Cooking every single day can be exhausting, but meal prep and planning may be the solution for you. If you've never tried meal planning before, I'll teach you a simple method to save money, reduce stress, and eat healthier.

What is meal planning?

Meal planning is the process of creating a food menu for an upcoming period of time, typically a week. A weekly meal plan can include all meals and snacks or one or two meals. The goal is to make cooking easier, more affordable, and far less stressful.

Why Meal Plan?

Meal planning can benefit everyone. It helps:

• Save money by reducing impulse purchases

• Cut down on food waste

• Spend less time grocery shopping

• Reduce daily stress around “What’s for dinner?”

• Stay consistent with nutrition goals

Selecting Meals

When selecting meals for the week, choose recipes that share ingredients. Overlapping ingredients means fewer items to buy and saves money. Also, if you plan for leftovers (and actually eat them!) there are less meals to prep and cook.

Efficient Meal Prepping

Before shopping, review what items you already have at home. This prevents duplicate purchases and keeps your grocery bill lower. Once you’ve bought your ingredients, set aside a few hours to prep.

• Wash and chop fruits and vegetables so they’re ready to grab

• Cook many ingredients at once. For example, I prep salad ingredients while chicken breasts bake in the oven

• Use time saving appliances like a crockpot or Instant Pot to cook hands free

• Portion meals into single servings once they’re done. If you won’t eat them within a few days, freeze them for later

Meal planning apps & websites to help keep you organized

https://www.eatthismuch.com/

Eat This Much creates meal plans based on food preferences, dietary needs, and schedule. While the site offers a large variety of meals, the free version is limited. Weekly meal plans are only available to paying subscribers. If you want to use Eat This Much most effectively, the annual subscription ($59.99/year) is worth considering.

https://www.mealime.com/

Mealime is user friendly and organized by categories like snacks, breakfast, and most popular meals. After you select recipes, the app creates a grocery list and even offers online shopping options. It also provides step by step cooking instructions. A downside: batch prep guidance is limited, and many recipes and nutrition features require the premium subscription ($2.99/month).

If you would rather not clutter your phone and have yet another app, here are two recipe and meal-planning sites I recommend.

https://www.skinnytaste.com

Skinnytaste offers a variety of 7-day meal plans, including weight loss and high protein meal prep options. You can print both the shopping list and the meal plan calendar — perfect if you prefer not to rely on your phone. Try the High Protein Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese. I make this nearly every morning and it is delicious. Pro tip: Blend the mixture to make it creamy, especially if you dislike the texture of cottage cheese.

https://www.eatingwell.com/

EatingWell provides recipes, meal prep guides, and nutrition articles. Their weekly meal plans include categories like gut healthy, low carb, and high fiber. Email meal plans to yourself or sign up to receive weekly plans automatically — a great way to reduce the constant search for new recipes. My recommended recipe: Broccoli, White Bean, and Cheese Quiche. It’s simple, versatile, and works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Resources

I created a free grocery shopping list and meal calendar template to help you on your journey. Click each button to download!

Start small, choose meals you enjoy, and build a routine that works for your lifestyle. With a little preparation, you’ll save money, reduce stress, and make your week run more smoothly.

Now get out there and cook!

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