the store
Once you’ve got your meals planned, shopping list created, and budget set, it’s time to head to the store. Consider making savvy choices when you’re shopping like buying in bulk, using loyalty cards, using an ingredient more than once, and knowing exactly what deals are on!
