Meal Planning does not have to be complicated. In fact, I’m a huge proponent of not meal planning. At least in the traditional sense.
I’m sharing my Meal Planning without a plan method. This method teaches you how to go about meal planning by keeping your kitchen stocked with the things you use on a regular basis.
I believe if you keep your pantry well-stocked with supplies and buy groceries that are on-sale, and discounted you’ll go a long way in saving money, time, and frustration.
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How Meal Planning without a Plan Works
For me, ensuring that the fridge, pantry and freezer are well supplied, ready for any meal that needs to be prepared is my best method for meal planning.
Meal planning by deciding what to cook using only what you have on-hand means you don’t have to make extra trips to the grocery store. In fact, when you work with a stocked kitchen you may find you only need to shop two times a month, or even just once a month.
How Meal Planning Without a Plan Works
- Meal Planning without a Plan Saves Time and Money
- Keeping a, Well Stocked Pantry
- How I Stock up with Canning
- Freezing for Keeping
- Working with What You Have
- Meal Planning Printables
- My Favorite Recipes
- Cooking for a Small Family
- My Go To Meals
- Repurpose Leftovers
As a Christian wife and mom, I fully believe this is an area that we need to commit to the Lord. He promises that he will sustain us. He asks us to not worry about what we will eat and drink, Matthew 6:25.
“I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:25
As homemakers our role is to manage the household. Part of household management is supplying food for the family. We can do this without worry when we trust that God will supply our need.
We can budget a certain amount for grocery shopping. Buy items for maintaining our kitchen stock, and then we can plan meals accordingly.
Why Meal Planning Without a Plan Works Better
When you use a prepared meal plan you buy groceries based upon what’s on the plan. You list out the ingredients for the meals outlined, then you shop to buy those ingredients.
But you might be paying for things that you wouldn’t otherwise need. Or, you buy something like a spice that you only use one or two times. Then, it sits in your cabinet only to be thrown out after a time.
When you meal plan by preparing dishes based on what you already have on-hand you aren’t buying extra stuff to fit a pre-planned outline.
And, you will use up everything in your supply before you grocery shop again. Thus, Limiting waste.
And too, when you make a plan based on what you have available you don’t spend time searching through ads for deals, or finding a list of ideas to make food.
Instead you know what food you have on-hand and you decide your meals accordingly.
Admittedly you need to be able to adapt your cooking based on what you have.
Perhaps a recipe calls for canned tomatoes with peppers. You have canned tomatoes, but without peppers. Adapting means you either leave the peppers out, or chop some fresh peppers to throw into the dish.
But what you don’t do, is run to the store to buy that extra can.
Meal Planning for Family Dinners
Are you a die-hard mom who meal plans before grocery shopping? Or, are you like me preferring to cook based on what’s in your fridge? Let me know which method works best for you in the comments below.
