Weekly Meal Plan: Simple 8 Step Quick-Start Guide (2024)

What’s for dinner?
Who’s cooking tonight?
What do I need to pick up at the store on my way home?
Do we have any meetings tonight?
Do any of the kids have sports tonight?

If your busy family is anything like mine, I’ll bet these questions sound familiar.

Get the Most from a Weekly Meal Plan

If you have a busy family like ours, you know how the end of the day can get crazy fast. From the time school is out until bedtime can be a daily, overwhelming, mishmash of tasks, appointments, and sports schedules. And to top it all offeveryone is hungry.

While we can’t always control sports schedules and meeting times, we can certainly do something to make dinner less hectic. Implementing a routine of using a Weekly Meal Plan has saved our familyvaluable time and money. Afternoons can still get a little hectic from time to time, but having a plan for dinner takes a lot of stress out of the mix.

You’re probably thinking that you don’t have time for weekly meal planning. I used to think that, too. However, after meal planning continuouslyfor the past 15 years I can tell you it has greatly simplified our family’s afternoon and evening routines.

Since we’ve been using aWeekly Meal Plan, our family is

• making less trips to the grocery store,
• eating out less, and
• spending more time together for dinner.

Sound like good reasons to give it a try?

To help you get started I’ve broken the process down into 8 easy-to-follow steps. I challenge your family to try a Weekly Meal Plan for 8 weeks and see how much it benefits you.

8 Step Quick Start Guide to a Weekly Meal Plan

1. Print 8-10 Copies of a Weekly Meal Plan Sheet

Start byprinting 8-10 copies of a Weekly Meal Plan sheet. You’ll need space to write down a simple menu for each day of the week and space to write your grocery list. You can make your own Weekly Meal Plan or use some I’ve created for free. Having several copies on handwill motivate you to get started and keep up the meal plans for several weeks. Before you know it, meal planningwill become a natural part of your routine.

2. Check Your Calendar

Before you even think about food, check your calendar. You don’t need to write out every single detail of your day, but list any afternoon and evening activitiesthat could affect dinner time. Use a bright color of ink to list calendar items on your Weekly Meal Plan. This schedule reminder will help you plan meals that will work for each day and make it easy for everyone in the family to remember where they are supposed to be and when.

3. What’s in the freezer and pantry?

Save yourself some time and money by using what you already have on hand first. If you’ve already got ground beef and chicken breasts in the freezer, then 2 of your meals this week can be planned around those proteins. Same goes for veggies and side dishes. Spending a few minutes checking the freezer and pantry can jumpstart your weekly meal plan.

4. What’s on sale?

Next, check your grocer’s weekly sales ad. Every week grocery stores publish a sales ad listing what items are on sale. You can find sales ads in the Sunday newspaper or in your grocery store app. Look for items markedBOGO (Buy One Get One Free) and plan some meals around those deals. Flip over to the “meat” section of the sales listand get a couple of more dinner ideas there.

Most grocery stores post their sales ads online, so you can search for your favorite store’s website and find their list of weekly sale items. Another way to save even more time and money, is to check your grocery store app for any available coupons. You can also usea couponing or deal website like TheKrazyCouponLady.com. These websites do a lot of the work for you by listing the items on sale and marking the best deals.

5. Write Down Meals and Create Your Grocery List

By the time you get to this step you’ll probably already have a few dinner ideas on your Weekly Meal Plan. Now it’s time to fill in the rest. What are some ofyour family’s favorite meals? Did you save a new recipe on Pinterest you’d like to try? If you’re planning to eat out one night, add that to your meal plan, too. Don’t forget to plan a couple of super easy meals into your week like soup and sandwiches or breakfast for dinner. Keeping it simple will help you stick to your plan.

As you fill in your dinners for the week, start compiling your grocery list. Use aWeekly Meal Plan sheet that breaks down your grocery list into sections like produce, meats, refrigerated, frozen, etc. Havingyour grocery list broken down into categorieswill save you timein the store. It will be easy to get all the produce items at the same time instead of having to backtrack when you’re halfway done shopping.

6. Don’t Forget Cleaning Supplies, Pet Items, Paper, Lunches, Snacks and Desserts.

Once your meals are planned, take a few minutes to think of other items you will need for the week. Some things to consider are cleaning supplies like laundry detergent, dish soap or multi-purpose cleaners. If you have pets, do they need food or treats? What about paper towels or toilet paper? Do you need anything for packing lunches, snacks or desserts? Add those items to your grocery list.

7. Detach Grocery List and Post Meal Plan

Here’s where you start feeling super organized! Cut the grocery list portion off of your meal plan. Go ahead and put it in your purse or wallet so you’ll have it when you go shopping. Post the menu portionin a placethat’s easy for the entire family to see, like on your refrigerator. Now when it’s time to cook dinner, you simply check your Weekly Meal Plan and start cooking! The kids can also check the menu instead of asking that dreaded “What’s for dinner?” question over and over again.

8. Save Your Weekly Meal Plan for Future Dinner Ideas

At the end of the week, instead of throwing out your old menu save it. Keep them handy in a file or drawer so you can access them for future meal ideas. Try to add some new dinners each week, but grab a couple of old favorites as well. Before you know it you’ll have quite a list of meals to choose from that will save you even more time planning meals in future weeks. (Check out my Favorite Dinner Ideas meal planning method!)

So, are you up for the challenge? Try these 8 easy steps for 8 weeks. Download my free Weekly Meal Plan sheets, and get started right away! I’d love for you to let me know how implementing a Weekly Meal Plan impacts your family. Please come back and leave a comment. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Here’s everything you need to be successful at Meal Planning!

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