Here are 5 reasons why I love menu planning and think you should too:
- I only shop once a week. Before I was married, and living on my own, if I wanted to make something specific for dinner I would go to the store that day, thus, making multiple trips each week. Now, I know what we will be eating for an entire week in advance so I can plan my once a week grocery shopping around that specific menu.
- Less temptation to eat out. In other words, we save money and eat healthier this way.
- I have more motivation. I’m tired when it comes time for dinner. Since I have a menu, I don’t struggle for ideas and actually get excited about making dinner, because I already know what I will be making!
- We save money. I go through my pantry before I plan our menu to see which ingredients I have on hand. This way I don’t double up on the ingredients I need, in turn, saving us money each week. Also, I buy less spur of the moment, money grabbing items because, I know I won’t need that item.
- It blesses my husband. He gets to eat a healthy meal everyday, he doesn’t have to listen to a grumpy wife complaining about making dinner, and he can properly unwind after his day! And what husband doesn’t like saving money?
Bonus: I love the variety it provides for us. Most weeks I’ll put a new recipe on the menu, sometimes 2 recipes. I’ve found many favourite recipes this way!
Are you menu planning? Why or why not?
And to think, a few years ago, there was no way you would eat leftovers! How times have changed!
Keep up the great menu planning! It is starting to wear off on your dear mother!!!
Love your blog and it's many contents!
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I love meal planning. I live about 45 minutes from the city where I grocery shop. I like to make a meal plan for about 3-4 weeks at a time. Then when I go shopping I can purchase all the foods I need. I like to use fresh veggies for the first week or so and then use frozen after that so things don’t go bad. When I purchase the meat I freeze it until I need it.
Shopping for a month at a time saves me the gas it takes to get into the city and then I don’t have weekly impulse buys. If I need milk or bread or produce that I have run out of I buy that locally, but buying everything else locally is usually very expensive.
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