Why meal planning is a good idea

The term ‘meal planning’ sounds terribly organised, doesn’t it? And, if we’re honest, not a whole lot of fun. But once you start doing it, you’ll see that it will transform your approach to food, save you time and money, and improve your health and wellbeing. Meal planning is actually really easy – here’s some advice on how to do it, and the main benefits.

What is meal planning?

The clue is in the name! But practically speaking, it’s planning your breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks for the week ahead. Meal planning means that you won’t get home, open the fridge and have to concoct a new recipe that needs to be served in one hour flat. By planning your weekly meals, you’ll know what to cook and when.

Save money

A huge plus is the money you’ll save when you plan your weekly menus. When you go food shopping, you won’t wander up each aisle, aimlessly putting things into your trolley. You’ll have a concise list, so shopping trips will be quicker, you’ll spend less money, and you won’t be stuck with foods that go to waste because you’ve bought too much.

But even if you do end up with leftovers, you can incorporate them into your meal planning. If you buy a joint of lamb to cook on Sunday, you can bet there’ll be enough left to make a shepherd’s pie or a stew on Monday or Tuesday. Or, if you have leftover vegetables, they can be turned into a soup in no time at all – just soften a couple of onions in a pan, add the vegetables and some herbs, pour over some stock, simmer for 15-20 minutes, then blend – easy as that.

Save time

Saving time is another benefit of meal planning. By mapping out your week, you’ll know which are your busier days, so you can make a note to prepare much simpler meals on those days, or on evenings if you have to work late or have other plans. There’ll be no last-minute scrambles to the supermarket to pick up missing ingredients, and you’ll know that on any given day, you’ll know what to cook and how long it will take. 

When you’re home in plenty of time, you’ll be able to spend more time in the kitchen and serve dishes that take that little bit longer – something like braised lamb shanks or a slow-cooked hotpot. Or if you need something on the table in a flash, you can cheat a little and use something like McCain jacket potatoes that take a fraction of the time compared with baking spuds from scratch.

Eat more healthily

By planning your meals in advance, you’ll eat more healthily, too. There’ll be no need to grab last-minute snacks on the go, because everything will already be planned and prepared. When you plan each meal, you can go for the healthy option and shop accordingly. And because everything’s written down, there’ll be no need to throw a few ingredients together in a rush, which can often mean eating unhealthy food.

Healthy eating is so important – you don’t have to take the healthy option every time, but by adding healthier foods into your diet, you’re increasing your life expectancy, giving yourself more energy and controlling your weight – three pretty important things!

Meal planning is great for your stress levels, too. It ensures that cooking for you and your family is a pleasant, relaxed experience, not a panic-strewn affair where you’re rushing around, trying to think of a recipe that everyone will enjoy. So, even if you’re home a little later than expected, you’ll know what you’ll be cooking and that you’ll have the ingredients to hand.

How to do it

There are countless meal planners online, so there’s no need to design one from scratch. They don’t have to be elaborate at all – just make sure they include every day of the week, and columns for breakfast, lunch and dinner (plus any snacks). Next, it’s time to start planning!

Start with breakfast: will it be cereal each weekday morning and something a little fancier at weekends? For lunch, is there a staff kitchen or canteen to save you some time? Will the kids get something at school, or do you need to prepare a packed lunch each day? Finally, for dinner, make sure there’s plenty of variety, include all the main food groups, and make sure you know how long each dish will take to cook – so that you’re not still in the kitchen at 9pm…

Once you’ve planned your weekly meals, make a shopping list with all the things you need to buy, and stick to it! Don’t be tempted to buy a few extra treats just in case – you don’t need them. And you’ll soon see your shopping bills tumbling, which is another bonus.

I hope that this has shown you that meal planning is actually a very simple exercise. And by doing just a little prep each week, you’ll save time and money, you’ll eat more healthily, and you’ll feel much more in control of what you eat and when. Get planning!

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