The Importance of Meal Planning to Save Big Money 

Meal planning is a tedious task, and I think very few people actually enjoy doing it, but it seriously is so important if you want to save big money on food and eat a healthier diet. When we don’t meal plan in my household, we tend to fall off track from meeting our goals; we order out to quickly solve the problem, go out to eat, or cook processed foods that tend to be more expensive and less healthy. It’s easy to fall into this trap when we are stressed, tired, or short on time. That’s why I’m sharing a few tips to make meal planning easier and, as a result, you may save some money too!

This behavior can quickly increase our food budget in unintended ways. We are a family of five, so eating out is a huge increase in our budget, especially when it starts to become a habit. When the occasion arises, we cut costs by ordering in more than eating out. However, we cook the majority of our meals, and we are huge fans of making delicious homemade food.

Meal Planning Ideas for Frugal Habits

Tip 1: Use a grocery app to meal plan throughout the week

We are currently using Walmart+ for free grocery deliveries. This service allows us to add items to the grocery app throughout the week so that we don’t forget any items we need. These are typically our staples. If we don’t do this, we tend to forget which can be problematic as it can decrease how successful we are in creating our meals and adds unnecessary stress and additional grocery trips (which means more money wasted on gas!). This helps us save money in the long run. If you want to sign up for Walmart+ and decide to become a paid member, we’ll both get $20 off a future order by using this link.

Using an app can also help us with being more intentional with what we are buying versus being in the store and impulse buying. This can help save money. Some people love to shop in the grocery store, and that is great too. Do whatever works for you!

Tip 2: Create a meal planning system that works

Planning meals on paper can force us to think about what we want to make first. You can use a basic spreadsheet or even an app. We have a magnetic weekly meal planner that we keep on the outside of the fridge. This has proven to be pretty effective for us. We use it to figure out all of the meals for the week before grocery shopping. Read tips that work for my family. When you plan your meals, you can plan to save money! Then, make your list for grocery shopping to execute your plan!

Tip 3: Always have your food staples in the pantry and fridge

Having food on hand to make meals that your family likes to eat can help you succeed in staying within your budget. We try to get the kids involved in this process as they tend to eat more than they get a say! Sometimes we can make meals, but it won’t always be what my kids are willing to eat, and it causes more stress. So, having the key staples on hand at all times helps keep the peace! For many of the pantry staples, I use Amazon’s Subscribe and Save so that my shopping is automatically done for me! Once a month I check my shipping list and then it magically arrives! In addition, I save money because I always do my research before adding it to my list. Check out my monthly list and learn how to use Subscribe and Save!

Tip 4: Plan simple meals using real food

Keep it simple. When you plan too many overly complicated meals, cooking can seem like a chore. We try to keep it simple and only introduce one new recipe a week. We also like to cook with real foods, that is foods that are not highly processed. Not only can it be healthier for you, but it is also less expensive than buying prepackaged meals. One of my favorite books is “100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget”. There are so many great recipes in this book!

Tip 5: Maintain backup meals in your freezer

We have backup meals in the freezer for when we don’t feel like cooking or for when the groceries get low and we need to go shopping. This keeps us from ordering out and is a less expensive option, which saves us big money. Last night, well, it was one of those nights. I opened up the fridge and cabinet and had to figure out what to make. I quickly put together some pasta with frozen peas and sauteed some fresh spinach for a side dish. It was super quick to make! I always keep frozen vegetables on hand as I feel like I can always make some kind of pasta or stir-fry dish using them.

Tip 6: Frugal living means making meal planning a habit

The most important thing is that you do what works for you and make it a habit! Being frugal is a lifestyle, and planning your meals is one of the best habits that you can form to help you to stick to your food budget.

Planning Your Weekly Meals

As an added bonus, meal planning can also be good for your health in that you may eat less and be more satisfied. Take a look at the Mind Over Platter study to learn more. Make sure you take some time to think about what will work for you and how you can change your systems in your daily life to help you be successful with meal planning. Read my tips for meal planning.

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