Tips to Successfully Meal Plan

It’s hard to believe, but our lives are still being greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing, reducing trips to the grocery store (and public places in general), and working from home are becoming the new normal. Hopefully not for too much longer! One of my biggest take-aways for keeping up with healthy eating during these times is to take the time to effectively MEAL PLAN. 

I personally enjoy going to the grocery store, and I used to go a few times a week to pick up a couple of items here and there. I would only plan ahead for maybe 2-3 dinners in advance, if that! Now, with my limited grocery outings, I’ve taken to sitting down every Sunday for about 30 minutes to plan ahead for the week. This has saved me SO MUCH TIME as the week goes on because I no longer have to think about what’s for dinner each night, nor do I have to waste so much time grocery shopping. Meal planning for dinners for the week is one new habit that I look forward to continuing to put into practice for many years. 

Now for my Meal Planning Tips!

  1. First look at the ingredients you already have. Do you have a few veggies left in your refrigerator that might not make it much longer? Do you have multiple cans of black beans? Make sure your first meal or two includes these ingredients!

  2. Look ahead at your weekly calendar. Do you have a super-packed Wednesday? Make sure you plan a quick-and-easy dinner for that night. Do you have a free afternoon on Tuesday? Maybe try a new recipe you’ve been wanting to test out that night!

  3. Get inspired! Keep a google doc with your favorite food bloggers, check out a different cookbook each week, and look back at past meal-plans (I store mine now in a google doc) for ideas! You can even keep to a weekly theme, like Taco Tuesdays and Meatless Mondays to maintain some consistency.

  4. Write in pencil! Things might come up as the week progresses or the store might not have an item you needed. Be flexible with your plan :)

  5. Write your grocery list right after you finish meal planning. You’ll feel super organized and ready for your grocery haul and all of your weekly cooking!


Helpful Blogs for Meal Planning Inspiration: