Are you looking for ways on how to eat healthier while saving time and money? Meal planning allows you to balance your family’s diet without the added cost of restaurant-prepared meals. It gives you control over the quality of food that is served on your table. Learn more about the basic rules of simplified meal planning that works for all family sizes.
A Realistic Food Budget
Your meal plan depends on your realistic food budget monthly, weekly, or even daily. Before you search for quick and easy recipes for your meal plan, clarify your food budget. How big is your family? Are there specific diets for each member of the family? What kind of food does your family enjoy?
Account for all the factors that affect your food budget. Take note that your residential location can also affect how much you can spend on food. Vegetables and fruits tend to be more expensive in more urban areas.
You can estimate your food budget based on your food expenses during the previous month. Once you have a definite budget, you can focus on buying ingredients that you think are necessary for your meal plan. This helps you avoid the temptation of buying food that the family does not really need.
Check What You Already Have
Meat and protein are usually the most expensive ingredients on your grocery list. Make it a habit to check what types of meat and protein you already have in the fridge. You can save a lot of money by working on what is already available. If you have chicken or beef in stock, your grocery list can include only ingredients that make chicken or beef recipes.
You can also add variety to your available meat options. You can add pork and fish depending on what your family wants to eat. Just be mindful of your budget and prioritize what can help you save money.
Food You Need for a Balanced Diet
The essence of meal planning boils down to ensuring the quality of food that you and your family are eating. Nutrition experts emphasize that a healthy meal plan includes:
-Fruits
-Vegetables
-Whole grains
-Fat-free or low-fat milk
-Lean meat
-Poultry
-Fish
-Beans (legumes)
-Eggs
-Nuts and seeds
Note also that your meal plan must be low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, salt or sodium, and added sugars. You can check the percentages of these food components through the nutritional labels of food packaging.
The amount of food a person needs to eat to stay healthy depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. On average, the daily recommended servings of essential food groups for adults are:
-Protein - 2 oz
-Vegetables - 3 to 5 cups
-Fruits - 2 to 4 cups
-Enriched or whole grains - 6 to 11 oz
-Dairy - 2 to 3 cups
Learn more about calculating the daily nutrient requirements for all ages here.
Convenient Hacks and Recipes
Start searching for simple and convenient recipes that your family would enjoy. You can find a lot online. There are sites that also adjust the amount of ingredients needed based on the number of servings you set.
Remember to check the availability of the ingredients before making the meal plan. Mark everything that you still need to buy from the grocery.
Stocking up on food that you can easily pull out of the pantry can also save you time and effort. Some examples are:
-Canned beans
-Pasta noodles
-Whole grain oats
-Toasted bread
-Broth cubes
Batch cooking is another way to save time when preparing meals. This can be suited for families with busier schedules. The idea is simple:
(1) cook most of the meals your family will eat for a specific time period; and
(2) consume the food in batches.
Learn more about batch cooking here.
Planned leftovers can also reduce the number of times you need to prepare meals in the kitchen. You can cook a recipe with 1-2 extra servings. The leftovers can be saved for another meal on another day. One example is turning leftover dinner rice into egg fried rice for breakfast on the next day.
Important: Your Fresh Ingredients
Schedule your recipes based on your fresh ingredients. Buy fruits and vegetables that your family will eat immediately or within a reasonable time. The nutrients you get from fresh produce depend on its quality. For example, an overripe banana is not as nutritious as a freshly ripened one.
Check out the standard shelf life of fresh ingredients here.
Dietary Restrictions
If your family members have different dietary preferences, extra caution must be taken when preparing meals. For a family member with a gluten-free diet, list down all the food that has gluten and paste it on your refrigerator door. You do not have to create an entirely different meal for that diet. Just provide alternatives to food with gluten. For example, serve lettuce wraps alongside buns for a burger dinner.
You can also prepare food that everybody can eat. Just add different side dishes for better food enjoyment. Having meat and vegetable side dishes can feed both a vegan and non-vegan family member.
Be mindful of everyone’s food allergies when serving a common main dish. If one member is allergic to the main dish itself, prepare a separate dish that is easy to make.
The Right Meal Plan For Your Family
The right meal plan for you and your family should be healthy, affordable, and sustainable. Keep it simple so that you can continuously do it despite the busy schedule. Be realistic with your food budget and spend only on what you need. Go back to basics and remember the food pyramid for the essential nutrients you will need.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how to prepare meal plans for your family. Getting used to it takes time but do not worry! If you need help, do not hesitate to talk to your peers or to community groups specializing in meal planning.
What matters is your commitment to serving only the best quality meals for your family.
Sources:
Livingstone, M. (2020). MEAL PLANNING for Beginners | 6 Easy Steps [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1OSDnCDoGQ
The Budget Mom. (2021). MY WEEKLY MEAL PLAN | Grocery Tips + Food Budget [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIxRQyrBYDw
Fisher, J. (2018, May 26). Meal Planning for Different Diets. Retrieved September 21, 2021, from Good Cheap Eats website: https://goodcheapeats.com/meal-planning-for-different-diets/
Hunter, J. G. (2020). Planning Meals for a Family. Retrieved September 21, 2021, from Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina website: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/planning-meals-for-a-family/