Tuesday afternoons are one of my absolute favorite times of the week because it is when I sit down with a good cup of (decaf right now) coffee and think about my meal plan for the next week. I find meal planning exciting and a time to be creative. I know for some people it is the opposite, a task they dread or hate doing. I think this is because they don’t have fun with it or aren’t good at it. I wrote previously about the importance of meal planning to help cut down on food costs and increase your meal variety throughout the weeks and months. I know it can be a challenge to start meal planning, especially if you aren’t used to it, so I hope this guide to effective meal planning is a good starting place for you.

Step 1: Start with What You Have

Effective meal planning starts with taking stock of what you already have, whether in the freezer or leftover from the week before. You will save money and time by utilizing the ingredients you have on hand and not over purchasing items you don’t need. Take stock of what meat, frozen vegetables, sauces, and sides you have on hand a make a list of those items. Use this list to help create your meals for the next week. Have a bag of frozen fried rice? Add some orange chicken and broccoli for a stir fry meal. I try to have at least 2 meals each week us ingredients I have on hand already to save on my grocery bill.

Step 2: Get inspiration!

It is very easy to get into a rut of cycling through the same 10-15 meals each month, but this makes you less likely to want to eat at home since you are bored of those meals. To combat this, try my trick of trying one new recipe each week. If that is too ambitions, try one new recipe every other week. I like to turn to my magazines (Real Simple, Bon Appetit, and Food & Wine are some of my favorites) to see what is not only seasonal, but interesting new ideas for meal inspiration. Sometimes it is a new take on a classic, like this recipe from Real Simple for pasta salad, but made with cucumbers and herbs that spark some creativity for the week. Whether it is Pinterest, magazines, or an old recipe book, look for inspiration before you make your weekly meal plan to keep things interesting and broaden your culinary horizons.

Step 3: Create Your Meal Plan

Now that you know what you have in your stock and have lots of inspiration, now is the time to sit and write out your meal plan for the week. Make sure to have your calendar handy to ensure if you have any special nights (soccer night, husband home late from work night) that you work around those known events. Put your new recipe on a night when you know you will have lots of time to put it together so you aren’t frustrated if a new ingredient or technique takes more time than you thought. I use this meal planning and grocery list pad to plan out my week and keep my list in order. Once you have what your meals will be (this may include breakfasts and lunches as well as dinners, depending on your family and level of planning needed), make your grocery list using your plan. Try hard to stick to only what you need. This is how you keep the bills low.

Step 4: Review your Meal Plan

I like to make my meal plan on one day and sit on it for a day to ensure I haven’t forgotten any ingredients I need to add or events that may pop up that require you to change your plans. Make sure you have everything on your list you need, then head to the grocery store (or put together your curbside order if you’re me).

Step 5: Grocery Shop and Enjoy your Week of Meals

Now that you have a solid plan in place, grocery shopping won’t be a disorganized trip of trying to meal plan in your head as you look at the sales and purchase far more than you need “just in case.” I take my list with me to the grocery store to check items off as I get them (or add them to my cart if I’m doing curbside). I write my meal plan up on a whiteboard on my fridge so everyone knows what is for dinner throughout the week. This one from Target is easy and simple to use.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be difficult and can take so much stress out of your life, especially at the end of a long day when the inevitable question of “What’s for dinner?” comes. Effective meal planning doesn’t have to take hours or involve complicated recipes. When done correctly, it help you try new recipes, organize your week, and keep your evenings stress free.