Meal planning can feel like an overwhelming task. It can be difficult to sit down and try to plan meals for everyday of the week. The biggest thing that has helped me over the years is a planner. I like to carve out some time, usually on Sunday morning, to create my meal plan for the week.
What is going on for the week? Looking at each day and seeing what is happening will help you get an idea which days are better to cook. For example, if there is a football game on Thursday night, this may be a quick grab and go dinner. If you are working late one night, this could be a crock pot meal. I usually try to cook Sunday through Thursday. This helps me stick to my macros and keeps me in a routine.
Having theme nights. This is something that will definitely make meal planning easier. Sunday nights are usually our grill nights. Here in South Carolina we can usually grill well into November. In the winter, I will usually make a big pot of chili or soup on these nights. Mondays could be a one pan meal. Tuesdays could be for tacos. On Wednesday we like to open a bottle of wine and cook a pizza. Thursdays might be the designated crock pot or instant pot night. Keep it fun and switch it up every few weeks!
Be realistic. Let’s face it. We all have busy lives. The last thing you want to do is come home and try to cook a meal that is complicated. Keep recipes simple and quick. Choose recipes that only have 3 or 4 items to prepare. This will make clean up a breeze.
This entire process usually takes me anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. This includes planning my meals, writing them out in my planner, making my grocery list and then going grocery shopping. I look forward to planning our meals on Sunday. This is one less thing I have to stress about!
