Meal Planning...

The other night, I was having sleepless night and checking out what was available at BluPrint.  Cruising through the cooking section I found Mindful Meal Planning.  Meal planning is something that I have done for years and can't really imagine going shopping without having a plan of some sort.  So, I was intrigued.  I check the comments and was a little surprised by them.  The first comment said something along the lines of this was a Whole Foods ad and nothing was provided about meal planning or meal prep.  I decided to watch and see what it was about. 

The very first section is about creating a weekly meal plan, following a budget, and staples.  It was basic and maybe that is what the comment was about.  The following sections were about selecting produce, proteins, seafood, dairy, and buying in bulk.  It was indeed good basic information and it was staged inside a Whole Foods. 

Personally, I think you can't really decide on a meal plan without knowing what you're budget is.  When I started budgeting and meal planning, the top amount I could spend a week was $50 for my husband and I.  Fast forward 25 years or so and we average spending $100 a week on groceries.  I will say that eat out once a week, so that is around 20 meals at home a week, each. 

How do you do a meal plan?  I sit down once a week and decide what is going to be cooked.  I get some input from my husband because occasionally he likes to cook.  Once I have a list of meals, I make a list of the necessary ingredients.  From this list, I check to see what is in the pantry/refrigerator/freezer so that I'm not buying too much of any one item.   If the local grocery ads come out before you do your planning, you really should check to see what is on special that week.  It could be that some of the items that are considered staples at your home are on sale.  It can be worth checking this out.  

I found this post at Melly Sews on meal planning.  She plans out a month in advance.  Her post is interesting.  

Indeed, a little advanced planning does allow a little more time to do the things that you want to do. Remember it doesn't matter what store you're going to, a little planning will get you in and out quicker because you know what you're going to purchase. Save time, save money.

There are tons of videos on you tube regarding prepping food for a week.  If you're work week is really hectic, look into those.  You will be surprised at what you can do.

Let me know if you're interested in a more in depth information on the subject.

Remember all that extra time can be used for stitchin'.

Happy Stitching!

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