Meal Planning- Save Money With Or Without Coupons!

You may have heard of family meal planning or perhaps have been wondering what the fuss is all about.  Well, to put it simply family meal planning means planning planning ahead to help you save time and money-with our without coupons!

But beyond saving time and money there are some other great reasons for family meal planning.  By planning your meals and doing your shopping ahead of time, it's easier to make sure your family eats healthy and balanced meals.  It's too easy to reach for the phone and order a pizza or grab fast food when everyone's just gotten home from soccer practice and your fridge is empty. 

Here are Some Tips to Make Family Meal Planning Easy:

First, look through your pantry and cupboards and make a mental note of what you have.  See if there are any foods you can use to plan your family's meals around.  For example if you have pasta or rice then create a couple of meals including those staples. 

Next, check out your grocery flyer and plan your meals around what you have on hand as well as what is on sale.  Write down each dinner menu and remember to make allowances for days you don't have a lot of time or get home late.  If you know ahead of time that Tuesdays are stressful then plan something pretty simple to make for that day. 

Once you have your dinners planned and your shopping list started you can add items you'll need for breakfast, lunch and snacks.  You may not necessarily plan these meals but just make sure you include enough of the foods you usually need on your list. If there are some good sales on items that you use often then by all means stock up!

Although going to the supermarket once a week is a good way to save time and avoid overspending, it may not always be possible for all items.  If you buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables you may want to only include half a week's worth of items on your list and make a second quick trip during the week for the rest.  Just stick to the produce isle to avoid temptations.

When planning your list think of meals that are both nutritious but frugal.  Casseroles, stews and pasta dishes can be quite inexpensive and also easy to prepare.  To save money, include one or two vegetarian meals a week.  You can make a nutritious meat-free chili or cheesy pasta bake.  Tuna is another great frugal food you can add to pasta or rice dishes.  

Think ahead and use your freezer.  If you're making something that freezes well like spaghetti sauce, a stew or casserole make double and freeze the second portion for those days where you just don't have any time to cook.

These are just a few simple tips to help you plan nutritious meals while helping you save money. The changes are simple but just cutting out one fast food meal or pizza per week can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings in a year!