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My Ridiculously Simple Meal Planning Strategy

March 18 // 26 Comments // 4 Minute Read

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If you’ve ever felt frustrated with meal planning strategies that don’t work, you’re going to love this method! My strategy allows for loads of flexibility and the freedom to choose each meal based on how busy your day is, or the tastes you’re craving. Includes a FREE meal planning printable!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

You don't have to feel stuck with only ONE form of meal planning! This concept allows for loads of flexibility and the freedom to choose each meal based how busy your day is, or tastes you're craving. Includes a FREE meal planning printable! #mealplanning #howtomealplan #mealplanstrategy #diymealplan #freemealplanningprintable #mealplanningprintable #freeprintable

My detail loving brain loves the concept of meal planning, but not the boxed-in, rigid feeling that often goes along with it. You know what I mean, right? Every single printable or meal plan known to man woman Pinterest coordinates certain meals with certain days.

And don’t even get me started on once-a-month meal planning. Our crazy schedules don’t allow the luxury of knowing exactly what we’re going to eat so far in advance!

I honestly wondered why I was so incapable of planning a week full of meals, that is, until I realized how much I had been overthinking this entire thing. The solution was ridiculously simple!

If you’re tired of feeling tied to a specific meal plan, you’re going to love this concept. And if you’re new to meal planning in general, this post will give you the perfect introduction!

1. Create a List of Meals

Whenever it’s time to meal plan, usually every Sunday afternoon or evening, I pull out a max of 3-4 cookbooks, plus my iPad to browse all the recipes I’ve saved Pinterest. I tend to vary my plan based on what I feel like making, but the cookbooks below are some of my go-to picks. I actually explain more about them in my post 5 Cookbooks that Help Save Money in the Kitchen.

My Ridiculously Simple Meal Planning Strategy | Creative Savings

My next step is to write down 3-4 recipes that are standard favorites, then one new recipe to try for the week. I love trying out new foods, but they often take much longer to prepare because I’m not used to the recipe yet. So I try to limit those as much as possible.

I also make sure one or two of the meals are quick and simple ones — like pancakes or pizza — in case we have a day that is too hectic for a complicated meal. Once I’ve established the main meals, I go through the cookbooks again, and add sides to the ones that need it.

My go-to sides tend to be:

  • Homemade Applesauce from the freezer
  • Fruit Salads
  • Lightly seasoned vegetables
  • Bread and rolls from the freezer

Note: If the meal is from a cookbook you don’t normally use, write down the name of the book and the page number. I’ve spent precious time looking for a recipe before with no idea where to find it!

2. Make your grocery list

Every time I write down a meal plan, I skim over the ingredients and do a quick check of the pantry and fridge to make sure I have everything. Then I write down exactly what I need from the store. If it matches up with the sales that week, great! If not, I don’t sweat it. 

My Ridiculously Simple Meal Planning Strategy | Creative Savings

The only time I meal plan around what’s on sale, is when we buy produce. I check to see what fruits and veggies are in season, then incorporate them into my sides and snacks as needed.

Having your entire list of ingredients ahead of time means no more guessing, and no more running to the store last minute because you missed an essential component of the recipe. Although, that still happens to me from time to time — I’m just super thankful we have a Publix 5 minutes away!

Why do I do it this way?

You might have noticed that I don’t assign a day to each meal at all. Leaving this sort of wiggle room allows me the freedom to choose a meal based on the sort of day we’re having, or tastes we’re craving. And it’s most definitely not set in stone.

I used to always use scrap pieces of paper to write down my meals, but I finally got my act together and asked Michelle from Elegance and Enchantment if she would help create my dream meal plan on paper. She said YES, and now I have a pretty printable that functions exactly the way I need it too!

You can download the printable for personal use below. It includes 5 dinner ideas, as well as spaces for sides, lunch, breakfast, and snacks. It even comes with a handy grocery list for ingredients!

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I know this meal plan may not work for everyone, and you may want more boundaries than this gives you. In that case, here are some meal planning ideas from my friends around the blogosphere:

  • Andrea from AndreaDekker.com meal plans by theme, and each night has it’s own type of meal – Monday — Italian, Tuesday — Breakfast, etc.
  • Rachelle meal plans with a rotation spreadsheet!
  • Laura from Organizing Junkie has a weekly Menu Plan Monday, where you can link up your meal plan as an accountability.
  • If you’d rather meal plan by day, download Elegance and Enchantments Meal Planner.
  • For loads of meal planning tips, visit Good Cheap Eats for her Menu Planning 101 series.
  • And lastly, if you are constantly stumped at what meals to make each week, eMeals has some really great plans that match up amazing recipes with local store sales. I highly recommend it!

Even if meal planning hasn’t worked for you before, I strongly encourage you to try it again. It’s not only a life saver by answering that dreaded question of what’s for dinner, it also helps stretch your grocery budget too — you’ll eliminate excess food waste AND avoid takeout! 

What Meal Planning Strategies Work for You?

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. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Just one more thing:

Don’t let the stress of a new school year ruin important family time. These easy weeknight dinners come together FAST, and are loved by everyone!

Does the school year have you panicking about what to make for dinner? It shouldn't! These simple school night suppers are perfect for busy weeknights, and won't leave you stranded in the kitchen all afternoon. They're kid-friendly and parent-approved, and go from grocery bag to dinner table in 29 minutes or less!

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Comments

  1. hsmominmo says

    June 11 at 8:34 am

    My menu planning is worked out in a very similar way. I like the way you’ve listed out the process, and the helpful links you shared. I’m going to have to go searching for the Dorito Taco Casserole recipe!
    Thanks for sharing your tips with us!
    (stopping by via OrgJunkie)

    Reply
    • KalynBrooke says

      June 11 at 12:25 pm

      I’m hoping to post the Dorito Cassarole recipe on the blog soon. It’s not very healthy, but it’s one of my husband’s favorites. Thanks for visiting!

      Reply
  2. Casey says

    September 19 at 10:48 pm

    Just found your blog. Loving it!! Anyway… I have a daycare so I cook 3 meals a day, plus an afternoon snack. I use Google calendar to plan my meals. Found this idea on Pinterest (can’t remember who it came from to give credit for it). Each meal goes in the time slot that I cook , listing main dish, and sides. I have made my daycare meals (breakfast, lunch and snack) set up to repeat every three months and have filled out enough meals for those not to repeat before then. I do not have supper that well planned out yet. If I am trying a new recipe, then I copy the recipe into the description on that meal and I don’t have to try to find the recipe again. (I also put where I found the recipe so I can pin it to my “Pinterest Success” board.)

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      September 20 at 7:03 pm

      Thank you, Casey — I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve never heard of using Google Calendar for meals, but that makes a lot of sense. I love that you can copy the recipe for easy access. I may just have to steal your Pinterest Success board idea too. 🙂

      Reply
    • Kim says

      February 9 at 7:36 pm

      I think you’re thinking of Tsh from Theartofsimple.net’s google calendar meal planning system. http://theartofsimple.net/how-to-menu-plan/. I have no affiliation, just remembered reading about this a while back 🙂

      Kalyn, thanks for the post! I tend to also plan Breakfasts otherwise we’d be eating scrambled eggs and toast every morning….which has happened before and it wasn’t great. I’m kind of a zombie in the mornings and need that to be planned or have some ideas for it 🙂

      Reply
      • Kalyn Brooke says

        February 10 at 2:10 pm

        Thank you for sharing that link! I’m anxious to see her meal planning method as well. 🙂

        And planning breakfasts is something I’d like to explore further. We always rely on cold cereal, and I’d like us to eat a little healthier. Working on experimenting with some oatmeal recipes that both of us will eat!

        Reply
    • Amanda says

      January 6 at 8:31 pm

      I do something similar. I use a cheap calendar from the dollar section of Target. I plan out a week or two at a time. I have a binder of favorite recipes and my recipes to try Pinterest board. Once I try a new recipe it either goes to my favorites or didn’t like it board. I like being able to see what I made a few months ago and it helps me when I can’t think of what to make!

      Reply
      • Kalyn Brooke says

        January 7 at 11:58 am

        Storing favorite go-to recipes all in one place is a great idea! Sometimes if I’m in a hurry to make a meal plan I just put all our favorite recipes on the meal planning printable and we’re ready to go {after shopping of course 🙂 }

        Reply
  3. Laura @MotherWouldKnow says

    June 30 at 12:46 pm

    The freezer is my friend, for more than just bread and rolls. I like to cook enough for several batches of main courses that freeze well, then freeze each batch – well packaged and marked with the name of the dish and the date it was frozen. It takes basically the same amount of time to make a big batch as it would to make a smaller one. That way, if we have a night when all I can do is defrost, we can still have a substantial meal.

    Reply
  4. Crystal says

    January 8 at 11:33 pm

    I do a weekly meal plan on a cheap dollar isle tear pad. I do one big meal, one soup/chili/curry, a quick family favorite and 2 freezer meals per week. By the end of the week half the stuff is crossed off or arrowed to another night because they day got too busy. I like this list approach!

    Reply
  5. Mindy says

    January 9 at 5:27 pm

    This method is what I use as well and I completely relate to what you said about having over thought the process for a very long time before coming to the conclusion you did. I love knowing that I have the ingredients on hand for X amount of meals and then choosing from that list each day. When I’m down to that last meal; even if it doesn’t sound good, it keeps or family from ordering takeout and saves so much money!

    Reply
  6. Jen Pack says

    February 3 at 10:54 am

    This was really helpful! For some odd reason I have been in a meal planning slump lately. We’ve been eating out way too much so I needed something to help me get back on track! I love your meal planning sheet, I think it’s fun and creative. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      February 4 at 3:13 pm

      You’re welcome, Jenn! I know those slumps all too well. Getting one of these sheets filled out and attached to my refrigerator always helps get me back on track – I hope it helps you as well!

      Reply
  7. Taurren says

    April 2 at 10:12 pm

    I got a mini 5.5 by 8.5 Avery brand binder from the store today! I also got some section dividers for it and I am going to use it for meal planning! Your printable will go with it so well! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      April 4 at 11:21 am

      Your welcome, Taurren! Have fun getting your meal plan organized!

      Reply
  8. Tiffany C. says

    April 4 at 9:18 pm

    This is the method I use too. Keeps us from getting burned out on the same meals. You mentioned you don’t plan around what is on sale except for produce but this is easily incorporated by just looking at your local ads right before you start browsing recipes!

    Reply
  9. Lynda says

    September 11 at 1:13 am

    I have a double sided magnetic dart board that my son no longer wanted in his room, it has been repurposed to holding my menu plan for the week. I print our favorite recipes on 3×5 cards and use pretty magnetics to hold them. It’s a plain black background for the cards and I’m not stuck with days of the week which made me feel trapped when I didn’t prepare a meal planned. Now when I make a meal during the week I just take down the cooresponding card.

    I usually shop once a month, so my grocery list is pretty much the same every month. We are not very adventurous when it comes to trying new recipes. We like what we like and stick with the same meals only changing our side dishes with seasonal fruits and vegetables.

    I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts. I’ve learned a lot and pinned so many to read more later. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      September 12 at 9:58 am

      Your meal planning board sounds amazing! I love that you are able to easily re-arrange meals since it’s magnetic. I’d love to see a picture of it!

      Reply
  10. Dana R says

    October 2 at 7:19 pm

    Is there another way to download the meal planner worksheet? I have entered different email addresses numerous times, checked all my folders (including spam), and I have still not received anything to confirm a subscription or a link to download…

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 2 at 10:51 pm

      I’m sorry Dana, I’m having some issues with my email provider. I’ll email it to you now!

      Reply
  11. jasmyn says

    November 23 at 2:25 pm

    for some reason it hasnt appeared in my inbox and ive checked quite a few times does it take a few hours ?

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      November 27 at 1:59 am

      Hi Jasmyn,

      Have you gotten it? If not – please email [email protected] and we’ll take care of you!

      Reply
  12. Traci Gibson says

    January 17 at 6:54 pm

    I’m having trouble getting the menu printables. Can you email them to me?

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 17 at 8:21 pm

      Hi Traci,

      Our email forms seem to have hit a bit of a hiccup today. You should have an email from Joseph with your menu printables! So very sorry for the delay. Thanks for making me aware of the issue.

      Reply
  13. Aminat says

    September 24 at 3:47 pm

    I have tons of recipes saved on Pinterest and around the kitchen but I never thought to refer to them when planning my meals! Duh! Thanks for the tip.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 24 at 3:30 pm

      😀You’re welcome!

      Reply

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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 >>

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Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
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Sadly, I find m

Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
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Sadly, I find most people resist minimalism because they can't wrap their head around "having less." People tend to equate this movement with blank walls, white IKEA furniture, and decluttering everything in your home down to practically nothing so you can live full-time in an RV. Like me. 😉⁣
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But, while minimalism could be all that, this mindset misses the point. Minimalism is not only about “having less.” 🚫⁣
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It’s so much more than that.⁣
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This week on the blog, I'm sharing the REAL definition of minimalism (that people who love their stuff can totally get behind!) as well as practical ways to incorporate minimalism into your life. 🎉⁣
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Drop a heart emoji in the comments below and I'll send the link to your DM's! 💖

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I love lazy Saturday mornings...as long as I have a book and a cozy blanket! 😍

I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣

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“I’ve been thinking about what tech boundaries I want to instill, including boundaries related to work and productivity. I’ve become less careful about my media consumption, and it’s having a negative affect on my mental health.” 💞⁣
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Have you ever felt a similar tug? ⁣
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I can’t begin to tell you how many times I pick up my phone because I’m bored or lonely or jealous or unhappy. It almost always makes me feel worse. And yet...I struggle to stop. 😝⁣
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Here are the ideas I’ve been trying this month and I’m already seeing a positive effect:⁣
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➕ No logging into social media after 8pm. I need to wind down for the night, not get lost in my phone! 📲⁣
➕ Open Instagram with a purpose—either to post or to interact. Stop endlessly scrolling.⁣
➕ My only screen time before 9am should be for Bible Study apps or News. 🗞⁣
➕ Turn my phone on Do Not Disturb during Tiger Time (when I need the most focus for work) 💪⁣
➕ Work no more than 4 hours on my business per day. If a task isn’t complete, push it to the next day. This time frame has really helped me prioritize! 💻⁣
➕ Watch one show per day (or two if they are short!) and leave movies for the weekend. 📺⁣
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What tech boundaries have you set up? Are any new as of this year? I’d love to hear your ideas! 😃

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You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣
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See, we’re all different! ⁣
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Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣
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Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣
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What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
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I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
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I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣
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But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣
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As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣
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Why? ⁣
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No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣
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And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣
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There are too many good ones out there anyway.  Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣
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This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣
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Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣
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What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
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My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
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These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣
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1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣
2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣
3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣
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That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣
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What planners/journals are you using for 2021?


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