Are you having trouble deciding what to cook for dinner? Making a weekly menu plan simplifies grocery shopping and dinner preparation. You will also save money on groceries. Meal planning and preparation can be difficult, especially if you already have a full schedule. Setting out time to plan a weekly menu can help with a number of issues. When you develop a menu plan, you should also make a weekly grocery list. There are less temptations and impulse purchases when you only go to the store once.
If your family eats three meals per day, seven days per week, you'll need meal ideas twenty-one times every week. A weekly menu plan allows you to prepare meals that everyone will enjoy. You'll save time and make better decisions. Just going to the store once is only the beginning. You'll be able to repurpose leftovers into totally new items if you plan your weekly menu carefully, saving you a lot of time. You'll also save yourself the stress and irritation of having to pick what to make every night. You'll have figured it out already.
Image credit: Unsplash You'll be able to think about whether your family is eating a well-balanced diet once you're not making selections on the spur of the moment. Is each meal accompanied with fruits and vegetables? What about grains? Incorporating these into your weekly menu plan will also boost your nutrition. Rather than preparing every meal for the week at once, start by focusing on one meal for the first week or two. Do you eat breakfast with your family every morning? Begin by putting together a week's worth of breakfasts that they'll enjoy. Are you more of a dinner person? Make an effort to plan a week's worth of dinners.
How To Plan your Meal
Ask your family: This isn't the time to try out a bunch of new dishes you saw on Pinterest or broaden your family's culinary horizons. Those methods result in rotten leftovers they won't eat or things you're too exhausted to prepare. Inquire about your family's preferences and base your menu on that. This offers them a sense of ownership over the menu, and they'll be less inclined to complain if you serve what they want.
Mix Veg and Non-veg meals: Even chicken lovers get tired of having it every night for supper. If all of your go-to dishes are chicken-based, go back to your recipe file and shake things up! Add plant-based protein meals, serve a mix of chicken and plant-based meals, per week to your family.
Check what you have: Look through your cabinets, refrigerator, freezer, and pantry for any ingredients you don't need to purchase. Put it on your grocery list if you're running low on something or don't have it. Don't be hesitant to make substitutions. If a recipe calls for brown rice but you only have white rice, make do with what you've got!
