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Mommy Convos

4 Pro-Tips to Creating a Meal Plan on a Budget

in Healthy Life on 31/01/19

I know what you’re thinking, making a meal plan is the worst! Actually, making a month long meal plan is the most stress reducing mom job project I have ever done for myself.  At first the idea of writing out the meals for the month sounded super daunting and then there was always the worry that- what if a certain meal doesn’t sound appetizing on the day it was assigned? Well, have now fear! I have the first steps to having success creating a meal plan on a budget figured out just for you!

First- Write Down What You Know:

Grab a pencil and paper then write down every meal you had this week. Then use these questions to grow that list even further.

  • What your favorite meals you like to make or eat.
  • What are your go-to meals?
  • Which meals take a couple minutes to whip together?
  • What meals do you make by heart without a recipe?
  • Which meals have your made that the kids actually eat!

Second- Look at Your Calendar:

I like to look at my monthly calendar before I make my meal plan to accommodate our busy schedules. Take note on which days require certain type of meals by answering these questions:

  • Which days are the busiest with after school activities?
  • What day(s) have evening activities?
  • Will everyone be home for dinner?
  • Will we be able to sit down and eat?
  • Does this meal need to be eaten on the go?
  • Does this meal need to sit in the crockpot for a couple hours?

Third- Meal Plan:

Now that we’ve written down all the foods you know you like to make and you know what your week looks like- let’s plan your meal!

1.) What do you already have in your pantry that could be used into meals this week? Write down those meals.

2.) Which meal requires fresh food? Use those meals first section of your meal planning period. What meals could use frozen items? I usually save those meals for the end of the time period/month.

3.) Have a jam-packed day? You can do one of two things. 1.) I use my handy-dandy Crockpot. For more on my Crockpot love-affair, head here. Using my Crockpot means the meal cooks all day so everyone can eat when they are ready to eat. OR 2.) I decide the meal for that day is something can be whipped together quickly.

4.) Have a “Night Out with Friends” scheduled? On these nights, my family eats leftovers. I don’t have to cook AND I don’t have to worry about cooking for others on my night off. Win-win!

5.) Speaking of leftovers, don’t be afraid of them! I know some people can’t do leftovers. Although eating leftovers isn’t my favorite- I don’t like to waste food either. The solution- we have “Restaurant Night” which is a totally different.  Yes, we clean out the fridge of all the foods left over from the week. Then, the kids get to pick whatever foods they want and that’s their dinner! Win- win. No baking dishes for you and kids pick their meal. Even if it’s leftover pancakes- food gets eaten and everyone is happy!

Fourth- Grocery Shopping on a Budget:

Write a detailed grocery list of all the things you need for your meals and stick to the list while grocery shopping!  After you’ve stuck to writing out a grocery list, you can anticipate the grocery bill and avoid the grocery store too!  Or- you can order your groceries online! I’ve recently become a fan of online grocery shopping and holy- hana- such a life saver! Not to mention- when shopping on a budget you can see what items are in your online grocery cart and if you need to spend less, delete some items out of the cart. Yahoo!

The above reasons are my favorite reasons to meal plan.  Now, granted- I still go to the store plenty of times during the month- BUT I know what our family is eating. I know what we have in the fridge and the pantry AND I know what I’m spending a month on food. SO the following month I can adjust the budget and spend more or less on food depending on what we went through the month before. More often than not- we don’t go through all of the food I planned on. We have leftovers or we use some meals or side dishes for potluck.

Conclusion:

The key to making a meal plan (however long you go for) is being flexible.  There will always be a day when the meal you planned doesn’t work with your schedule, or the weather. Or, you just forgot to defrost the meat! Don’t be afraid to mix and match dinner plans from other meals. I have found, however that once I start mixing items- I have to pay close attention to which meals I’m playing around with so I have a complete meal for another day! That’s why step number one is so important! Write everything down, know beforehand what’s already in your pantry, go shopping with a detailed list, stick to the list BUT be flexible.

Fantastic Printable Resource:

Now that you’ve learned all the ins and outs of how I meal plan- Tiffaynee created the most helpful and might I add lovely e-book that helps mamas stay on budget and stay on top of the pantry game. Check it out here.

Other ideas:

This method of meal planning may not work for you, so here’s a couple other ideas:

Jennica wrote a very similar article presenting another way of meal planning with: “No Buy November”. Check out her articles for the Why and the How she makes grocery shopping for the month work for her family too!

Have you tried freezer meals? Check out this blog post were I talk about making five meals (for two families) for under $120 plus, a free printable with a complete shopping list here.

Need another great approach to meal planning with a detailed food list? Head to my fellow-Canadian friend Kristen’s post here.

Meal Planning is something I’m so glad I adopted in our house months ago. I hope this article encourages you to look into your pantry and meal plan yourself.

Best of luck mama!

 

Morgan

About Morgan

Morgan is a domestic goddess in the Dewey household. Wife to her fourteen year college sweetheart and mother to four: a performer, soccer player, Mario obsessed and baby designated daredevil. Morgan keeps busy on her toes with musical theater performances, soccer games and secretly snarfing chocolate down in her closet. Morgan's passion in life is family and faith, belting Broadway songs while cooking, closet quilter, reading fantastic books and writing her own. She loves her four pumpkin heads and most days truly loves being a mother.

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Christmas is less than a week away. And if you hav Christmas is less than a week away. And if you haven’t read any of these adorable books – I highly suggest all of them. “But it’s too late!” You might be thinking and slightly panicking.... nonsense! ⠀
•⠀
•⠀
In fact, this post is perfectly timed to prepare you for your final purchases this weekend or even, Christmas book clearance time. 🥳 When Christmas is over I’m certain many of these books will go on sale. (Insert happy deal shoppers dance here! 💃🏼 🛍) •⠀
•⠀
So, I suggest you look for these books today to add to your library for the next holiday season. 🎁🎅🏻 ⠀
•⠀
•⠀
Head to our stories to see Morgan talk about some of her favorites, click the link in our bio for the Christmas book article or to shop all of our fav books- click on the Amazon link. ⠀
•⠀
• What holiday book is your favorite to read with your kids?
Morgan here- I’m all about planning ahead, espec Morgan here- I’m all about planning ahead, especially for the biggest holiday of the year, but I forget one small detail... the stockings. 🙈😑 Please tell me i’m not the only one? 
•
•
Last night the hubby and I finished our Christmas shopping and I can finally put the wallet away. I’m certain we’re done- I hope. I should probably check my stash to be sure! 🙈
•
•
Sharing today our list of fun non-toy stocking stuffers you can snag before it’s too late! Head to our @mommyconvos bio for the details! 
•
•
So, here’s the next question: do you Christmas shop for the family by yourself? (❤️) Or do you team up with your spouse? (❤️💚) Leave the colored heart that best describes you- below!
Hi friends! We hope that you are having an amazing Hi friends! We hope that you are having an amazing week and are having a blast gearing up for the holidays ahead. With 2020 coming to an end, we can all relate to how tough this year has been. However, the initial tendency as a parent might be to overspend in an effort to compensate for whatever did or didn't happen in 2020. ⁣
⁣
LET ME GIVE YOU THIS REASSURANCE, MOMMAS- it is NOT necessary to buy more during the holidays in order to compensate for whatever you feel your children lacked this year. ❤ ⁣
⁣
Instead, we highly suggest minimizing your Christmas stress by implementing a minimalistic mindset each year, but this year in particular. This year has blessed us with the specific opportunity to tune in and be more mindful of those you love, just like our Savior does for us. So take this time to BE more present instead of spending extra cash on gifts. We promise it will be absolutely worth it. ⁣
⁣
If you are looking at enjoying a more minimalistic holiday, be sure to check out the latest from the blog for some great tips and tricks for finding balance and peace this year. Just click the link in our bio @mommyconvos ⁣
⁣
How are you prepping for the holidays that are a little different than in previous years? 🎁🎄
Recently, my social media feed is full of #givetha Recently, my social media feed is full of #givethanks gratitude posts Oh how I love the change of focus! My list of gratitude is oh so long, my faith and my family are the top of my list, but also is good literature. Goodness, life is so much better with good books!  I love discovering new holiday books, and this year I found several now books to add to our collection. 
•
•
“Thanksgiving is here”- playfully illustrates the joys and chaos of large families gathering for Thanksgiving dinner. And when company leaves- how exhausted the hosts feel. Something as a mom I totally sympathize with. 😂
•
•
Another delight Thanksgiving book addition to our library this year is, “T-is for Thankful”. @babylit has done it again! Creating the cutest illustrated book centered around all the alphabetical great and small things to be thankful for this year.
•
•
Last year I shared our review on “Bad kitty does not like Thanksgiving” and this book is hilarious! Check out our Insta-stories for the awesome video review on this and other of our favorite Thanksgiving books.
•
•
Do you have a favorite thanksgiving book? Please share below so we can continue to learn from each other! Happy holidays friends. 🦃 🥧 Morgan and Tiffaynee
Today I’ve felt anxious. I know i’m not the on Today I’ve felt anxious. I know i’m not the only one feeling this way with the impending presidential announcement... so how do we handle feeling off, anxious or depressed? One of the best things you can do -right this moment- give a hug. Cuddle close to a loved one and hold one another. Breathe deep. And hug for another breath. And hopefully you’ll slowly feel that anxiety release. And feel free to cuddle longer. 😘
•
•
Sending a warm hug your way friend. 
❤️Tiff.
“When my daughter passed away unexpectedly at 10 “When my daughter passed away unexpectedly at 10 months old, my heart shattered. I was beyond broken… I was shattered beyond repair.⁣
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They say it takes a “village” to raise a child…⁣
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At that moment my “village” is what kept me alive…”⁣
•⁣
•⁣
@momma.hutch is 1 of every 4 women in the United States alone, who are affected by infertility or infant loss, or both. Mallory shares her brave story of dear Mackenzie’s passing and the journey she and her family are still going through. In this article Mallory  offers 10 invaluable and thoughtful ways to help a grief-stricken friend and we couldn’t agree more with her list. ⁣
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To read her article- click @mommyconvos link in our bio. If you are a mother currently going through the grieving process- our deepest condolences and a virtual hug sent your way. We encourage you to check out Mallory‘s amazing supportive Instagram group: ... ⁣
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When you are sad what is the one thing that cheers you up? I’ll give you a hint what mine is in the comments. 😍
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Christmas is less than a week away. And if you hav Christmas is less than a week away. And if you haven’t read any of these adorable books – I highly suggest all of them. “But it’s too late!” You might be thinking and slightly panicking.... nonsense! ⠀
•⠀
•⠀
In fact, this post is perfectly timed to prepare you for your final purchases this weekend or even, Christmas book clearance time. 🥳 When Christmas is over I’m certain many of these books will go on sale. (Insert happy deal shoppers dance here! 💃🏼 🛍) •⠀
•⠀
So, I suggest you look for these books today to add to your library for the next holiday season. 🎁🎅🏻 ⠀
•⠀
•⠀
Head to our stories to see Morgan talk about some of her favorites, click the link in our bio for the Christmas book article or to shop all of our fav books- click on the Amazon link. ⠀
•⠀
• What holiday book is your favorite to read with your kids?
Morgan here- I’m all about planning ahead, espec Morgan here- I’m all about planning ahead, especially for the biggest holiday of the year, but I forget one small detail... the stockings. 🙈😑 Please tell me i’m not the only one? 
•
•
Last night the hubby and I finished our Christmas shopping and I can finally put the wallet away. I’m certain we’re done- I hope. I should probably check my stash to be sure! 🙈
•
•
Sharing today our list of fun non-toy stocking stuffers you can snag before it’s too late! Head to our @mommyconvos bio for the details! 
•
•
So, here’s the next question: do you Christmas shop for the family by yourself? (❤️) Or do you team up with your spouse? (❤️💚) Leave the colored heart that best describes you- below!
Hi friends! We hope that you are having an amazing Hi friends! We hope that you are having an amazing week and are having a blast gearing up for the holidays ahead. With 2020 coming to an end, we can all relate to how tough this year has been. However, the initial tendency as a parent might be to overspend in an effort to compensate for whatever did or didn't happen in 2020. ⁣
⁣
LET ME GIVE YOU THIS REASSURANCE, MOMMAS- it is NOT necessary to buy more during the holidays in order to compensate for whatever you feel your children lacked this year. ❤ ⁣
⁣
Instead, we highly suggest minimizing your Christmas stress by implementing a minimalistic mindset each year, but this year in particular. This year has blessed us with the specific opportunity to tune in and be more mindful of those you love, just like our Savior does for us. So take this time to BE more present instead of spending extra cash on gifts. We promise it will be absolutely worth it. ⁣
⁣
If you are looking at enjoying a more minimalistic holiday, be sure to check out the latest from the blog for some great tips and tricks for finding balance and peace this year. Just click the link in our bio @mommyconvos ⁣
⁣
How are you prepping for the holidays that are a little different than in previous years? 🎁🎄
Recently, my social media feed is full of #givetha Recently, my social media feed is full of #givethanks gratitude posts Oh how I love the change of focus! My list of gratitude is oh so long, my faith and my family are the top of my list, but also is good literature. Goodness, life is so much better with good books!  I love discovering new holiday books, and this year I found several now books to add to our collection. 
•
•
“Thanksgiving is here”- playfully illustrates the joys and chaos of large families gathering for Thanksgiving dinner. And when company leaves- how exhausted the hosts feel. Something as a mom I totally sympathize with. 😂
•
•
Another delight Thanksgiving book addition to our library this year is, “T-is for Thankful”. @babylit has done it again! Creating the cutest illustrated book centered around all the alphabetical great and small things to be thankful for this year.
•
•
Last year I shared our review on “Bad kitty does not like Thanksgiving” and this book is hilarious! Check out our Insta-stories for the awesome video review on this and other of our favorite Thanksgiving books.
•
•
Do you have a favorite thanksgiving book? Please share below so we can continue to learn from each other! Happy holidays friends. 🦃 🥧 Morgan and Tiffaynee
Today I’ve felt anxious. I know i’m not the on Today I’ve felt anxious. I know i’m not the only one feeling this way with the impending presidential announcement... so how do we handle feeling off, anxious or depressed? One of the best things you can do -right this moment- give a hug. Cuddle close to a loved one and hold one another. Breathe deep. And hug for another breath. And hopefully you’ll slowly feel that anxiety release. And feel free to cuddle longer. 😘
•
•
Sending a warm hug your way friend. 
❤️Tiff.
“When my daughter passed away unexpectedly at 10 “When my daughter passed away unexpectedly at 10 months old, my heart shattered. I was beyond broken… I was shattered beyond repair.⁣
⁣
They say it takes a “village” to raise a child…⁣
⁣
At that moment my “village” is what kept me alive…”⁣
•⁣
•⁣
@momma.hutch is 1 of every 4 women in the United States alone, who are affected by infertility or infant loss, or both. Mallory shares her brave story of dear Mackenzie’s passing and the journey she and her family are still going through. In this article Mallory  offers 10 invaluable and thoughtful ways to help a grief-stricken friend and we couldn’t agree more with her list. ⁣
•⁣
•⁣
To read her article- click @mommyconvos link in our bio. If you are a mother currently going through the grieving process- our deepest condolences and a virtual hug sent your way. We encourage you to check out Mallory‘s amazing supportive Instagram group: ... ⁣
•⁣
•⁣
When you are sad what is the one thing that cheers you up? I’ll give you a hint what mine is in the comments. 😍
FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
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Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

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