Why You Should Menu Plan

Learning to menu plan for the coming week can have a dramatic effect on your life. Believe me. I’m talking from experience. About 10 years ago, my husband and I started to menu plan. Although our exact process changed over time, the benefits were clear: grocery shopping only once per week; no more stress at dinner time trying to find something to cook; having all the ingredients in our home to cook a nutritious dinner; very little food going to waste because it wasn’t eaten. And my favorite benefit? Knowing that each night at dinner time, we could sit down as a family of 4 to enjoy a tasty dinner and actually talk to each other.

Other advantages of menu planning include:

Saves money. Having a meal plan dramatically decreases the amount of food that is thrown away due to spoilage.

Saves time. Having a grocery list will prevent you from wandering around the grocery store aimlessly.

Less stress. Knowing what’s for dinner each night takes away the guess work of what you’re going to feed your family.

It’s healthier. Knowing what you’re eating will prevent you from hitting up the fast-food restaurants and you’ll be able to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your meals.

Try new foods. Never eat broccoli? Give it a try this week. Want to try a different tomato soup recipe? Go for it.

No last-minute trips to the store. None. Seriously. Although a trip to the local farmers market or going blueberry picking is always a fun outing.

Enjoy variety. Over time, you’ll be able to build a full list of recipes that you and your family enjoy. You can try foods from different countries, try new spices, and even have theme nights!

Misa Pignataro, owner of Misa’s Clean Kitchen and certified health coach, educator, and mom of two kids suggests another great advantage to meal planning. Allowing each family member to pick a meal or two each week gets kids excited about their special meal! The more we involve our children in meal planning and the cooking process, the more likely they will be eager to try (and hopefully enjoy!) new foods.

And one of my favorite reasons to meal plan? No one ever has to ask, “What’s for dinner?” ever again! Be sure to download the Living. Simplified. Meal Planning Chart to help you on your meal planning journey!