Meal Planning Tips to Save Time and Money
Maybe you’ve tried meal planning before and felt overwhelmed, or maybe the thought of spending Sunday afternoons buried in cookbooks just isn’t your thing. The good news? Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated or Pinterest-perfect. A few simple strategies can help you save money on groceries, eat healthier, and reduce the stress of figuring out “what’s for dinner?”
Why Meal Planning Matters
Meal planning isn’t just about organization. It’s about saving money and time.
Cut grocery bills: Families can save hundreds of dollars each month by avoiding impulse buys and takeout.
Waste less food: Buying only what you’ll use means fewer mystery containers shoved to the back of the fridge.
Save time: With a plan in place, you’ll spend less energy on last-minute decisions during busy weeks.
Step 1: Build Your Go-To Meal List
Instead of reinventing the wheel every week, create a rotation of 20–30 meals that your family enjoys. Keep it simple, and repeat often. Variety is great, but consistency is what saves money and time.
A few budget-friendly meal ideas:
Crockpot chicken with carrots and potatoes (put it in the crockpot, turn it on low and go!)
Tacos or burrito bowls
Veggie stir-fry with rice and tofu
Pasta and sauce with a side of green peas (this is a family favorite of ours - we try all the pasta shapes)
Sheet-pan sausages and vegetables
This list is your baseline. Add in new recipes, frozen meals, or takeout when you need a break, and you’ll still feel in control of your grocery budget.
Step 2: Shop Smart with Grocery Hacks
A big part of saving money on groceries comes down to how you shop.
Make a list and stick to it: Online grocery pickup or Instacart can save you 20–30% - even with the surcharges - because you avoid filling your cart with impulse purchases and are strictly shopping to a list.
Choose discount grocery chains: Aldi, Lidl, Grocery Outlet, and Trader Joe’s are some of my favorites for affordable, healthy options.
Buy store brands: Most are just as good as name brands for a fraction of the cost.
Go plant-based more often: Even swapping out a few meat-heavy meals per week for plant-based meals can save $100–300 per month.
Step 3: Use Simple Meal Planning Tools
You don’t need fancy apps to succeed—just a few practical tools:
Dry erase calendar: A Sun–Sat fridge calendar makes the plan visible to everyone.
Shopping list system: Use paper, phone notes, or a grocery app—whatever keeps you consistent.
Prep once, eat twice: Double up on soups, casseroles, or grain bowls and freeze extras for busy nights.
Step 4: Involve the Family
Meal planning isn’t a solo mission. Bring your family into the process for fun and engagement.
Let kids choose a recipe each week and help cook it.
Try new recipes together from sites like Spend With Pennies or Budget Bytes.
Prep snacks and lunches as a group so weekdays feel easier.
When everyone helps, it’s a family team effort, and kids are more likely to eat what they’ve helped make.
Quick Meal Planning Tips
Keep a few “emergency meals” on hand, like pasta and sauce, frozen complete meals, or frozen pizza.
Crockpot or Instant Pot recipes are lifesavers on busy days.
Check store flyers for sales before finalizing your list—then plan meals around what’s cheapest.
Leftovers are good and don’t have to be boring!
Glam Up Leftovers: “Make a Plate” Night
Leftovers don’t have to be boring. In fact, turning them into a fun family tradition can save money, reduce food waste, and give you a night off from cooking. In our house, we call it “make a plate” night. Here’s how it works:
Pull out all the Tupperware containers of leftovers from the fridge and set them up buffet-style on the counter.
Everyone makes their own custom dinner plate—maybe a little pasta with a side of roasted veggies, half a burrito, or last night’s stir-fry.
Kids love it because they get to “design” their own meal, and adults love it because there’s no cooking , just reheating.
Tips to Glam Up Leftovers
Add fresh touches: Top reheated meals with chopped herbs, shredded cheese, a fried egg, or a drizzle of sauce to make them feel new.
Mix and match: Pair small portions together—last night’s chili with a quesadilla, or leftover rice with stir-fried veggies and soy sauce.
Turn sides into mains: Leftover roasted veggies become a grain bowl base; mashed potatoes can top a mini shepherd’s pie.
Create a “snack plate” appetizer dinner: Assemble a sampler of small bites: fruit, cheese cubes, half a sandwich, and veggies with dip.
Not only does this cut down on food waste, but it also gives you permission to skip cooking without the guilt (or the takeout bill).
Upcycling: Give Leftovers a Second Life
Another way to save money and cut food waste is to “upcycle” your leftover meals. Instead of eating the same dish on repeat, transform leftovers into something new and exciting. A few easy ideas:
Chili → Enchiladas. Give new life to leftover chili in tortillas with cooked rice, leftover chicken or cooked vegetables, shredded cheese. Roll them up for quick burritos and heat up in the oven or microwave. If you like, arrange in a casserole dish, pour canned enchilada sauce, and top with cheese for homemade, delicous enchiladas.
Roasted Vegetables → Frittata. Toss yesterday’s veggies into beaten eggs, bake, and you’ve got an easy and hearty frittata.
Rice → Fried Rice. Cold cooked rice is perfect for a fast stir-fry with a little oil, soy sauce, garlic, veggies, and a couple of scrambled eggs.
Chicken → Soup or Quesadillas. Shred leftover cooked chicken and add it to broth with veggies, or tuck it into tortillas with cheese.
Mashed Potatoes → Potato Cakes. Pan-fry small patties for crispy potato cakes, perfect as a side for dinner or breakfast.
Resources
Here are some trustworthy sites and tools I use and like.
Budget-Friendly Recipes & Meal Planning
Spend With Pennies – Easy, family-friendly recipes
Budget Bytes – Recipes with per-meal cost breakdowns
Good Cheap Eats – Frugal cooking, freezer meals, meal plans
The Kitchn – Meal Planning – Practical weekly meal plans
Plant-Forward Eating
Plant Based on a Budget – affordable vegetarian and vegan recipes and meals
Forks Over Knives Recipes – Whole-food plant-based cooking
Meal Planning Tools
MyFridgeFood – Recipes based on what’s already in your fridge
Paprika Recipe Manager App - A powerful app to save recipes from anywhere, plan weekly meals, and generate organized grocery lists
Mealime – Free app that creates meal plans & grocery lists
