10 Quick and Easy Meal Planning Tips

If you’ve ever wanted to show you how to meal plan for you or your family for an entire month then this post is for you.

In this post I’m sharing my favorite tips and tricks on how to meal plan for an entire month. Ready to plan with me? Great! Let’s dive in!

I have been monthly meal planning for years. I find it to be less time consuming and tedious since I only have to think about it once a month.

Meal planning for a family of 5 is not easy, especially when everyone has different foods they like, allergies or just don’t want the same thing twice in a row. I have been perfecting my monthly menu plan since my kids were little.

Although it’s not perfect (nor do I strive for it to be) I think meal planning for us just makes sense.

Here are my 10 Quick and Easy Meal Planning tips:

Why should I Meal Plan?

One of the benefits of monthly meal planning is that you get to use up most of your ingredients which is great.

Another great reason is that you spend less money on take out which is great, and if you want to have take out you can!

And lastly you make better/healthier eating choices when planning out your meals.

Your Monthly Meal Plan Steps

Your first time meal planning may take a bit of extra steps to get started but once you have this system in place, it will be smooth sailing from here on out.

Here is how I made my quick and easy meal planning steps.

Supplies Needed:

• Piece of Paper (or my free printable)
• Pencil
• List of Meal Ideas
• Cookbook or Pinterest Prints
• Your calendar or Planner of events/activities

The Steps

1. Write down important dates

Make sure to write down any important dates, appointments, upcoming birthday etc so you can plan accordingly. By writing down these important dates it will help when planning your meals or if you need to grab something on the go.

You can use my FREE planner (download below) and write down the dates.

2. Themed Dinner Nights.

In my home we have theme dinner nights, where we have foods based on that theme. For example: on Sundays we do slow cooker meals. On Fridays we have “fast food” which an be grilled burgers, or homemade pizzas.

I also like to have hispanic themed foods like spanish meatloaf or quesadilla nights. Since we are a Puertorican Household we have a lot of Puertorican themed dinners 😋

Having these themed dinner nights is a great way to add meals to your menu all while keeping it fresh.

3. Check Pinterest for Inspiration

Whenever I’m stuck on what to make or if I looking for something new to create, I search pinterest. Just write on the search bar what you’d like to cook and you have a list to choose from.

I also have a list of food ideas I have compiled and can share that on another post in the future. 😉

4. Use a Cookbook or Family recipes to Try

I have several old cookbooks and recipes handed down to me where I can add to my meal plan. Whenever I’m in a pinch or want to try something new I just whip out a recipe I’ve been wanting to try or recreate a family favorite.

5. Place your Meal Plan within Reach/View

I have an old dry erase calendar I purchased years ago and am using it to write down my meals. But I used to just use washi tape and stick the printable on the back of a pantry door for a quick view of what I have planned for dinner that night.

It also helps my family know what we’re having that night and I don’t have to hear 32 kabillion times “what’s for dinner”.

Pro Tip: look at the menu board the night before so you can make sure to have all the ingredients needed for dinner the next day or thaw any meat.

6. It’s ok to repeat meals

If your family likes some of your meals it’s ok to repeat it. I usually will make something twice in the same month just a week or so apart. They like it and I don’t get dinner burn out -win win!

7. Split your ingredients

If you’re planning on having a meal where the ingredients are similar, split them in that week so you can save on time and have two different meals.

If I am having tacos on one day and spaghetti the next day, I make sure to brown my meat and split it for the two days. That way when it comes time to make my second dinner all I have to do is warm up the ground beef and cook the pasta.

8. Don’t over think dinner

Sometimes it’s best to keep meals quick and simple. Have a soup and sandwhich night or enjoy the leftovers.

If you’re not fond of leftovers, you can also add something to it to make it a new meal. Have pasta left over from spaghetti? Add chicken cutlets and boom fresh new take on leftovers.

9. Meal Prep for the Week

If you can and have the time meal prepping can be a game changer. Look at what is needed for the week, collect or buy your ingredients and spend one days prepping your meals. That way the rest of the week is reheat and enjoy!

10. Shop your kitchen

Before shopping the supermarket, do a quick run through your kitchen. Make notes of what ingredients you have and what you may need. This will cut down on spending and you use what you already have.

Making your errands a lot shorter and dinner a lot simpler.

Monthly Meal Planning: Quick and Easy

By carving out some time once a month to meal plan this can help save you time and money.

Just remember to keep it simple, shop your home and repeat any dinners your family loves.

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