How to Save Money by Meal Planning

When it comes to cooking, you can save money by incorporating meal planning into your routine. While groceries can be one of the more expensive household purchases, it doesn’t mean it can’t be budgeted nor does it mean it has to cost an exorbitant amount.

I’ve been meal planning the last 7 years and it has helped me save money and time during a long work week. Meal planning has tremendously reduced the amount I eat out during the work week and even some weekends.

Below are tips on how to save money by meal planning.

What is meal planning?

Meal planning is a process of organizing your meals in advance. Implementing a meal plan can increase savings and stretch your monthly budget.

How to meal plan

1. Create a list of items to purchase (I use coupons and ads to build the foundation of my grocery list)
2. Look up recipes that complement your initial list
3. Add items you are missing but need for recipes to grocery list
4. Schedule meals on your meal plan calendar

Look at Sales

Our biggest savings has come from using coupons and searching the ad sections of our local grocery store. Before we head to the grocery store, we create a list based on sale items and then build a grocery list and recipe menu from there.

You can review sale items on your local store’s website. Many grocery stores also have an app where you can download digital coupons and review sales.

Schedule it

It’s one thing to put the work into creating a grocery list and buying items. It’s a whole other to actually plan and cook your meals. Lack of cooking could sometimes be due to a lack of planning.

I have found a lot of success in writing out my meal plan on a weekly to monthly basis. It not only helps to organize my week; it helps to keep me accountable.

Knowing what I have scheduled to eat also keeps me from eating out when I know I have exactly what I should be eating at home.

Cook in bulk

I’ve definitely been guilty of having plenty of groceries in the fridge and still struggling to find time to cook it. Being a busy professional, wife and entrepreneur has sometimes made it difficult to commit to cooking every day.

Taking a day out of the week to cook in bulk can be extremely helpful in saving time and money. I tend to cook in bulk for lunch and plan to cook one meal out of the week that will last a few days for dinner. This has cut down on the amount of stress I feel and has also helped me stay on track.

Purchase groceries you like to eat out

I’m not going to lie, sometimes I don’t want to cook. There are also days I just want a burger, pizza or fries. I’ve incorporated frozen meals for days I don’t want to cook but crave some of my favorite comfort foods.

I have some frozen, easy to pop in the oven or air fryer meals that resemble some of my favorite quick fast food or restaurant meals. This has been a great tip to reducing the number of one-off fast food runs.

Eating at home can save you hundreds to thousands over the course of a year. It is a habit that anyone can adopt in their regiment to help save more money and reach financial goals.

Challenge yourself to be intention a few times a week and gradually increase the number of times you eat at home. It will get easier and easier every time you do it!

I’d love to hear from you! Share your tips on how to save money by planning.