printable weekly meal planner template with snacks

PRINTABLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER TEMPLATE WITH SNACKS DOWNLOAD
PRINTABLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER TEMPLATE WITH SNACKS FREE

A well thought out meal plan can help you and your family eat healthier, while saving you time and money. Luckily there is a solution: meal planning. Today’s busy schedules often create only a small window of time to prep and cook a meal, and if you don’t have a plan in advance, trying to pull together dinner for the whole family can become extremely stressful. We often hear from our community that getting healthy, nutritious meals on the table for their family is one of the hardest challenges they face.

PRINTABLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER TEMPLATE WITH SNACKS FREE

We’ve even created a free printable meal planning template to help! Planning the restaurant (or even meal) ahead of time can provide a clearer view of how much it will cost.Whether you’re a total beginner, or have tried to menu plan for your family before, these easy meal planning tips will save you time, money and stress. However, that does not mean that takeout is off-limits. Restaurants charge more than grocery stores because they have to pay employees and other fees. Plan for more homemade meals than takeout.To save even further and minimize food waste, cook similar meals back-t0-back so the ingredients do not spoil. Although variety can be important, it is more cost-effective to choose only one or two cuisines per week, as they have comparable ingredients. Choose recipes with similar ingredients.Shopping local also tends to be less pricey. Other ways to save are using canned fish or chicken and choosing less expensive substitutes for costly ingredients. Use brand name versions of each food product, and choose frozen produce as it is cheaper than fresh and contains just as many nutrients. Limit ingredient variety to make it more cost-efficient, especially when cooking in bulk. To batch prep, increase the ingredients of each recipe and store for upcoming meals. They can also be frozen and served months later. Leftovers can be stored for another meal. When rates are lower for stores, the products can be offered to consumers at discounted prices. Stores are then able to sell the food at a cheaper rate. Buy in bulk. Purchasing food in greater quantities lowers the cost because companies spend less to package and ship it.Since they are generic products, they also cost less and decrease the amount spent on each recipe. Opt for recipes with fewer ingredients. Simple meals use basic ingredients that are universal.Follow these tips when creating a meal plan: If this information is not available, use a calorie tracker to calculate an estimate. Select restaurants that have mindful options or that provide the calorie information. This same concept applies to takeout meals. In these cases, swap out unhealthy ingredients and choose ones that are lower-calorie. However, recipes that are not healthy can also be used. Many authors include calories or nutrition information for each recipe, which can be transferred into the meal plan. Find websites that promote health and offer recipes that align with these values. Learn more about healthy eating by researching the ideal foods. Use the meal plan to track the totals for each meal to monitor daily intake and lose weight. In addition to selecting the right recipes, it is important to monitor the calories for each portion of food. Choose recipes or foods that have minimal calories or that fit into a daily budget. Meal plans provide a way to count calories, which promotes weight loss. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze all foods according to USDA Food Safety Guidelines to prevent food poisoning. Review all recipes and take note of anything that can be chopped, marinated, frozen, or thawed before making the meal.

Transfer this information into a grocery list, and shop ahead of time to ensure that all foods are on hand before cooking. Write down all ingredients needed to make the desired recipes. Level of Recipe Difficulty (or Cooking Experience).The meal planner should only choose recipes that will accommodate their needs. Step 3 – Choose Recipes and Write Down IngredientsĬompile a list of recipes, and enter them into each meal section. For each meal, enter a recipe name, or designate the section for leftovers or takeout. The primary use of a meal plan is to schedule foods in advance.

PRINTABLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER TEMPLATE WITH SNACKS DOWNLOAD

Each plan should accommodate personal preferences, as some may be more detailed or include unique categories.Ĭhoose a daily, weekly, or monthly template, and download or print it to fill it in. Meal plans vary based upon desires and needs. Guide to Meal Planning Step 1 – Select a Plan

Printable weekly meal planner template with snacks