6 Meal Planning Mistakes
I have meal planned off and on for over 10 years. There are several meal planning mistakes that I see over and over. Some seasons of life require more diligence and preparation than others. Through the years, the way my family eats has changed significantly. These changes highlighted some areas that I could have done better meal planning. We have gone from the typical processed food diet, to rigidly whole food, and we have finally settled on a happy balance. I would say we eat clean 70-80% of the time. In order to do that, there is definitely meal planning that goes on at my house. Here are some mistakes that I have learned along the journey.
1. Don’t make it so complicated!
One of the biggest mistakes I see (and I am completely guilty of) is that we make it so difficult. Your meal plan does not have to be elaborate or set in stone. There are many weeks that my meal plan looks like this: Monday-chicken, 2 veggies, starch. Tuesday-pasta, broccoli Wednesday- baked potato bar with fixings, Thursday-Hubby’s night. I check what protein we already have (chicken, pork, fish, etc.) and then go from there. If meat isn’t your thing, just write in your main dish. Shop your house first. You will save yourself a ton of money. Browse your freezer and cupboard quickly to get an idea of what you have.
2. Involve your family.
Ask them if there is something they would like to have the next week. That ensures that there is something they like during the week. It is also one less thing you have to come up with yourself. If “I don’t care” is the normal response, and they are old enough, write their name down for one night. Make them be responsible for that meal. Even if it is cereal or grilled cheeses. It only takes a few until they are full of ideas. Share the cooking responsibility. Even small kids can help set the table or be your trash helper. Older ones can serve plates, fix drinks, clear the table, wash some dishes, and even help stir, mix, and dump.
3. Pick meals you know they like.
If you know that your family dislikes a certain food, don’t put it on the menu. It is one thing if you are trying to introduce new things, but don’t put them on a night you know you will be in a time crunch. Any experimenting that goes on at my house happens on the weekends where I have more time. Try to pair the new food with a favorite for a better reception. We have the “Green Eggs and Ham Rule”. You might like it, and you might not, but you must at least try it. I don’t make them eat what they do not like, but they have to at least try one bite.
4. Post it where everyone can see.
Our meal plan is in a huge frame in our kitchen. Everyone can see it, knows what we are having, and can help start dinner if need be. It also creates ownership in meal times.
5. Choose simple recipes.
Pinterest is a wonderful tool. It can also feel overwhelming while trying to find something new for dinner. If you don’t enjoy cooking, pick meals with 5-7 ingredients, MAX! If you have no idea what the ingredients are, move on. Use narrow search results, too. For example, “easy clean eating chicken dinners” or “fast low carb breakfast”. That will keep some of the complicated dishes out of your results.
6. It is a plan, not a contract.
Don’t be so rigid that you won’t go to dinner with a friend because you are supposed to have taco night. I usually leave two nights open to allow some flexibility. It is okay to move things around. If your menu has something that you really don’t feel like, pick another night’s meal and move on. Your menu is a framework or plan, not a contract.
Meal planning is a huge time saver for me. It takes less than 10 minutes to do and makes my whole week run smoother. Don’t get sucked into the illusion that meal planning is hard, or takes a lot of time. The first few weeks may take a bit more effort, but after that, it gets easier and easier.
What are your favorite meal planning tips? Have questions about meal planning in general? Drop them in the comments below or come over to the Facebook community! If you like these tips, please share or pin 🙂
I love the framed meal & chore check off board! That’s a good visual for the whole family.
My kids love doing the chores to check off the boxes too! It is a win for me 🙂
I use an online tool called Plan to Eat. It’s does have a small yearly fee which breaks down to $2-3/month, but it has saved me so much time! You can store recipes similar to Pinterest and then just drag them onto a calendar. It then generates a shopping list for you, categorizes by area of store, and combines ingredients across recipes. It makes it super easy! You can also add household items (TP, toiletries, etc). to the list for when you go to the store.
That is a great idea. I will have to check that out. I had someone recommended Paprika, too. I love that you can add household things as well. I end up with too many lists in too many places 🙂 Organizing by store area will save so much time in the store. Headed there now!