Cooking and eating are two of my favorite things. Guys, I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think about is what I am going to eat for dinner. I meal plan because I enjoy cooking and eating, but meal planning is also a helpful habit.
Weekly meal planning allows you to be prepared when time gets tight. Work, kids, errands, activities; let’s face it, we are always running around, and putting a delicious, balanced meal on the table can be tricky. I don’t know about you, but if I come home after a busy day and have no clue what I am making for dinner, there is a pretty good chance I will order take-out or pop a frozen pizza in the oven. By planning ahead, you can save money, eat healthier, and be less stressed.
Where to get recipes?
1. Cookbooks. I love me some Joanna Gaines and Pioneer Woman. Browsing through cookbooks can be time-consuming, but I do enjoy it! A lot of my recipes and inspiration come from these ladies.2. Pinterest. I use Pinterest to search for recipes. Example: “ground beef recipes”. It’s a visual platform, so I can easily and quickly make selections based on the images I see. I just click the image and it takes me straight to the recipe. 3. Instagram/Facebook. Find a few different pages or accounts to follow that specializes in cooking. You can search hashtags to find accounts to follow or just follow my favorites! 4. Google. What would I do without Google?! I use it to search everything, including recipes! When I find a recipe I like, I either screenshot it and save it to my phone or pin it to my Pinterest board.
Favorite Accounts to Follow:
1. Cookingwiththecowboy
2. Sweetsavoryeats
3. Iowa Girl Eats
4. Carlsbadcravings
5. halfbakedharvest

When to Meal Plan?
I like to create my weekly meal plan each Saturday and hit up the grocery store on Sunday to get everything I need for the week. I just scribble everything down on paper or my weekly calendar and then post it on the fridge for the entire family to see. You can also get meal plan calendars, like this one, from amazon.
Meal planning has been a game-changer for me. It keeps me organized, healthy, and less stressed. If you don’t already, follow me on Instagram or Facebook as I share my meal plan each week. What are your tips for meal planning?