Let me start by saying what my main goal of meal planning is: making things easier for myself. As a new mom, I struggle with getting dinner on the table each night unless I plan ahead. I think meal planning can be overwhelming for some people, but remember that it doesn’t have to be! Meal planning does NOT have to mean trying 5 new recipes in a week; you’re the one calling the shots here. That means that sometimes my meal plan looks like spaghetti, frozen pizza, and takeout. Planning my meals for the week saves me time, money, and energy – and who wouldn’t want more of those things?
Meal planning means I never run into the dreaded “it’s-4-o’clock-and-I-have-no-idea-what’s-for-dinner” situation. I don’t have to scramble at the last minute to throw something together, I don’t have to pick up fast food because I have nothing to make, and I don’t have to feel guilty about making frozen pizza for dinner because it’s planned ahead of time. This is the magic of meal planning!
That being said, I found that I needed a printable meal planner that works for me. My biggest needs in a meal planning method are: (1) flexibility, (2) a way to “look ahead” to the following week, and (3) a space for notes and meal prep plans. I couldn’t find a meal planner that worked for me, so I created one! Today, I’m sharing a bit about how I meal plan and giving you my free printable meal planner!
