Our entire day is structured around here. We have 2 toddlers, and toddlers thrive on structure and consistency. They want to know what is coming next and what they can count on.
I guess I’m still a toddler at heart, because I too thrive in a structured environment! I like to have our calendar penciled in, our morning routines followed and our meals ready to go.
This is why meal planning is a no-brainer for me, and is just super natural. Having a game plan to feed all the hungry people that live in my house just makes sense. It builds on the structure we already have set in place for the rest of the day and keeps us out of the takeout line.
How can I get started meal planning as a beginner?
When you’re first starting to cook for yourself, whether it’s you just go married, you’ve just started your first job, or you’re just trying to be more budget conscious, there is a learning curve. At first, everything is going to seem intimidating. It’s not! You might be thinking…
- How in the world can I plan out what I’m going to eat for 7-10 days?!
- Won’t buying enough for 10 meals be super expensive?
- The food I’m buying will go bad before I have a chance to use it!
The answers to these questions are… you can totally plan out everything you’re going to eat, it’s WAY cheaper than going meal by meal and meal planning keeps you from wasting food, not the opposite!
Exactly how to meal plan as a beginner
I’m going to tell you exactly how to get started meal planning when you have no clue how to get started and have no experience.
1. Write down 2-3 meals you like to eat.
If you’re trying to eat healthy, you can add “and are healthy” to the end of that sentence.
It’s not rocket science. We are trying to keep you in the kitchen and out of the drive-thru. Think of your favorite simple meals. Here is an example of the first 3 meals I mastered for our family.
- Tacos
- Stir-Fry
- Chicken Alfredo
When we were first getting started with meal planning, I would pick three meals like these, buy the ingredients, and make them on repeat for about 10 days.
By the end of those 10 days, I was sure of a few things.
- I knew exactly how to make these meals perfectly every single time. My confidence level as a cook went way up (for those recipes).
- I was certain how much of each ingredient was necessary for our family to eat these meals. There was no more guess work in how much of a certain ingredient we would need. Grocery shopping for these items became for intuitive.
2. After you’ve mastered those, write down 2-3 more meals that you like to eat.
Guess what. This process is SO simple. All you do after you master the first 3 recipes… you repeat. But this time you have 4-6 recipes on repeat for 10 days beause you’re still making the ones you already mastered.
By the end of the month, you have 6-8 recipes that you know exactly how to make and you know exactly how to shop for. There’s no more guessing if one head of broccoli is enough or if 2 pounds of chicken is too much.
You know. You’re a pro. You’re meal planning and cooking like a champion!
3. Finally, repeat until you are happy with the recipes in your repertoire.
Are you a simple person who only needs about 5 recipes on repeat to be happy? Do you want to have 45 different recipes mastered and ready to go?
It doesn’t matter, you choose your path and when you’re happy with how many meals you can meal plan with stop.
You are now ready to fill in a 7-10 day meal plan and shopping list with ease!
I can’t wait for you to experience the freedom of meal planning in your life!
By meal planning, you save a TON of money, a lot of time and make healthier decisions for your family. It really isn’t hard, and is something you can start today!
Go for it, and let me know how meal planning has made your life better!