5 Easy Steps of Family Menu Planning 07.08.2015

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Being the family menu planner is hard work. Making a grocery list that works for a full week can be challenging. We’ve figured out some family menu planning tips that will remove the headache from meal planning.

5 Planning Tips & Family Menu Ideas

Grocery spending and meal preparation can quickly spiral out of control. Organization can make a real difference when planning meals. Follow these tips and you will always have the ingredients you need .

#1 Master List!

If you are your family menu planner, have the entire family list their favorite meals. Prioritize that list by highlighting foods that you know you can prepare quickly and have few ingredients. Then organize this list by category, including beef, chicken, fish, vegetarian meals, side dishes, and soups. Family menu planning doesn’t have to be painful. By getting everyone’s input you can be an expert family menu planner.

#2 Organization

All good family menu planners know organization is the key. To get started, write the master list of meals on a calendar. Now it’s time to make your grocery list. Start off by planning one week at a time. When you get the hang of it, move on to planning two weeks or even a month’s worth of meals and grocery shopping.

#3 Plan for All Three Meals
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Don’t forget breakfast and lunch! One of the major causes of midweek week grocery shopping is that most people only shop for dinner. Make quick and easy breakfast and lunch foods. This is a perfect time to get in your fruit and vegetable servings. Another tip is to use leftovers for lunches, this will cut down on the amount of food that gets wasted and thrown away.

#4 Family Schedules

After school practice, running late at work, visiting the in-laws can throw a wrench in family menu planning. Take all of these scheduling issues into consideration when planning your meals. Once you know your family’s schedule, you can plan accordingly.

#5 Grocery Sales

Most grocery stores run their weekly sales circular on Sundays. Grab that paper and re-prioritize your master list on a weekly basis. Keep an eye on what the store’s circular promote and updated your meal plan to include products that can be purchased with a discount.

Successful Family Meal Planning

Planning family meals doesn’t have to be a hassle. By spending 30 minutes each week creating meal plans, you can drastically reduce your family’s grocery spending and make sure family meals are a success. By getting everyone involved in family menu planning, you can also make sure that dinners will be enjoyed by all.

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