Frugal meal planning can be a great way to save some money. As with most things, the first obstacle is not knowing where to start.
Prudent meal planning is not very different from standard meal planning, but there are some crucial differences. You can develop a weekly meal plan, using these that is suited the needs of your family.
Developing a menu will save you cash on foodstuff as you won’t have to make so many trips to the shop to get things you forgot and you will spend less on convenience foods. You are also less liable to toss spoiled food away as each food item you purchase already has a function when you purchase it.
You should take the needs of your family into consideration when planning your menu. Are there growing kids or teenagers in the house? Any expecting, breastfeeding, elderly or sickly family members? Anyone with food allergies or intolerances? What are the activity levels of the various family members? Is anyone underweight or overweight? In short, what are the individual dietary needs of your family? These diverse requirements will determine the kinds and quantities of food integrated in your meal plan.
Next, you want to record a list of a mixture of meals that you might include in your meal plan. create down the meals that the various family members enjoy. If the meals themselves aren’t actually healthy, try thinking of healthier alternatives. Also, try to make certain that each meal includes the appropriate quantities of various types of foods. About half of your plate should consist of vegetables - potatoes and maize are not considered vegetables in this case so go easy on the fries. The other half should be divided equally between carbohydrates and protein.
Try to add in about 5 distinctive colors in every meal and you can be sure that your meals will be improved as well. Stay away from the artificial colors like Sunset Yellow and Brilliant Blue. Try to use foods that are organically different colors, like carrots, broccoli, beetroot and the like. Also incorporate distinct textures of food in the meal – soft, crunchy, smooth and coarse.
Now schedule different meals for each day. Plan the labor intensive meals for days when you have more time. Making extra to freeze is also good for those days. Try to remain open with your meal plan and modify it according to the specials available each week, and record of what produce is in season as these will be less expense and tastier than out of season foods.
Once you have your proposal for the week you can then put together a shopping list of all the things you will require. Also confirm what you already possess in your pantry so that you don’t obtain double.
It is a bit of a misnomer to talk about frugal meal planning, as meal planning is already a prudent endeavor. Even though it takes a small piece of energy to get things happening, try getting the family caught up in the procedure. They will also discover that just a little prudent meal planning will save you time and money.
Jane Frugal is co-author of Frugal-Living-Made-Fun.com, a site all about how to save money AND enjoy life. If you enjoyed this article, you'll probably enjoy the tips and ideas at .
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