• Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Kalyn Brooke

Simple Solutions to Manage Everyday Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Shop
  • Contact

How to Be a Better Meal Planner with the Bullet Journal

March 9 // 3 Comments // 4 Minute Read

Jump To Recipe · Print Recipe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
The bullet journal could be your magical ticket to meal planning success. Use one of these meal plan bullet journal layouts to eat healthier, save money, and instantly eliminate dinnertime chaos!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Bullet Journal Meal Planning | The bullet journal could be your magical ticket to meal planning success. Use one of these creative meal planning layouts to eat healthier, save money, and instantly eliminate dinnertime chaos! #mealplanning #howtomealplan #mealplan #mealplanninginbulletjournal #bulletjournalmealplan

Meal planning.

Embrace it with abandon, or hate it with passion, most of us can agree that meal planning is essential to save money on food, eat healthier meals, AND take an organized approach to dinners. Basically, it’s the smart thing to do!

Doing it though, is a different story.

On Sunday evening, I’m not always eager to sort through my favorite cookbooks and create a grocery list. Nope. I’d rather extend the weekend with another Netflix show then embrace any chance of Monday coming at all. Anybody else??

Then I started bullet journaling.

My infatuation with this journal + planner took life organization to a whole other level. Pretty soon, meal planning slipped into my weekly layouts like it had always belonged. 

Some weeks, a quick list of dinner ideas is all I need. Other weeks, I sort every meal by breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if I’m really feeling on top of my game, I’ll make a list of sales and coupons for my weekly grocery run!

That’s my favorite thing about the bullet journal. You can customize it however you please, and still be on top of everything your busy life requires you to do.

However, there are dozens of ways to get the job done outside my own. In fact, a different meal planning method may work better for you than mine! And thanks to the bullet journal community, there are no shortage of options.

In fact, I daresay there might be too much. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start.

That’s why I narrowed it down to the best of the best. You’ll get a good variety of meal planning methods so you can use these layouts as shown, or tweak to your heart’s content.

The end goal is to find one that flows with your family’s lifestyle and schedule. Because once you do, meal prep, grocery shopping, and knowing what to have for dinner every night will be a breeze!

Oh, the Possibilities!

Nab this FREE printable with 101 Lists, Ideas, and Collections for your bullet journal!

7 Meal Plan Bullet Journal Layouts

Kim from Sublime Reflection keeps all her family’s favorites on a master spread. This is genius! You can pull meal ideas based on ingredients you have on hand {like meat} or tastes you’re craving.

I also love her idea to use Post-It Notes for meals and shopping lists. All you have to do is swap them out each week. No need to redraw this layout until your next journal.

Here is another look at a master meal list by Christina. This one has food themes for each day, which narrows down the endless possibilities and makes meal planning even easier.

Em Schwartz plans all her meals on a week by week basis, but what I love most, is her neatly organized grocery list. She also has a space for Budget vs Actual, which allows you to stay on track if you’re watching how much you spend on food.

Kara from Boho Berry plans Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks, and has an ingredient list on the side with things she needs or already has.

Dara plans her weekly meals in more of a grid-like format. She designates which meals she needs to cook, and which meals are leftovers. This is brilliant if you’re concerned about wasting food!

If you want to meal plan for an entire month, you can create a layout like Anne. This spread allows her to see everything at-a-glance, and also serves as ideas when it’s time to make the next monthly meal plan.

Is your mind spinning yet?

Each week or month, try a different method in your bullet journal to see which one works best. And don’t be afraid to experiment! That’s what the bullet journal is all about.

If you’re interested in learning more about the bullet journal, I’ve detailed my own personal journey in Bullet Journaling 101: Everything You Need to Get Started. You can also check out which tools I recommend as the best of the best bullet journal supplies.

You Should Know This

In full disclosure, while I started meal planning in my bullet journal, I don’t do it too often anymore.

WHY?

Because I experimented! And what I found works best for me, is to have my entire meal planning system in a separate notebook. Right now, I have a mini three-ring binder that contains:

  • All my favorite recipes
  • Master meal lists
  • Weekly meal planning sheet
  • Grocery staples list
  • and even meals best suited for company

Just in case this option interests you too, I made it available for anyone to download. It’s called The Printable Recipe Binder Kit, and features over 20 printables to help you meal plan and organize your entire recipe collection.

It’s also nice to have all those printables made for you so you don’t have to redraw them every week!

>> Learn more about the Binder Kit HERE <<

Remember this—if dinner always catches you off guard, or you feel like you’re running to the grocery store multiple times per week, give one of these options a try and see just how much it revolutionizes meal time. 

You might even look forward to planning dinner after all!

Which Meal Planning Method Interests You Most?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

[embed_popupally_pro popup_id=”21″]
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
« Previous Post5 Surprisingly Good Places to Find Cute & Affordable Clothes
Next Post »15 Clever Mugs for Mom that Make Crazy Mornings More Fun


Comments

  1. Marlene says

    May 17 at 9:25 am

    Thank you so much! I’ve just abandoned my shopping template that I used for nearly ten years because as our family has grown, it has become more and more inefficient. I’m looking forward to trying something new!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      June 4 at 2:27 pm

      I hope this works out for you! It can be so hard to let go of the familiar sometimes! When I switched my budgeting system last year there were moments of panic and frustration, but in the end, I LOVE my new system so much better.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 10+ Bullet Journal Ideas – Kreativity Kastle says:
    August 11 at 10:16 am

    […] Photo by Kalyn […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

New? Start Here!

  • Take a Tour
  • Become a BFF
  • Favorite Recipes
  • The Printable Library
  • Just for Bloggers
  • Visit the Shop

kalynbrookeco

👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
💬 | INFJ / Enneagram 1
🚙 | RV Life @openroading
👇 | Resources + Links

Kalyn Brooke
Every time management book in the world will tell Every time management book in the world will tell you to focus on your priorities. They want you to define what’s important and use your time wisely doing things that matter. ⏰⁣
⁣
I agree!⁣
⁣
But deciding what’s NOT as important is just as essential as what IS. This clarification reminds us to stay laser-focused when the pressure to do it all convinces us that we can in fact, do it all. ⁣
⁣
Remember, we can’t, so please don’t try! 🥴⁣
⁣
Instead, I want you to think through everything you don’t have to worry about. What can you let go? What can you completely remove from your mind so it’s not tugging at you to make time for it? 🤔⁣
⁣
This can be your “Don’t Do” list. 📝⁣
⁣
🚫 For example...I don’t grow live plants. I never keep them alive, and honestly I could care less whether a plant in my house is real or fake! So I don’t bother trying.⁣
⁣
🚫 I’m not active on Twitter and Facebook. As an online business, I’m “supposed” to be on every online platform. But these two social media networks don’t bring me joy (or income or page views). So I let them go. Instead I hang out here, on Instagram! ⁣
⁣
🚫 I won’t read boring books. There are so many great books out there, so why read one that’s less than stellar? I give myself a 50-page maximum for a paperback and 20% for an eBook. If I’m not into the book by then, I move on.⁣
⁣
I promise if you take the time to do this exercise—in your journal or in a note on your phone—you’ll feel immense relief at what you don’t have to do anymore. 😅⁣
⁣
And then you can REALLY focus on your priorities.⁣
⁣
I’d love to know what’s on your list! What’s something you give yourself permission not to worry about?
My secret weapon to round up paper clutter: FILE F My secret weapon to round up paper clutter: FILE FOLDERS! 📁

I’m all for choosing specific organization categories (and I do have some) but if a paper doesn’t fit into any of them, I slip it into an Other Action Needed file and tackle that on Friday. I don’t always clear out that folder entirely, but I take action on what’s most important and leave the rest for when I have more time. 

Here’s what actions can look like:

✅ Signing and sending important paperwork
✅ Scanning things to save... like kids artwork or course notes. I upload my documents into @notionhq. You could also use Evernote. 
✅ Adding printed recipes to your recipe binder
✅ Signing up for that loyalty program a cashier gave you information about
✅ Transferring coupons from the folder to your car

...and so much more! 

Could you take action right away instead of throwing them in a folder? 

Sure. But if it would distract you from your current task, it’s best to save them all for a time when you can batch process them all. We’re about efficiency here. 😉

So if you currently struggle with paper that spreads like wildfire across flat surfaces, I guarantee you’ll feel instant relief once they are all rounded up inside a cute folder and equally cute label. 🥰
I used to feel guilty for reading fiction novels. I used to feel guilty for reading fiction novels. 😔⁣
⁣
Once in high school, someone told me that I needed to expand my world through real stories and information instead of reading all that fluff. 🥴⁣
⁣
I understand the point they were trying to make. If you want to learn how to do something or get to know historical figures or grow personally in a positive way, non-fiction will help you get there. ⁣
⁣
But fiction matters too... for so many reasons! Here are my three: 📚⁣
⁣
1. Fiction helps me practice empathy. I see the world with new eyes because of the way the author invites me to step into the shoes of a beloved character. 🥰⁣
⁣
2. With fiction, you can live thousands of lives. George R.R. Martin said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” Fiction allows me to enter a world I don’t get to experience in real life. 💗⁣
⁣
3. Fiction helps me write better non-fiction. When we hear a well-told story, our brain reacts as if we are experiencing the story ourselves. So when I read a particularly captivating passage, it gives me ideas on how to weave storytelling into my writing too. 💪⁣
⁣
I’d love to hear why you think fiction matters. Comment below and tell me one of your favorite things about reading fiction!⁣
⁣
And if you love books just as much as I do, I invite you to follow my new bookstagram account @theunclutteredbookshelf where we can talk about books ALL the time. 🤩
STORAGE IDEA… for paint swatches! ☝ Keep and l STORAGE IDEA… for paint swatches! ☝ Keep and label the colors you use, then tuck them away in a small envelope for reference. ⁣
⁣
Whenever I go searching for a new rug or pillows, I grab this envelope so I  have ALL my paint colors on hand.  I can match the colors seamlessly without trying to guess if the blue on my walls trends more blue than green. 🤔⁣
⁣
Another perk? You won’t spend an excessive amount of time in HomeGoods waffling between decorating decisions. Not that I’ve ever done that... 😆⁣
⁣
#tipoftheday #tipsforlife #tipsfordays #lifehack #lifehacks #lifehacker #lifehacking #helpfultips #helpfultip #helpfulhint #helpfuladvice #helpfulinfo #whydidntithinkofthat #whydidntithinkofthis #whydidntithinkofthissooner #whydidntithinkofthisbefore #darlingmovement #darlingweekend #pursuepretty #petitejoys #livethelittlethings #morningslikethese #livecolorfully #abmlifeissweet #abmhappylife #dshappy #myunicornlife #livebeautifully #nothingisordinary_ #theeverygirl
‘Tis the season for spring-cleaning your home … and your finances! 💸⁣
⁣
While most of us use the spring season to deep clean spaces we might otherwise forget (or ignore—fan blades, I’m talking to you), let’s not forget how necessary it is to do a financial check-in too. 💰⁣
⁣
If it’s been a while since you last overhauled your budget, updated your savings goals, etc., not to worry. I have just the thing to give your finances a fresh start! 🥳⁣
⁣
On the blog this week, I’ve listed 7 essential steps to help you clear out the cobwebs. Don’t be intimidated—I promise it will be fun! And once you have these systems in place, you’ll enjoy less stress during the rest of the year. ⁣
⁣
Drop any cleaning emoji in the comments below and I’ll send you the link to get started. 🧹🧽 🧼
⚡NEWSFLASH:⚡ While there’s so much you could ⚡NEWSFLASH:⚡ While there’s so much you could be doing, there’s only a handful of things you can do at one time. 💪⁣
⁣
The authors of the book The One Thing get this. ⁣
⁣
If you’ve not yet read this book, here’s the main premise: 📣⁣
⁣
Not everything can matter equally. If everything is important, then nothing is. And extraordinary results are directly determined by how you narrow your focus. ⁣
⁣
In other words? Balance is nothing more than an illusion. 🔮⁣
⁣
On the surface, balance sounds like an ideal destination, where every part of our life will magically fall into place and we’ll finally experience the peace and contentment we long for.⁣
⁣
But balance prevents you from “going all in” on anything. Balance chains you to the middle so you can avoid the extremes of the right and left, never committing a significant amount of time to any one area of your life. If you approach anything with balance, each task will tug at you, claiming just as much importance as the next. ⚠⁣
⁣
And equal approaches almost never result in equal outcomes. 🙅⁣
⁣
So embrace being out of balance. Go “all in” on the things that are important to you and let the rest go. 👋⁣
⁣
One of my favorite quotes from The One Thing is, “The key to success isn’t in all the things we do, but in the handful of things we do well.” 🥳⁣
⁣
Think about what you want to do well and then leave what you can behind. And of course, grab the book if you’re able and add it to your reading stack. I have a feeling you’ll love it like I did! 💞⁣
⁣
Have you read this book yet?
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Copyright © 2021 · Privacy Policy