If you're frustrated with coming up with ideas for dinner tonight, or have little inspiration for what do cook each night, weekly meal planning could be for you.
You can also make a two-week plan, or even a plan for the entire month. It's actually very easy to break down the process a week at a time and with these tips you're sure to become an expert at it in no time at all.
Simple 6 Step Meal Plan
I always develop my weekly meal plan by following the six basic steps:
Checking out my pantry each week also helps me with my preparations for the week. I always make sure to keep a well-stocked pantry of the essentials. If you're wondering what are pantry essentials, check out my pantry list.
Remember, modify your list to suit your needs. If you're big into Asian foods, you'll want to be sure to have fish sauce on your list of pantry essentials, for example.
In our house, I often cook stir-fry, so in our pantry we always have the holy trinity of Asian sauces – soy sauce, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce. We also can't do without peanut butter, it's my son's favorite!
What's your family's favorites? Think about what your family likes to eat and slowly begin to stock your pantry according to their likes and needs.
Having a well-stocked pantry is good for Plan B as well – that is when your meal plan for the week doesn't quite go as planned.
6 makes the Plan
Even though I plan for the week, I usually only choose six meals to cook during the week. One night of the week, usually a Friday or Saturday, we take it easy, order take-out, or treat ourselves to dinner at a restaurant (when the budget allows!), or we create something from what’s in the pantry and the fridge.
So, even though you're planning for the week, you can add some flexibility into your plan so that it works for you and your family.
