Why Menu Plan?

Ready to get motivated?

Before we begin to discuss the nitty gritty of menu planning, I thought we should first discuss the “why”. Why do we menu plan? You always hear "the experts" telling you to menu plan. However, if you don't understand why you should do it, you probably won't.

So, how does menu planning actually save you money? It....

1. Uses what you already have. It can gently force you to use what you already have on hand. Seasoned menu planners will look in their cupboards and freezer to see what staple products are already on hand. Planning your meals around these items will enable you to buy less at the store.

2. Decreases store trips. Often, when we have no plan, we find ourselves running to the store for just one or two items. Of course, we all know that often we come out with more than we first intended.

3. Eliminates buying what you don’t need. Have you ever gone to the store without a plan? If you have, it is not uncommon to be surprised when you open the pantry door when you arrive back home. Your surprise is that you already have 3 other jars of salsa you forgot you had. You disappointedly place your newly purchased jar beside the other ones. Your disappointment lies in the fact you paid full price for an item you thought you needed.

4. Focuses our attention. When we have a plan, we have a list. When we have a list, we remain more focused when cruising the grocery store aisles. Focus can prevent side tracked “grabbing” of unnecessary items.

5. Creates variety in our diet. Tacos is a fun dinner. However, it is not quite as special when you’ve made it 3 times last week. Menus visually make things easier in regards to planning nutritious meals for your family.

6. Prevents unplanned take out. We've all had days where a requirement of additional brain power could send us over the edge. With menu planning, all your thinking power is done in 1 time slot. You may not know how you are going to get everyone to practice on time, but at least you know what is for dinner.

If you aren’t menu planning yet, perhaps this is the boost you need to get started. Knowing there is a reason behind it all will definitely motivate the unmotivated.

Ready to get started? Tomorrow we will talk about doing just that.