I'm a numbers person, and so I seriously consider my family's spending budget. For the most part, we're a pretty frugal family, but the one particular spending category which really disturbs me is how much we spend on food. And I don't signify eating at restaurants... I'm talking about how much we spend on groceries each week. For a small family, our grocery budget is out of control.
So when I learned about weekly menu planning, I was excited. Particularly when I realized how much menu planning can help reduce our grocery budget.
Spend less
There are lots of benefits to weekly meal planning, but the greatest benefit to my family is how much money we save on groceries. By planning our dishes beforehand (I generally plan our meals one week at a time), I know precisely what I have to purchase at the store, and I avoid buying foodstuff which we won't eat that full week. Before I started planning our meals, we wasted a lot of food as it spoiled before I got around to preparing it. Meal planning also decreases the number of times I go to the grocery store (I did previously visit nearly every day!), which means fewer impulse purchases. I don't know about you, but each time I go to the store to pick up one or two things, I've expended $50 or $60 before I know it. Weekly meal planning allows reduce unneeded purchases, this means huge savings over the future. Cutting out the daily grocery trips probably saves me the most in our grocery spending budget.
Saving time
Another advantage to weekly menu planning is the time it saves you. First of all, since you devote less time determining what to cook for dinner (or utilizing the net for suggestions). Secondly, since you already have everything you need to cook dinner (for the whole week!) you will not have to run by the shop after picking the kids up or on your way from work. Imagine how much time you'll save just from cutting out daily visits to the grocery shop. If you're like me and go to the grocery shop many times a week, you could save a couple of hours of time just by planning your meals in advance.
Eat Healthier
One more huge advantage you get from weekly menu planning is that it helps you eat healthier. Individuals who do meal planning often eat healthier since they go out to eat less often. By eating out less frequently, you eliminate much of the fatty foods that you would usually eat at fast food eateries. Furthermore, when you cook at home, you're more likely to choose fresh, healthy ingredients for your meals.
As you may see, meal planning has several benefits, including saving your time, money and helping your family eat healthier. At My Weekly Menu Planner, we provide content articles, ideas and free tools, including free menu planners and shopping lists to help you begin saving time and money with menu planning today.
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