I'm a numbers individual, so I pay close attention to my family's budget. Typically, we're quite a frugal family, but the one spending category that really disturbs me is simply how much we spend on food. And I don't mean eating out... I'm referring to how much we spend on groceries every week. For a small family, our grocery budget is out of control.
So when I learned about weekly menu planning, I was delighted. Especially when I realized how much menu planning can lessen our grocery budget.
Save Money
There are many advantages to
weekly meal planning, but the greatest help to my family is how much money we save on groceries. By planning our meals in advance (I generally plan our meals one week at a time), I do know exactly what I need to buy at the shop, and I refrain from buying food that we won't eat that full week. Before I began planning our meals, we wasted a lot of food because it spoiled before I got around to cooking it. Meal planning also minimizes the number of times I visit the grocery store (I used to go nearly every day!), this means fewer impulse buys. I don't know about you, but every time I visit the shop to pick up one or two items, I've spent $50 or $60 before I know it. Weekly meal planning allows lessen unnecessary purchases, which means huge savings over the long run. Eliminating the daily grocery visits probably saves me the most in our grocery budget.
Save Time
Another benefit to weekly menu planning is the time it saves you. First, because you spend less time finding out what to prepare for dinner (or surfing the net for ideas). Secondly, since you already have all you need to cook dinner (for the whole week!) you won't have to run by the store after picking the children up or on your way from work. Just imagine how much time you'll save just from eliminating daily trips to the grocery shop. If you're at all like me and go to the store several times per week, you could put away a couple of hours of time just by planning your meals ahead of time.
Eat Healthier
Another huge advantage you get from weekly menu planning is that it helps you eat much healthier. People who do meal planning tend to eat better as they go out to eat less frequently. By eating out less often, you cut out much of the oily foods that you would normally eat at fast food restaurants. Moreover, when you cook at your house, you're more likely to select fresh, healthy ingredients for your meals.
As you can see, meal planning has several benefits, which includes saving your time, money and helping your family eat healthier. At My Weekly Menu Planner, we offer articles, suggestions and free resources, including free menu planners and shopping lists to help you start saving time and money with menu planning today.
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