Are you trying to eat better, but find yourself running out of time? I hear you. I have a family of 8 to cook
for and it can be a struggle! If I don’t plan ahead, then it’s not going to happen. And all the good
intentions of eating better will not yield results if you don’t eat more at home. I promise you that it can be
done. It just takes a little planning.

5 Meal Planning Strategies That Work

1. Plan ahead

Once a week take some time to plan out your menu. It can be as elaborate or simple as
you want it. Personally, I just plan our dinners, but some of you might find it helpful to plan lunch and/or
breakfast as well. As you jot down your menu, take a look at your calendar so you can see what nights you
need quick dinners and what nights you have more time to cook. At our house, Monday night is slow-
cooker night and the weekend is when we typically prepare more time-consuming meals or try new
recipes.

2. Let someone else do the menu planning for you

Take advantage of the many done-for-you resources that are available. I offer my clients these resources:

• Supper Solutions
• 7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies, by Susan Nicholson
• Hello Fresh

3. Make wise use of leftovers

There’s a concept called, “Cook once, eat twice”, coined by the Beef
Council. The idea is to use the ingredients for your main dish in another recipe later in the week. This
saves time by having to cook less and money by not throwing away leftovers. For example, cook a pork
roast one night and use it to make sandwiches or soup another night. Several resources that teach this are
listed below:

• Cookbooks by Robin Miller
• Weight Watchers article: Cook Once, Eat all Week

4. Let someone else do the work for you

Buying ready-to-cook items can be a big time saver. Some
examples of quick and healthy foods are frozen vegetables that come in a steaming bag, quick-cooking
brown rice, shredded cheese, bottled sauces, pre-cooked meats, and marinated meats. Just be sure to
read the food label first! Some of these prepared foods are high in sodium.

Please note: I’m not recommending the boxed or frozen meals, like Hamburger Helper or Bertolli frozen meals. Although
those are okay in a pinch (and probably better than fast food), they are high in sodium and usually high in
fat. If you do buy some frozen meals for emergencies, read labels carefully first.

5. Prep your own ingredients

If you’re short on money too, buying ready-to-cook items will increase
your food bill. Instead, take an hour a week to do your own prep work. Shred a block of cheese and freeze
what you won’t use in the next few days. Dice onions and peppers and freeze in individual plastic
containers. Make a pot of vegetable soup to snack on for the week. Cook up some brown rice and freeze
some for later. (I recommend adding a little water before you heat it up in the microwave.) Before
cooking a casserole, freeze half for another night.

We’d love to hear from you: Do you plan your meals ahead of time? What works for you?