After Mr. Handsome and I tied the knot, Anne started sharing her favorite recipes and explaining how she how she plans a full week of meals at a time to save both time and money.
When the schedule is overflowing, it’s tempting to throw planning to the wind and start taking life one day at a time. Unfortunately, this causes even more chaos when dinnertime rolls around and the refrigerator is empty.
Meal planning saves time, helps busy wives and mamas establish and stick to a grocery budget, and limits last minute runs through the drive-thru.
How does it work? Set aside a few hours each week to make a list of meals to prepare for the next seven days, figure out what ingredients you need, and hit the grocery store. If you have children, get them involved by teaching them how to search through ads and navigate the aisles of a supermarket.
When you return home, decide which meal will be prepared on which day, and organize your refrigerator and pantry accordingly. Update your meal planning chart so everyone knows what’s on the menu.
I have found that it helps to have a few meals on the back-burner (not literally). For example, I always stock the ingredients for spaghetti and meatballs, easy homemade pizza, and garden salad.
That way, if I’m ever in a pinch, I still don’t have to run out and grab McDonalds.