Cooking meals which are decided on a day to day basis is not only tiresome but can take its toll on your pocket book as well. Frequent trips to the grocery store and buying smaller, pre-made food items can cost you time as well as more money in gas and in the checkout line. By sitting down and planning your meals for the week you can shop smarter, save time and alleviate the stress of deciding what's for dinner every day.
Cookbooks to the Rescue
Everyone has a spare ten minutes on the weekend to plan meals for the week. Take a few minutes to sit down, go through your favorite cookbooks or online recipe sites and plan a dinner meal for the next seven days. Make one list of each complete meal, including main dish and any side dishes, while making another list of the food items you'll need to pick up for the week's meals.
A trick to make cooking meals on your busiest days of the week even easier is to intentionally plan meals for that day which require very little prep time. Meats that can be marinated over night and grilled quickly work well, as do one dish meals such as stir fries. Also, don't forget the handiest of kitchen appliances for those on a time crunch-the crock pot. Stews and other delicious meals can be prepped ahead of time and then left to simmer all day with very little effort on your part.
Save Money and Time by Shopping Wisely
Purchasing your food items in bulk not only saves you money but can, over time, lessen your trips to the grocery store. By building up a reserve of frequently used food items you can trim both the length of your grocery list and the fat from your grocery budget.
By contrast items that spoil quickly should be purchased in quantities just large enough to tie you over to your next trip to the grocery store. Buying a large bag of celery may seem like a deal but only if you don't end up throwing two thirds of it away because it spoiled before you could use it all. If you find that you do need to buy items with a shorter shelf life in larger quantities try and plan at least two meals within the next 10 days that require that particular food item.
Waste Not Want Not
Don't forget that many leftover meats can be revisited at a later date if frozen immediately. Items such as leftover post roast, chicken or even pork roast can be frozen and used as meats in a stew weeks from now. Cooking meals with leftover ingredients not only saves you money on that particular meal but means there's one less day to plan a meal for.
Make a Double Batch
Another fabulous way to cut down on meal choice and prep is to make double batches of dishes that can be frozen and enjoyed later. Many soups, sauces and pasta dishes such as lasagna will freeze well for short periods of time. Marinating meat for dinner? Make a double batch-one for that day's meal and another one to freeze immediately and pull out another day. Your frozen batch will marinate while thawing and be ready for the grill or oven the next time you include that meal in your weekly planner with no prep time required.
As you can see cooking meals based on a weekly plan frees up time, money and energy for your busy life. Plan based on your week's activities, shop smart and cook in bulk when possible and you can finally say goodbye to the dread question, "What's for dinner?
Cookbooks to the Rescue
Everyone has a spare ten minutes on the weekend to plan meals for the week. Take a few minutes to sit down, go through your favorite cookbooks or online recipe sites and plan a dinner meal for the next seven days. Make one list of each complete meal, including main dish and any side dishes, while making another list of the food items you'll need to pick up for the week's meals.
A trick to make cooking meals on your busiest days of the week even easier is to intentionally plan meals for that day which require very little prep time. Meats that can be marinated over night and grilled quickly work well, as do one dish meals such as stir fries. Also, don't forget the handiest of kitchen appliances for those on a time crunch-the crock pot. Stews and other delicious meals can be prepped ahead of time and then left to simmer all day with very little effort on your part.
Save Money and Time by Shopping Wisely
Purchasing your food items in bulk not only saves you money but can, over time, lessen your trips to the grocery store. By building up a reserve of frequently used food items you can trim both the length of your grocery list and the fat from your grocery budget.
By contrast items that spoil quickly should be purchased in quantities just large enough to tie you over to your next trip to the grocery store. Buying a large bag of celery may seem like a deal but only if you don't end up throwing two thirds of it away because it spoiled before you could use it all. If you find that you do need to buy items with a shorter shelf life in larger quantities try and plan at least two meals within the next 10 days that require that particular food item.
Waste Not Want Not
Don't forget that many leftover meats can be revisited at a later date if frozen immediately. Items such as leftover post roast, chicken or even pork roast can be frozen and used as meats in a stew weeks from now. Cooking meals with leftover ingredients not only saves you money on that particular meal but means there's one less day to plan a meal for.
Make a Double Batch
Another fabulous way to cut down on meal choice and prep is to make double batches of dishes that can be frozen and enjoyed later. Many soups, sauces and pasta dishes such as lasagna will freeze well for short periods of time. Marinating meat for dinner? Make a double batch-one for that day's meal and another one to freeze immediately and pull out another day. Your frozen batch will marinate while thawing and be ready for the grill or oven the next time you include that meal in your weekly planner with no prep time required.
As you can see cooking meals based on a weekly plan frees up time, money and energy for your busy life. Plan based on your week's activities, shop smart and cook in bulk when possible and you can finally say goodbye to the dread question, "What's for dinner?
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Looking for easy to cook recipes to add variety to your weekly meal plan? Grab some quick and delicious recipes for cooking with our delectable dinner ideas today.
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