There is no question that meal planning is beneficial. It prevents that late afternoon scramble to figure out what is for dinner, it gives peace of mind, and it lets you make a streamlined grocery list minimizing impulse purchases and waste.
So why don’t we all meal plan every week? Because there are barriers. Sometimes meal planning just feels like one more thing to add to your ever growing to-do list. We get lost searching for the right recipe, and the whole idea seems overwhelming.
Over time, I’ve found two simple meal planning methods that keep me organized with meals without locking me into a rigid plan.
Approach #1: Stock Up on Basics
When I head to the store, I focus on building a foundation of staples so have flexible options at home. I typically shop for about three days at a time and plan on a mid-week grocery run or delivery.
- Produce: I grab a variety of our go-to vegetables to roast, steam, sauté, or use in salads.
- Pantry & grains: I check (or try to check!) what we already have, then make sure we’re stocked with rice, pasta, polenta, tortillas, bread, and other staples. Yes, sometimes I end up with doubles and that’s okay.
- Proteins: I like to have chicken plus a couple of other proteins like beef, pork, fish, frozen shrimp, or tofu on hand.
This gives me the building blocks for simple meals. Even if I don’t have a specific recipe in mind, I have the components to get a quick meal on the table. And if I do choose a recipe, I usually have most if not all of the ingredients.
Approach #2: Choose 3–4 Recipes (Not 7!)
I pick out 3-4 recipes, and write out the groceries needed before heading to the store. I find choosing this amount less overwhelming than planning out the whole week, and the rest naturally fills in with leftovers, take-out, or simple meals.
When life is hectic, I stick to tried-and-true family favorites. When I have more bandwidth, I experiment with new recipes. I still plan for a mid-week grocery run, but it is typically smaller than the first.
Putting It All Together
Meal planning doesn’t have to mean a rigid schedule or color-coded spreadsheet. By keeping a variety of basics on hand and/or choosing just a couple of recipes each week, you can save time, reduce stress, and still leave room for flexibility.
The goal isn’t perfection. It is simply having nourishing meals that work for you and your family. When plans really go sideways, I rely on what I call my “back-up meals”. They are simple, no-stress options I can pull together from the pantry or freezer staples. If you missed that post, you can check it out here for more ideas.
