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Today I’m sharing my meal planning secret weapon with you! This is such a simple tool to use to simplify meal planning.
Meal planning strategies
We are back again talking all about meal planning! If you’ve been here over the past few weeks, you know I’ve been sharing how to take stress out of feeding your family, how to meal plan and I also posed the question, “should you meal plan?“. I’ve shared how it’s been so incredibly helpful in my life, and today I want to share my meal planning secret weapon!
It’ll make you feel like a super hero.
The strategy comes into play when we go to actually pick our meals in our meal plan. When we are posing the questions, “what’s for dinner?” this strategy will help with that.
Meal planning secret weapon
The secret weapon is to create a family favorites list. I remember my mom used to have a binder of recipes growing up, and she’d use that as a resource when picking dinners. That’s the idea – you find a recipe that your family loves and you save it.
How to save family favorite recipes
But how do you save it? There are so many different ways. You can make a binder. Definitely categorize it so it’s easier to find the meals. You could use a notebook like I do in my meal planner.
I always think I will remember the amazing meal everyone loved, but I forget. That’s why I need to write it down!
Or start a Pinterest board of meals that you have tried, and that everyone loved. That is the key. It can’t just be meals that you want to try, but meals that everyone loves. That are dinner winners! They are tested and loved.
Do you already save recipes? How has it worked for you to save them? A notebook? Pinterest? Spreadsheet? Your phone?
The method doesn’t matter as much as actually having the list!
Then use your list when you go to meal plan. Pull it out and plug in the dinners choices into your meal plan.
Start your own meal planning secret weapon
If you haven’t started a family favorites list, here is my challenge for you. Grab a notebook, and write out the categories you typically cook from. Take 5 minutes and begin to write out a list of family favorite meals. It doesn’t have to be very many, but just get it started.
Then keep the notebook in your kitchen, so that when you have a winner, you can easily add it to the list. You’ll find the list continues to grow and grow!
Looking for more meal planning resources? Check out these posts:
- 4 healthy eating strategies for families
- How to meal plan (7 easy steps!)
- Should you meal plan? (here’s how it’s been helpful for me)
Prefer to watch + listen? Head to YouTube to watch the video.
Do you already save recipes? How has it worked for you to save them? A notebook? Pinterest? Spreadsheet? Your phone?
I’d love to know! Leave a comment below and share what strategy you use, or want to try!
XO
Heather
