Meal Planning

I am one of the first people to say that I've never been good at meal planning...and I'm usually standing in front of the refrigerator when we get home from work thinking "what am I going to make for dinner tonight?".  Well, one thing that has definitely helped my grocery bill and my organization skills is to put together a meal plan for my family.  I sat down in late December and put together an entire month of meals for January on a calendar so I know exactly what I'm making for dinner each night.  That also helps so that I know exactly what I need to purchase each week to have on hand for making those meals.  While I don't enjoy the actual planning process, it has made our lives so much easier.  Now, when I get home from work, I'm not standing in front of the refrigerator asking myself "what's for dinner?".  I know exactly what I'm cooking that night and it keeps us from eating out or just stopping by the grocery store on the way home to pick up something for dinner.  I'm already working on my menu plan for February so that I can be ready for any good deals at the grocery store since I will know what I need to buy! 

There are so many websites out there that can help you plan your meals.  One that I use is E-mealz.  They will provide you a weekly menu and shopping list for $5 a month, billed quarterly ($15/quarter).  While this service costs money, it's well worth it not to have the headache of trying to come up with new meal options for my family.  If this website doesn't appeal to you, just search on the web for meal planning websites - many will come up and just choose your favorite one!  Happy Meal Planning!