Are You Meal Planning the Right Way?

Meal planning: it’s is one of those things that’s supposed to make your life easier. When done right, meal planning can help your life tremendously. It’s all about doing meal planning right! Check out these tips for meal planning, done right.

Ask for recommendations- When I first started meal planning, I didn’t know where to start. So that’s why I started asking for recommendations for meal planning from friends and family. It didn’t take long for my meal planning list to build up.

Start a meal planning calendar- Another tip I have for you in regards to meal planning is to start a meal planning calendar. Write what you’re going to have each day of the week. You’d be amazed at how easy it is to meal plan when you actually do the “planning” part.

Get creative- I know when it comes to meal planning, it’s so easy to get stuck in a rut. Something that I’ve done is get creative with meal plans. I try not to make the same meals, month after month. It’s important that my family loves our meals, which is why I take their requests seriously.

Stay organized- Another thing that will get you when you’re trying to meal plan is it is so easy to get unorganized. You can save your recipes on Pinterest on a board, you can even save recipes on Facebook, or save all of your favorite recipes in a notebook with your own writing. It’s really up to you on how you stay organized, it’s just a matter of actually doing it.

Make a shopping list- This is a BIG one. Before you even go to the store, make sure you have a shopping list in hand. A shopping list can help you ENSURE you get everything you need. And a big tip is to not forget your shopping list at home. I sometimes write the list on my iPad that way I know I’m going to have it with me.

The Family’s opinion matters- When it comes to what you cook at night; it matters to your family. I try and keep a journal of what they like and don’t like. The journal helps me when I’m meal planning because then I know I won’t waste my time making a particular meal.

Use the right meal planning tools- Finally, when it comes down to it, you need the right meal planning tools. One of my favorite tools is Blue Apron. Blue Apron allows you to discover new recipes, created by their culinary team. The cool thing is that there are always new recipes being posted. And my favorite part is that there are 500-800 calories per serving, which fits into my “watch what I eat” category.

You’ll also notice that Blue Apron uses fresh ingredients, the ingredients are also pre-measured, and the meats are naturally raised on antibiotic- and hormone-free diets. This works as an awesome as a meal planning tool because you get free delivery nationwide, you get to choose a delivery schedule that meets your needs, and the ingredients come in a refrigerated box. That means, even if you’re not home, your food won’t get ruined. One of my favorite parts of Blue Apron is that their mission is to make home cooking accessible to everyone!

If you’re still not catching on with what Blue Apron is, they basically have awesome meals pre-prepped for you! You get these meals sent right to your door and you get to cook them. You don’t have to worry about quality or measuring because they do it all for you.

How easy does meal planning look now? I know if you sign up for Blue Apron right now, you will get 3 meals free with your first order. Don’t delay because Blue Apron makes meal planning SO EASY!