Today I’m sharing 6 ways that meal planning makes life easier.

I’ve shared on the blog before how much meal planning makes things easier for me. I thought I’d write a post about some of the benefits of meal planning just in case you need some more convincing. Check out these posts all about meal planning and food if you’re new to Get Fit Fiona:

Save time

One trip the the grocery store each week instead of 3 saves me a ton of time. Not wasting time on a Tuesday night looking through recipes and trying to figure out what I can make with the ingredients that I have in my kitchen also helps cut down on the time it takes to cook. Taking 10 or 15 minutes on Saturday morning to plan ends up saving me more than that throughout the week. 

Save money

I don’t waste money on food that I end up throwing out because I didn’t use it before it went bad. I also plan my menu for the week based on what’s on sale at the grocery store that week. Are chicken and green peppers on sale? I’ll be sure that my recipes use those ingredients. In addition, I only buy what I need instead of what I think I may be able to eat in a week. 

No last minute “what’s for dinner?”

I always know what I’ll be making when I get home from work. I don’t have that moment of panic when I’m hungry but know that whatever I make will involve a trip to the grocery store. With meal planning I know that I’ll have all the ingredients I’ll need in the fridge and pantry. 

Grocery shopping is fast

No one likes to spend more time than necessary at the grocery store – myself included. Having a list makes it go a lot faster. I use my phone to make a list and delete items as I put them in my cart. Shopping with a list is so much quicker than just wandering the aisles.

Eating healthier

Planning out my meals means that I make healthier choices. I’m much more likely to eat the meal I have planned rather than get fast food on the way home from work. I’m also more likely to have healthy snacks on hand when I meal plan for when I get hungry between meals. 

Eat at home more

Like I mentioned above, knowing that I can put together a meal at home without an added trip to the grocery store means that I’m much more likely to do that instead of getting fast food or ordering from Skip the Dishes. Not only do I save money (eating out is always more expensive that cooking at home), but I’ll also be eating healthier. 

Do you meal plan? What’s the biggest benefit for you?

6 Benefits of Meal Planning