MY TOP 5 REASONS WHY WE MEAL PLAN EVERY WEEK

Have you been thinking about meal planning, but get overwhelmed and just give up?

This was us until we were forced to meal plan when we became parents. Here are our top 5 reasons why we meal plan.

#1 - HEALTH GOALS

  • The number one reason why we meal plan every week is our health goals.

  • Chuck has high blood pressure along with IBS so we eat a lot of lean protein, rice, and vegetables so he's not endangering his health.

  • We all strive to eat healthy most of the time and plan accordingly to everyone’s tastes and needs.

  • The twins eat A LOT of protein to build muscle for soccer. Plus, all three boys can out eat anyone!

#2 - SAVES MONEY

  • Grocery shopping can be expensive if you buy whatever you want whenever you want. Since I'm a couponer, I only purchase what's on sale and what I have a coupon for.

  • When meat is on sale, I stock up and freeze our proteins. When meal makers such as pasta is on sale, I stock up on those and make them for quick and easy meals.

  • Buying only what's on sale during the week helps me save money and budget accordingly.

#3 - VARIETY

  • Meal planning also helps you try new recipes or introduce new foods to your family.

  • If you have pickey eaters, asking your family for help in preparing meals will make a world of difference. This is how I switched from Kraft Mac N Cheese to my homemade Mac N Cheese in the Instant Pot.

  • HOT TIP - try one new side dish per week to introduce to your family with your usual favorite proteins.

#4 - DECREASES FOOD WASTE

  • Before meal prepping, we would be tossing out the food we purchased the previous week because it would be moldy or even stale.

  • By only purchasing what we need, we eat all of our fresh foods on a weekly basis. We also rarely have many leftovers because we have some big eaters in our house.

  • HOT TIP - cut all of your fruits and veggies as soon as you get home from the store in air tight containers to prevent mold.

#5 - PREVENTS DECISION FATIGUE

  • And the last reason we meal plan is to prevent decision making fatigue.

  • We used to go in our fridge and say, "what are we going to eat today?" Now, we know exactly what we are going to eat for dinner on what days and even on what time.

  • HOT TIP - always have quick and easy meals to make for emergencies. We lost power for three hours on Monday so it was Hamburger Helper because we have a gas stove!

Meal planning has been a game changer for our family because of these reasons and more. We all eat healthier, snack healthier, and enjoy our evening dinners together without anyone complaining they don't like what we are eating!

Doramarie Golanoski