Meal Planning 101
At the start of my journey of financial independence, I realised that I spent most of my excess money on take-out and junk food, (Where does all that money go?)
The biggest change I have made to my finances has been learning how to make meal plans, freeze meals and plan in advance. This planning does take up some time on my Sunday evenings, but it offers me the freedom, opportunity and joy if I have had a bad day at work or I am not feeling 100% energised, then I can pull a home cooked meal from my freezer and easily figure out what to eat that night.
Meal planning may seem tricky or overwhelming at first but it is actually really simple and once mastered, it becomes quick as well.
I learnt the hard way to stick to recipes I already like to eat. Keep It Simple and Healthy (KISH), just because you are planning meals doesn’t mean blowing up your grocery bills with almond meal, coconut oil, expensive cheese and a half tonne of kale!! Spaghetti bolognaise, vegetable mac and cheese, grilled meat, steamed vegetables and simple stir fry are all regulars on my menu. Think big, plan and buy cheap easy to prepare, healthy and most importantly delicious meals.
Being on a financial independence journey, planning meals, and living frugal (on a budget)doesn’t mean we have to eat endless tins of tuna and rice.
In my own way, I keep it very simple and meal plan every fortnight. I have a few selected favourite meals included in most of the fortnight rotations and I also like to mix it up. Even though I love my cookbooks, these days Pinterest, Google and Facebook are my go-to for recipes, especially when I am trying to make a dish cheaply or using leftover ingredients from my other menu options. I often use the “Save Post” feature on Facebook to store recipes. Also, I have a chrome bookmark tab on my laptop for recipes from different websites. Then, I make my meal planner around a couple of old favourites and new recipes. This type of digital bank of recipes is very effective for you or your family to stick to meals you like and can be made cheaply.
I created an easy to understand and use meal planner (download)to work out what I want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two weeks. I use my easy go-to recipes during the week and new or complex recipes during the weekend when I have more time to dedicate for cooking.
For the single ladies ( This one works for couples without children too) make your meals like spaghetti bolognaise, Chilli and Casseroles to feed 4+.
By cooking in bulk and freezing the leftovers (those meals defrost really well) into individual serves you have delicious homemade “frozen” meals which will save you money and prevent you from having takeout. They are very handy when you have a crazy busy day or just don’t feel like cooking.
Side note: Now I don’t know if it is just me but I find defrosted and reheated pasta gross, it ruins the whole meal for me, instead of cooking my pasta in bulk and freezing it with the sauce, I simply put the pasta on to cook while my pasta sauce defrosts in the microwave.
Dinners vary depending on the season, what meat and vegetables are on sale etc. But I usually try to have 2-3 vegetarian or egg based dishes during the fortnight and I usually eat a lot more chicken than red meat (this is just my personal preference). When it comes to selecting meals, I usually try to base a few days of meals around the same ingredients. For instance, if I am making a chilli con carne (mince, capsicum, beans celery etc), I usually do a stir fry or similar to use up the leftover celery and capsicum. It is more economical this way and I found this strategy beneficial in reducing my grocery bill and results in much less wastage.
Once you have selected your meals and assign the days of the week you plan to eat them, then it’s time to create your shopping list. I strongly recommend shopping once a week and freeze any leftover ingredients (like meat).
Most importantly, DON’T SHOP WITHOUT A LIST!!!! Walking around multiple aisles and buying what you don’t need can be very time consuming and energy draining as well as spending more than budgeted.
Don’t add extras because you think you might be more hungry or think of another great meal idea. In such instances, note the idea down and add it to the next fortnight’s menu. It sounds boring but I have seen the benefits of this almost immediately.
Side note: I do like to keep a few staples at hand in my cupboards like tins of tuna, coconut milk, and tomatoes, rice, pasta, and 1-2 bag(s) of frozen mixed vegetables. I use them a lot and it is more cost-saving buying extras of these when they are on sale.
DARE TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF
My challenge for you this week is to write down what your most regularly eaten dishes are, speak to your family or partner about what meals they enjoy most and then have a bit of fun on Google, Pinterest or Facebook admiring food pages and saving the recipes you want to try out and then just do it. Get out a piece of paper or use meal planning or note-taking apps, like Google Keep (it is free if you have a Google account), or use the template I designed for my fortnight planning on your smartphone. If you want to start small, plan for a week or just work days during the week. Most importantly jump in and try it out now. This has saved me time, money and keeps me so motivated in the kitchen, excited to find and try new recipes, and has slashed my junk food budget. Unexpectedly, it has helped me to eat healthy meals and start reaching my weight loss goals as well.
