Save Money & Time - Meal Planning Made Easy

I am a big fan of meal planning! After reading this, I hope you're encouraged too! Here's why:

SAVE MONEY!!

Most weeks I do a meal plan & grocery list, but some weeks, I just go to the grocery store and buy whatever I see. If I go to the store without a plan, I spend at least $40 more than when I go in with a list. Annually I'm saving more than $2000 by meal planning and making a grocery list.

SAVE TIME!!

We live in the country. It's about 15-20 minutes to get to the nearest grocery store. If I go to the store for 1 item or an entire list, it will take me at least 45 minutes- no matter what. If I were going several times a week, I'd just be burning my time in the car, not to mention my fuel!

MAKE YOUR WEEK EASIER!!

You know those weeks when you look at your calendar and groan? Wouldn't it be nice to have a plan in place so you're not rushing in late in the evening and scurrying to figure out supper just to give up and have another frozen pizza or bowl of cereal? (I'm totally guilty!)
I meal plan based on what's on the calendar. If I know that on a certain day we're all going to leave the house and not be in until late, I plan to either do a crockpot meal,  that I can toss together first thing in the morning, or a quick one skillet meal, or if I'm going to be in town, I plan to stop at the store and get one of those rotissiere chickens that's already cooked and hot from the deli. (By the way, they're cheaper than buying a frozen, whole bird chicken and cooking it yourself.)

  Side note- We eat leftovers often. 

I cook Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We have leftovers Tuesday, Thursday and sometimes Saturday. We eat out on Sundays. By planning meals with a reasonable helping of meat (and buying the meat in bulk) along with several side items, the meals tend to be less expensive than when I cooked a different meal every. single. day. 

On average our weekly grocery bill is between $100 and $150.

 I rarely use coupons but I do shop sales and Ialso LOVE Aldi.

I am not a nutritionist. If you are a nutritionist or a health guru, take this with a grain of salt. This is just what works for our family!

Feel free to right-click and "Save As" the image below.

Or if you'd like to make your own, you can copy the spreadsheet from this google doc I've got saved

  here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ylaH7hmjM4j-mQZf1JWVPEDY0haNrRms7qzOExcKMJU/edit?usp=sharing

Also, click and save the Grocery and Meal Planning List below...

Let me know how it goes! Do you find yourself saving time and money?