How to Simplify Meal Planning: 15 Options from a Dietitian + Mom

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When you’re learning how to simplify meal planning, it can be a real game changer. Especially for busy families trying to balance work, school, and other activities. It not only saves time but can also ensure healthier, home-cooked meals. 

As a mom of two hungry kids myself, I understand firsthand the chaos that can ensue when mealtime rolls around. This is why I care so much about simplifying meal planning for busy families like you! 

Through trial and trial (I prefer that over trial and error), I’ve honed my strategies to streamline the process and ensure that nutritious meals are on the table, even on the busiest of days. It’s absolutely achievable and this post is going to give you 15 different options to get started. 

I recommend you pick one or two of these suggestions as you learn how to simplify meal planning and gradually build them into habits. When you’re ready, add more of the suggestions in where you can.

Set Aside Dedicated Time

Schedule a specific time each week to plan your meals. Treat it like any other appointment to ensure it gets done. If you can, set aside an initial time to make the plan and additional time to review and edit the plan prior to grocery shopping. 

I do all of my planning on Thursdays and then come Sunday morning I review it, edit it if needed, and make my grocery list. This helps me check for anything in the fridge I’ve forgotten about that needs to be used and I can check the pantry and freezer to add to or use in an upcoming meal.

Keep a Master List

Create a master list of favorite meals that your family enjoys. Refer to this list when planning your weekly menus to save time brainstorming. If you don’t know how to create a master list, read the how-to here.

A meal list (or “to-cook” list as I like to call it) can also include links to recipes you haven’t made yet but you’ve seen on social media, cookbooks, or from your latest Google search. Organize the list a step further and create categories such as 30 minute meals, sheet pan meals, make-again meals or never again meals etc.

Use a Meal Planning Template

Utilize meal planning templates or apps to organize your weekly menus. These tools can help you keep track of recipes, ingredients, and cooking schedules. Personally, I use a blank note in my phone and every week I add my plan to it.

Since I’ve been doing this for a while, I have hundreds of meal plans that I can go back to and repeat. It’s especially helpful to add notes to your meal plans if there is something you would add, substitute, or change about a meal for next time.

Plan for Leftovers

Cook larger portions and plan for leftovers. Repurpose leftovers into new meals or freeze them for quick dinners on busy nights. I often double batch this spiced lentil soup so I can freeze the additional cups for quick lunches down the road.

Leftovers can be helpful for lunch the next day or for one day (at least) during the week where everyone fends for themselves. Leftovers can also be repurposed! If you know you’re making stir fry with rice, make extra rice and use it in a breakfast burrito or egg scramble in the morning.

Shop with a List 

You’ve heard this advice, I get it, but it really is important otherwise I’d leave it out. Create a shopping list based on your meal plan to avoid impulse purchases and ensure you have all the ingredients needed for the week ahead.

This can help you stay on your budget and right now, I’m finding that to be really important! The list can also be helpful to make before you shop so you can shop from your inventory (whether a written inventory or your fridge, freeze, and pantry) first. 

Embrace Batch Cooking

There are two ways I like to batch cook. Ingredient/component batch cooking and batch cooking a recipe.

Component Batch Cooking

I’ll spend a few hours on the weekend batch cooking staple ingredients like grains, proteins, and sauces. Sometimes I’ll use them during the week or freeze them for later. Either way, having these items prepped ahead of time can significantly cut down on day-to-day cooking. They also come in handy for throwing together a nourishing meal fast.

Batch Cooking a Recipe

Batch cooking a recipe can look like cooking a double portion of a meal you’re already planning to eat or batch cooking a separate meal that you’re not going to use yet. For example, if I plan on making chili then I usually cook a double batch and freeze half. Or if I have a low-key weekend, I pick a meal I can cook, freeze, and then pull out in a few weeks when I need it.

Choose Simple Recipes

Opt for recipes with fewer ingredients and minimal prep time. Save complex dishes for weekends or special occasions. When you’re searching for recipes to add to your meal list, make a category for 5 or 10 ingredient recipes, whatever feels easiest to you!

A few simple recipes to consider could be: 

• Chicken sausages with roasted bell peppers, onions, and potatoes 
• Teriyaki air fried salmon with Brussel sprouts and quinoa 
• Tofu curry ramen with frozen vegetables 
• Sandwiches with cold cut veggies and fruit 

You don’t need to over complicate meal time, keep it simple as you build up your meal planning and cooking capabilities.

Theme Nights

Assign a theme to each day of the week (e.g., Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday) to simplify meal planning and add variety to your menu. Don’t think this means you don’t get variety! 

Take taco Tuesday for example, one week you can make ground beef tacos. The next you can try ground turkey with shredded sweet potatoes and zucchini. The next you can try lentil and black bean chili lime tacos.

There are endless ways to make a theme meal, it can make cooking predictable and still fun.

Involve the Family

Get your family involved in meal planning and preparation. Let each member choose a favorite meal to include in the weekly menu. I even get my four year old involved in the planning! 

You can have them look at photos of recipes in a book or from your meal list to give them some autonomy. Another option is to ask them to help pick out what fruit, breakfasts or snacks you’ll have available for the week.

Another way to involve the family is to text relatives and see what they’re cooking this coming week. Texting even three people could help you get your meal plan done faster and improve variety.

Stock Up on Staples

Keep your pantry, fridge, and freezer stocked with staple ingredients like canned beans, frozen vegetables, and whole grains. This ensures you always have the basics on hand for quick and easy meals.

Don’t forget that frozen foods like burritos, pizzas, vegetables, fruit and/or fish can be excellent options to keep on hand. Keeping larger components to meals (like burritos or pizzas) can help when you’re unmotivated to cook. 

Our society tends to demonize frozen food but I am here to reassure you that even as a culinary registered dietitian, I utilize frozen foods and meals. It’s always about what you cook/eat overtime as a whole and not what once in a while meals look like.

Prep Ingredients in Advance 

Chop vegetables, marinate proteins, and pre-cook grains in advance to streamline meal prep during the week. If you want more help meal prepping, this post will give you a ton of different ways to get started. If you work a 9 to 5 job and don’t know how to get started with meal prep, head to this post here. 

Meal planning and prep go hand-in-hand to me, but they don’t have to look the same for every family. Our meal planning method rarely changes, but my prep method varies week-to-week depending on what we have going on. See the next tip for the key to success here.

Keep it Flexible

Be flexible with your meal plan and preparation strategies. Life happens, and schedules change. Have a backup plan for busy nights or unexpected events.

Don’t know how to efficiently have a backup plan ready to go? Read this post where you can not only get 50 Last Minute Dinner Recipe Ideas but you can also learn the best method for truly falling back on them (read: not running to the store at dinnertime).

Simplify Breakfast and Lunch

Plan simple and nutritious breakfast and lunch options to avoid decision fatigue. Stick to a few go-to meals that can be easily prepared or packed ahead of time. Here’s what I keep on hand as a culinary dietitian and mom of two littles:

• Oats
• Bread for toast varieties
• Cereal
• Pancake/waffle mix / frozen pancake/waffles
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Eggs 

When I’m creating my meal plan I’ll often look ahead and if we have a week with more morning chaos, then I usually make this Ham and Egg Frittata or bake some Banana Carrot Muffins. 

Plan for Convenience

Don’t be afraid to use convenience items like pre-cut vegetables, rotisserie chicken, minced garlic or frozen meals to simplify meal prep on hectic days. If you feel these are, “bad” and you’re struggling with guilt around them, then hop over to my community where we’ll help you overcome that!

Look, I love cooking with fresh ingredients and creating meals from scratch but it’s not always in the cards. Using convenience items helps me get meals done quicker and that means happier bellies and less cranky kids. Convenience food does not mean unhealthy.

Reflect and Revise

Take time at the end of each week to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Adjust your meal planning strategies accordingly to continuously improve the process. Don’t get bummed when you’re in the early stages of learning something like simplifying meal planning. 

Let’s Get Cooking!

Here are some other recipes to consider adding to your next meal plan:

• Bahama Mama Tropical Smoothie Recipe
• Cocoa Ginger Energy Balls
• Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce
• Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. By implementing just a few of these 15 strategies, you can simplify the process and make it manageable for your busy family. Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection! Happy meal planning!

Need more help? I’d love for you to join my free Facebook community where I serve parents like you the dish on meal planning and cooking with less stress week-after-week.