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Feel like dinner time is a guessing game every day? Meal planning is not as complicated as you may think. There are steps that can make meal planning for homeschool moms pretty simple.
It is 4:00. Our homeschool day is done, the house is straightened up, and I long to just sit down for 5 minutes. Yet, I have to find something for dinner. Why do my kids want to eat every single night I wonder? Some days it is too much and a frozen pizza is thrown in as I admit defeat.
As a homeschool mom, it feels like our jobs are never done. Feeding our families a healthy dinner is something we typically strive to do every day right? Yet, we are busy, and some days we just don’t do it.
If this is you, and too often than not you are finding yourself 30 minutes before dinner with nothing planned, you may want to consider looking into meal planning. I balked at this idea for a long time, but when I finally gave in, I was glad I did.
Meal planning is not as complicated as you may think. There are three steps that can make meal planning for busy moms pretty simple.
- Use this template from Money Saving Mom. Choose if you want to plan meals for one week, two weeks, or a month. You may want to meal plan for how often you go to the grocery store, or how often you are paid.
- Serve the same foods for breakfast and lunch each day. This could be cereal for breakfast every Monday, or sandwiches every Wednesday for lunch. This makes menu planning easy, and you don’t have to guess what you will be serving each day.
- Have a list of around 15-20 recipes that your family enjoys. Rotate these out each menu cycle. Plan to try out a new recipe once or twice a month, and make sure you also plan for leftovers! One tip is to clear out leftovers each Sunday after church. This keeps you from having to cook, and it saves from wasting food.
- Plan ahead! Yes, I know you are doing this naturally when you meal plan, but think of what days you are typically on the go? Plug crock pot meals in for those days. This ensures you will have dinner ready after a busy day out and about.
Meal planning can save your family anywhere from $20-50 each pay period. You save money because you are not making last minute trips to the grocery store for an item missing from your recipe, and it keeps you from eating out because you have plenty of food at home to cook dinner.
Have you tried meal planning? What is your best tip for busy homeschool moms new to the concept?
I notice a huge decrease in my stress level when I meal plan the month ahead. I have 5 kids ranging from 10 years – 6 month and became a mom at 27.
Hey! I’ve been wanting one for months! 🙂 Thank you for doing this!
Agreed! Huge time saver!
Meal planning has been so, so helpful for me! I hate if I get behind/busy and don’t get it done – it throws everything off. Per the giveaway instructions above – I became a momma at 19 and we have six, going on seven kiddos. 🙂 Thanks for sharing & the opportunity!
Yes! Love meal planning. It makes snacks and meals so easy, especially when the kids are hungry and my brain is mush. I do a lot of bulk baking for snacks and breakfast. I quadruple recipes of granola , pancakes, muffins , etc then freeze them. I am not a morning person so this helps a lot. Lunch I have a ist of what can be made and the kids do it themselves. I don’t know how to grocery shop without a plan anymore.
I often fall into the same trap of making the same things all the time. I never thought of meal planning. Thanks for the ideas and for sharing at the #SHINEbloghop
I try to plan our family suppers each week. Sometimes creativity or money is factor. So tired of the same things.
Lol! Yea, I had a super hard time with it for awhile. It took at least 6 months to get into the rhythm.
Meal planning hates me.
Menu planning works for us. I usually plan out our meals for one month and most often repeat the same meals each month. And I LOVE my crockpot! It’s so wonderful to know that dinner is cooking away (especially when you’re tired at the end of the day) and all (or most) of the work is done.
We do a lot of the same things! 🙂 Tip #2 is especially helpful around here. The kids like knowing what we’re eating each day too.
Your welcome! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I used to plan my menus in advance, but now I just go one or two days in advance. Thankfully I have some easy meals to prepare on hectic days!
We do meal planning but these are some very helpful tips. I never thought to have the same things for breakfast and lunch. Good idea!
Thanks for sharing!
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo