Hey everyone! Today's post is about my strategy for coming up with my weekly meal plans.
I actually never planned my meals ahead of time until a few months ago. I maybe planned one or two dinners for the week, and I just winged it for the rest of them. But that always left me feeling stressed out and unprepared! So when I returned to school in September this year I started making weekly meal plans, and I can't say enough about how helpful they've been! Thanks to meal planning there has been so much more variety in my diet, more new recipes, and a lot less wasted food.
So today I thought I'd share my method of meal planning. It's nothing fancy - I don't have a meal planning binder or an iPhone app or anything like that - but it works.
What I do is use a simple Microsoft Word document with 3 sections:
1. Foods I need to use up: This is where I list all the leftovers in my fridge, foods that need to be used, or frozen meals I want to eat up. When I write them out this way, it makes it a lot easier to plan to use them in my meals for the week.
2. Meal plan: Using a simple table, I write out all my lunches and dinners for the week. If I'm planning to eat out or if I'm going to be away, I'll write that in! Also I have a notes section so that I can remind myself to do things like defrost meat from the freezer or prep certain foods in advance.
3. Grocery list: Based on my meal plan and any recipes I'm going to make, I write out a list of all the foods I need. I tend to take the same route around the grocery store, so I write the list in the order that I will encounter the products in the store - this makes it a lot less likely that I'll forget something!
If you're interested in downloading the template that I use, I've uploaded it for you here: meal planning template.
So now that you know my strategy, here's an example of my meal plan last week:
FOODS TO USE UP
Parsley, goat cheese, potato, bison (from freezer)
MEALS FOR THE WEEK
Sunday: Tofu and vegetable stir fry with brown rice.
Monday: BBQ chickpea burger with avocado and hummus, sweet potato, and Brussels sprouts
Tuesday: Bison with a red wine and mushroom sauce, acorn squash, and green beans with butter and toasted almonds
Wednesday: Out for dinner at Tru Restaurant and Lounge
Thursday: Spinach, goat cheese and sun-dried tomato omelet with a side salad and baguette
Friday: Leftover bison on a salad with acorn squash, sauteed mushrooms, toasted almonds, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette with baguette.
Saturday: Pretty much a repeat of Monday's dinner.
GROCERY LIST
Apples, bananas, acorn squash, broccoli, blueberries, green beans, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onion, shallots, Brussels sprouts, whole wheat baguette, olive oil, plain yogurt, vanilla Greek yogurt.
And that's it! Pretty simple right?
Do you meal plan?
What is your meal planning strategy?
I actually never planned my meals ahead of time until a few months ago. I maybe planned one or two dinners for the week, and I just winged it for the rest of them. But that always left me feeling stressed out and unprepared! So when I returned to school in September this year I started making weekly meal plans, and I can't say enough about how helpful they've been! Thanks to meal planning there has been so much more variety in my diet, more new recipes, and a lot less wasted food.
So today I thought I'd share my method of meal planning. It's nothing fancy - I don't have a meal planning binder or an iPhone app or anything like that - but it works.
What I do is use a simple Microsoft Word document with 3 sections:
1. Foods I need to use up: This is where I list all the leftovers in my fridge, foods that need to be used, or frozen meals I want to eat up. When I write them out this way, it makes it a lot easier to plan to use them in my meals for the week.
2. Meal plan: Using a simple table, I write out all my lunches and dinners for the week. If I'm planning to eat out or if I'm going to be away, I'll write that in! Also I have a notes section so that I can remind myself to do things like defrost meat from the freezer or prep certain foods in advance.
3. Grocery list: Based on my meal plan and any recipes I'm going to make, I write out a list of all the foods I need. I tend to take the same route around the grocery store, so I write the list in the order that I will encounter the products in the store - this makes it a lot less likely that I'll forget something!
If you're interested in downloading the template that I use, I've uploaded it for you here: meal planning template.
So now that you know my strategy, here's an example of my meal plan last week:
FOODS TO USE UP
Parsley, goat cheese, potato, bison (from freezer)
MEALS FOR THE WEEK
Sunday: Tofu and vegetable stir fry with brown rice.
Monday: BBQ chickpea burger with avocado and hummus, sweet potato, and Brussels sprouts
Tuesday: Bison with a red wine and mushroom sauce, acorn squash, and green beans with butter and toasted almonds
Wednesday: Out for dinner at Tru Restaurant and Lounge
Thursday: Spinach, goat cheese and sun-dried tomato omelet with a side salad and baguette
Friday: Leftover bison on a salad with acorn squash, sauteed mushrooms, toasted almonds, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette with baguette.
Saturday: Pretty much a repeat of Monday's dinner.
GROCERY LIST
Apples, bananas, acorn squash, broccoli, blueberries, green beans, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onion, shallots, Brussels sprouts, whole wheat baguette, olive oil, plain yogurt, vanilla Greek yogurt.
And that's it! Pretty simple right?
Do you meal plan?
What is your meal planning strategy?
I don't meal plan, but I have lots of food that I do need to use up! I'm really bad about buying more of something when I still have some of the old left!!
ReplyDeletei waffle back and forth on meal planning - i used to be RELIGIOUS about it but now i don't really do that well. i think the best part of your meal planning is the foods you need to use up. this is definitely my biggest area where i need to improve - i am terrible about using up all the leftovers in my fridge/buying things i don't need because i forget i have them already. this is how i ended up with 8 pounds of confectioners sugar lol. definitely stealing that idea and incorporating it in when i do actually meal plan!
ReplyDeleteI have to meal plan, especially when I work late or my husband will order a pizza or go to Wendys! We just cant have that :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that having a meal plan helps eliminate stress and wasted food! I meal plan every week, but I don't think I'm nearly as organized as you are (and that might explain why my fridge and freezer and absolutely packed right now..). I am impressed, lady!
ReplyDeleteha I wish I was this organized. I never meal plan, for some reason I just can't do it. But props to you lady!
ReplyDeleteI love this! So helpful to look at the meal planning template too! I might have to use that this week!
ReplyDeleteOh girl I couldn’t have asked for a better post than this- perfect timing! I’m in such a meal rut... as I much as I enjoy scrambled eggs, veggies and PB & J toasts lord knows I could do with some variety in my life! I’m sure even loosely setting some kinda meal plan will help spice up my meals! And for what it’s worth- I’m all for simpler meal planning tools- too much elaborateness just confuses me!
ReplyDeleteI used to meal plan all the time, but it was mostly when I was recovering from my ED and a tad bit obsessive about things like that. These days I just go with the flow and whip up whatever I happen to be craving at the time... which is probably why none of my meals ever turn out to be anything elaborate whereas they used to be all fancy. I'm okay with that for now though :)
ReplyDeleteThat is simple but effective! I can't say I plan my meals for each day or night time, dinner I mean... more that I make big batch of something and then usually will consume that meal for lunch the next several days. Dinner I usually fly by the seat of my pants lol, although it's something quite easy- dinner for breakfast more times than I care to admit, and also classic, easy combos- sweet potato + nut butter +greek yogurt +veggie on the side... YUM :)
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome way to meal plan, especially taking into account frozen stuff you already have and listing out what you want/need to use up. I always forget about that and end up with duplicates haha...not always a bad thing but also kind of money wasting in the end...have to give this a try :)
ReplyDeleteI don't meal plan, but my meals are always based on what needs to be used! Then I can buy new stuff :)
ReplyDeleteThis term my schedule has left me such that I'm never really home to cook lunch or dinner, so I've started cooking "bases" on Sundays. E.g. this week I made a batch of quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower, white beans, and a few basic spices (divvied into four tupperware containers) + millet, broccoli, chinese eggplant, edamame, scallions, some more spices (again, divvied into four tupperware containers.)
ReplyDeleteThen in the mornings I add something: for the former, tvp+marinara & goat's cheese; eggs, marinara, goat's cheese; hummus+salsa & a salmon burger. For the latter: bean curd noodles, chili flakes, and stir-fry sauce; salmon, rice vinegar, sriracha.
I have food ADD such that I don't like eating the same thing over and over, so this way there's a bit of variety and a lot of convenience :)
I love the way you meal plan - it seems so balanced and a great way to venture out and try new foods! You got my roommate Shannon into it and she really enjoys it! I personally can't meal plan because I try and then want something else completely different haha.
ReplyDeleteIf the RD thing doesn't work out I think you should open up a restaurant! Your meals look so great.
Nice! I can't say I've ever tried meal planning before - I usually end up wanting something completely different - and I guess I'm not the world's biggest foodie so I'm completly cool with eating the same things over and over. Maybe I should try it though, I really need to start branching out! And I totally agree with Kailey - you could absolutely be a chef, I'd pay $$$ for all these dishes!
ReplyDeleteWow those meals look incredible! I wish my meal planning was that efficient!
ReplyDeleteI've been sucking I meal planning lately, but thanks for the tips bc I need to get back on it :)
ReplyDeleteI've been a meal-prepping wannabe for years, yet I've never actually made it a reality. This is SUPER helpful, Chelsea! I'll definitely be downloading your template, and following your strategies this coming week. To say you've inspired me with this post would definitely be an understatement. :D
ReplyDeleteI think the tip that will help me most is #1, as I *always* forget about foods at the back of the fridge that need to be used from the previous week. When I go to the store, I often can't remember what I already have on hand, and end up buying items I don't need. So, not only will meal planning help me stay organized, it will help me save money as well. :)
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! <3
I meal planned for the first time last week and it saved me so much time in the week and I was so much less stressed! I now see how you get to have these delicious meals during the week. I am downloading your template because the only thing I didn't like about my planning was my organization!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I just pinned that mushroom sauce recipe! I've got a half a bottle of red wine that I've been wondering what to do with! If I hadn't plowed through my thing of mushrooms with and obscene amount of ketchup (don't ask) this past week, it would totally be happening for dinner tonight!
ReplyDeleteLove the template...and the strategy! You've definitely got me so inspired to do more meal planning!
Hey Chelsea! Is it okay to ask what kind of training regimen you’re on? I was searching for possible additional meal plans to incorporate with my exercise routine and came across yours. Those meals you posted all look delicious and I want to try them.
ReplyDeleteMadison Mcnulty