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Do you want to make dinner a staple event in your home but struggle with deciding what to make? There are 6 no-fail meal planning strategies I use to have dinner on the table every night.
Dinnertime is a foundation in our home. Our family communes together at the table each evening, building relationships through conversation. It’s also where we forge new relationships with friends we want to know better.
The dinner table is a ministry.
Knowing how important dinnertime is doesn’t help the fact that deciding what to make for dinner is a really tough job!
Use these 6 no-fail meal planning strategies to make meal planning easy.
01. Have a go-to list of recipes
My number one tip for meal planning is to make a list of every recipe you like and know how to cook. The hardest thing about planning dinner is coming up with dinner ideas. With a list, you’ll always have something to cook.
Get started creating your list by snapping up a copy of my digital Meal Master List. It’s preloaded with a few of my favorite recipes to give you a starting point. Plus, you’ll receive an email mini-course on meal planning.
02. Use simple recipes
One rule I live by when choosing recipes for daily use? I only make recipes with few ingredients and few steps. I learned this from my mom, who makes amazing meals that look complicated but are super basic. (Every time I ask her, the base is typically, “salt, pepper, garlic …”)
As you look for recipes to make on busy weeknights, look for ones:
- with fewer ingredients and fewer steps,
- Are budget-friendly,
- That takes less than 30 minutes,
- Are made in one pot or skillet, or
- Are make ahead.
Speaking of make-ahead meals …
03. Make meals that include leftovers
Double down and make meals that you can eat again. Casseroles, stews, pot roasts, and many comfort food-type meals leave leftovers to eat for lunch or another meal to add to the freezer to eat again another time.
This doesn’t only save you time cooking. If you’re making the meal to stock your freezer, that’s one meal you can throw on your meal plan without having to think about it.
04. Institute a meal prep day
On the theme of making ahead, instituting a meal prep day will also save a lot of time. I’ve drastically cut down on how much time it takes to make dinner by meal prepping. Here’s what I do:
After coming home from Costco, I cut up and clean all my meats (chicken, beef, pork). They go in the freezer or in the fridge portioned out. All I have to do is take them out to defrost ahead of time.
Other things I meal prep ahead of time and place in the freezer: pie crusts, pizza dough, waffles, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, & breakfast burritos.
Another benefit of prepping? I save money by portioning & freezing foods (no waste) and making food at home instead of buying for convenience.
05. Choose a variety of meal types for the week
My family complains when I serve chicken too often. This is a result of poor planning! By planning ahead, I include a variety of meals from chicken, beef, pork, seafood, and vegetarian.
Once again, this helps my budget because I can make basic, inexpensive meals and others that are more exciting.
06. Cook recipes that you want to eat
I highly recommend trying new recipes. Adding new meals to your recipe bank helps you add variety. However, when searching for recipes under specific filters, there are a lot of meals that don’t look appetizing.
Only choose recipes that look good so you’ll actually eat them. This way, food won’t go to waste and people will eat them as leftovers.
No-Fail Meal Planning Strategies
These 6 no-fail meal planning strategies will help you get dinner on the table every single night:
- Have a go-to list of recipes
- Use simple recipes
- Make meals that include leftovers
- Institute a meal prep day
- Choose a variety of meal types for the week
- Cook recipes that you want to eat
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