Every time I leave the house, money begins leaking from my wallet. The car needs gas, my daughter’s school needs a donation, and dinner time is just around the corner with a decision of dining out or cooking at home. As a wife and mom of 2, we have to really be strategic about our food decisions. The cost of everything has gone up tremendously and we are all feeling it as a nation. Let’s talk about the hack of meal planning for lower food costs. Food is something that we all need to survive, it makes sense to start there.
Let’s start with a decision on whether to cook or dine out. On busy days, planning to dine out would be a great idea. Next to deciding that you are going to dine out, list out a number of different places that you enjoy. Although we are cutting back and being intentional with our food, we want to be sure to choose some places that will be satisfying and affordable.
Now that you have your standard list of favorite restaurants, what would you order? How much will it cost? With your budget in mind, glance at the menu and get the cost ahead of time. At times, you may have to adjust what you order by simply leaving the drink off. Those sodas can get pricey depending on where you go out to eat. Be mindful that water does a body good.
At the beginning of each week, planning out the exact meals you will have in advance is key. That is key for grocery shopping to prevent the “oh, I need that” item grabs at the store. Meal prepping with containers or planning out what you will cook on specific days can save you hundreds on a monthly basis. Just like your list of restaurants you like, now make a list of meals you thoroughly enjoy eating at home. You can make it fancy by typing it up, naming it “Home menu” and printing it out. Do not put your fancy home menu in the “everything” drawer to get lost, instead, use a binder or you could even laminate it.
After securing your home menu, every week choose meals or items from your menu and on which days. Be specific. As you plan out your food for the week, do not forget a leftover night and please incorporate a “dine out” day on your calendar. I personally have a chalkboard in our kitchen where I write our menu out for the whole family to read.
The sound of “What are we eating for…” makes me cringe.
A simple week for my family looks something like this:
Sunday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and greens beans
Monday: Veggie Spaghetti, corn on the cob, and garlic toast
Tuesday: leftovers!
Wednesday: Dine out (Mom’s busy day)
Thursday: Cauliflower wings, broccoli, and baked potato
Friday: Vegan pizza, fruit, and dessert
Saturday: OYO (On your own… figure it out) & dine out at night
I love Saturdays! I normally sleep in and the kids make themselves waffles and fruit. Later that night, we either pick up food or dine somewhere that has unlimited breadsticks, salad, or something.
Kids like to eat!
Life can be challenging with the cost of everything so high. However, we should learn the art of adjusting and controlling only what we can control. One thing I know we all must do is eat, so why not start there?! Get creative and track what works and what doesn’t. Creating lists of your favorite and affordable restaurants helps you to not feel so restricted but in control. Planning out what you are going to eat and when takes the guesswork out of what you will eat next. Planning ahead definitely eases the spur-of-the-moment costly food decisions. This is very useful for anyone whether a single person or a large family. Now, let’s go make our fancy home menus!
What’s on your menu? Do you think this could help you save money in the budget?