Easy Meal Planning for Busy Moms 🎉

Setting aside time to make a weekly meal plan

     Set aside 30 minutes or so each weekend to create your plan for the week. For us, dinners are the most important, but I also have an idea of what I’m going to pack in the girls’ lunches and make for breakfasts. Plan out as many meals as you’d like for the week, emphasizing dinner and weekly staples.

Create a master list

     After you’ve planned out your meals, make a master grocery list including all of the ingredients. Take inventory of your pantry and fridge to avoid buying duplicates, unless you like having backups on hand.

sking help from family members

     I like to ask the kids if there’s anything they’d like to have the following week and use their suggestions when I craft my list. I’ll also put a few cookbooks on the table for them to choose recipes that look good to them. Sometimes they surprise me with their selections and I love that helps to shake things up and prevent dinner ruts.

Free Weekly Meal Plan For Busy Moms

     Here is a free weekly template I created for meal planning. If you need more help, enter your email address here and I’ll send you a free copy of meal prep blueprint! It has my exact strategy for meal planning, along with some new recipes.

    - Sunday: Steak, roasted asparagus, salad kit, homemade sourdough

    - Monday: Chili with gluten-free cornbread and salad

    - Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (out!)

    - Wednesday: Garlic-lime chicken thighs with sweet potatoes and zucchini

    - Thursday: Greek bowls (rice, chicken, grape leaves, hummus, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, and olives)

    - Friday: Takeout

    - Saturday: Hodge podge (mix of leftovers and/or breakfast for dinner)

So, tell me, friends: do you plan your meals in advance? What’s on the menu this week?

Prep protein or anything you can in advance

     I like to wash fresh fruit and veggies, chop anything I can for dinners and easy snacking, and prep a couple of protein staples. I’ll usually boil eggs and smoke chicken for the week. Anything you can do you set yourself up for advance: do it. I also like to mention that if you’re able to splurge on more convenience items that will make your life easier (like chicken that is already cooked and cut into pieces), do what you need to do to set yourself up for success.

Use a meal planning template

     This helps a ton if you’re going to plan out meals for the week! Simply print, add in your meals, and write out your grocery list on the opposite side.