Once upon a time when I was commuting to London for work, it seems so long ago now but life was pretty hectic. With office hours that stipulated 9.30 to 5.30, but really you left when the job was done and then an hour plus commute back home depending on the traffic had a ridiculous impact on my home life. Of course I also wanted to fit in my gym workouts after work too – my gym opens at 7am, which was far too late if I was to make my train or miss the traffic into London.
Looking back, I have no idea how I coped! It was a surprise that I didn’t resort to a life of frozen meals and takeaways. I still managed to lead a relatively healthy lifestyle in terms of food and I covered how I managed this in my Life of a Commuter post a few months back. One of the things that I forgot to mention that really helped keep on track and stay organised is meal planning. Even now I’m still in love with it and it makes my life so much simpler.
I try to make my meal plans as flexible as possible just in case my schedule changes and I don’t have time to cook. Additionally, I always incorporate leftovers into my plans so that if I’m not in the mood to cook I have something healthy pre-prepared and I have no reason to worry.
When producing a weekly meal plan I tend to first check out the cupboards, fridge and freezer and see what is left from the last weeks grocery shop and get my creative head on. I’ve often pinned different recipes during the week, found a recipe that has inspired me or had a craving for a particular meal that I want to try the following week. Moreover, my schedule is also taken into account so I know when I am eating in or out and when I’m going to be busy. I endeavour to get a good variety of foods into my week and take it from there. Once I’ve drawn up my plan I write my shopping list based on missing ingredients to create a week’s worth of healthy meals.
Some benefits of meal planning include:
- It saves money – you only need to buy the ingredients that’s on your meal plan.
- Keeps you on track – during busy times it’s nice to know what you are doing at all times, including meal times so that you aren’t tempted by too many takeaways and frozen meals.
- You can build in snacks to your meal plan to anticipate your hunger so you’re not caught out by the vending machine at work.
- It makes better use of food reserves from previous shops that have yet to be used.
- A reduction in food waste – you can incorporate leftovers in to your meal plan so that they don’t go to waste.
- Takes the faff out of cooking – I hate faffing around in the kitchen. It’s nice knowing what you are going to cook rather than struggling to think of a meal to cook on the spot.
*There are lots of other great meal planners out there on other blogs, websites and Pinterest* but I thought that I would create my own weekly meal planner that is FREE for you to download and print:
[gview file=https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Weekly-Meal-Planner_Template.pdf]
Well there you have it! These are just some of the tips and benefits that I find helpful when it comes to meal planning. I kept the weekends free on the planner as these tend to be more relaxed and I like to just go with the flow as I have more time to cook. I hope that you find this post useful in some way and let me know how you get on with my weekly meal planner if you decide to use it. Monday is meal planning and grocery shopping day for me so I better make a start.
Have a great start to your week everyone!
Do you plan out your weekly meals? If not, why? What do you find works best for you?
*edited
What a great idea. I totally know how life is when commuting and I wish I had something like this to help. Great idea and thanks for the printable.
I meal plan, for most weeks but I haven’t got as fancy as using a meal planner yet, I just scribble things in a notepad. Might need to try this printable 🙂
This is something I keep meaning to do. I tend to be very ad hoc with meals – usually start thinking about what to make for dinner whilst I’m preparing lunch – then it’s hunt round the fridge and freezer time. Just ordered myself a blackboard weekly planner to stick on my kitchen wall. Love yours though.
I love meal planning! Although that might just be my love of planning and organisation in general to be honest… but it makes a big difference with leftovers and not spending too much! Thanks for the lovely template! xx
http://healthjen.blogspot.co.uk
I have become a big meal planning fan this year – it saves reaching for crappy foods from the freezer when I’m tired as I know what I’m supposed to be having and have planned ahead for nights where I expect to be more tired.
I never plan for the weekends either. I tend to leave meals to Dan at the weekend, although they usually require some sort of input from me once he’s decided what he’s in the mood for!
Do your weeks tend to have the same rotation of meals?
Great post! Nice tips, too!
Your schedule must have been craaaaazy. I’ve gotten much better with meal planning, mostly because we order our groceries online and so I have to think ahead to figure out what recipes I want to make and what ingredients I need. We end up wasting a lot less food!
Great tips! Love the printable planner, great idea 🙂
I should plan them but I tend to just buy stuff and through meals together with whatever we have, sometimes I plan meals if there is a certain recipe I wanna try but other then that I don’t really bother…I should though!
Love this post! Meal planning is key to keeping on track with a healthy lifestyle. Thank you for the meal planner! 🙂
Such a cute planner – it would be great pinned to the fridge!
I’m never good at planning meals! I work shifts which can make it difficult because I never know when I can get breaks at work, sometimes I’ll eat once at work and sometimes I’ll eat twice so it’s difficult.
Corinne x
I need to be better about meal planning.
I have been wanting to meal plan for months now but our life schedule has been a super mess this year with the jobs my boyfriend and I are both working. I’m hoping that once things settled down after summer, I’ll be able to!
I usually plan my week while shopping. This is because you can never know what you’ll find in the store. Especially the proteins. Sometimes there groud beef but other times there isn’t. Sometimes there’s chicken, or not… Well, you get the picture 🙂
great idea! i’m awful at meal planning, mostly because I just forget to do it!
I really need to start doing this! Thanks for the printable.
This is so helpful! Thanks for the downloadable!
I always plan our meals, but tend to plan the weekend ones too. We have our shopping delivered on a Tuesday at the moment, so tend to have to pick up a few fresh bits by the weekend.
Oh yeah meal planning makes things so much easier. I do all the shopping and cooking so Ben just enjoys the fruits of my labour haha. I do love doing it though 🙂
great idea love the meal planner 🙂 I do try and plan meals but some days it doesn’t happen.
Sophie
xx
http://www.pocockins.co.uk
Downloading this, I really need to plan meals for the week!
I’ve never been good at meal planning, but it’s something I definitely need to get into! Thanks for the tips and chart!
Great printable – I say every week I’m going to meal plan and then suddenly it’s wednesday and I haven’t done anything. These will help!
I am definitely a meal planner. My mom was so I learned the habit from her and I’m thankful! It makes our life so much easier! 🙂
Meal planning is a constant struggle for me and something I talk about on my blog a lot. I am so guilty of eating out because I have nothing planned! Thanks for the tips and the printable!
You did such an awesome job eating healthy during pregnancy – I had so many days of morning sickness that I resorted to eating out and easy meals, and I am definitely going to use this plan pregnant or not! <3 Thank you and keep it up! Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well! <3
Love this post, I am at the point of takeaways and frozen meals but thats all about to change.
I find when I do have some form of meal plan I tend to lose weight too (though I’m never as organised as you, maybe I should give the meal planner a go!)
Looks great – I love saving time on cooking too and having more of the evening, planning ahead saves time too!
As much as I try to plan weekly meals, I completely fail at it! I always get off track and decide that I wasn’t really craving that specific dish! I need to try again!
Meal planning is the only thing that gets me through the crazy weeks! I love knowing what I’m going to have for each meal when my day is hectic.
I’ve sen such a big push for meal planning lately. Everyone is doing it! Love that freebie too!
I love your meal planner!!! I think I’ll need to use it too! 🙂 I try to do this in my planner and it isn’t working out super well for me. But if I laminated it and put it on my fridge every week, I think it would be perfect!
I want to plan meals but…. I always find something else to do. One day, though I will be organized enough to!
Thanks for the free printable! I’ll be using this 🙂
xo, Hima
Hima Hearts
Thanks so much for sharing the download! I always eat so much healthier when I have it planned out!
I really like this Blog. Always provides useful information. I like to be organised, and do plan meals within strict budgets so the meal planner will be a great tool for me. Thank you.
Cute meal planner! I only plan our dinners, the rest I just wing with basics that are in the house. I don’t like too much structure 🙂
we are big meal planners too!