Top 13 Meal Planning on a Budget Ideas

Spending on food can be expensive. Whether you are a spinster, a bachelor, or a family of 5, making provision for feeding every day isn’t easy. This is where having Meal planning on a budget idea will help you.

Honestly, planning every one of your meals can help you save a lot of money. Aside from that, you won’t have to stress yourself going to the grocery shop looking for what to buy every day.

The only challenge is that the meal planning process is time-consuming at firsthand, but not to worry at all because, with the right ideas on how to go about it, you can be sure of having a healthy meal planning on a budget shopping list without stress.

In this article, I will give you the 13 best healthy meal planning on a budget idea that will help you save time and money. So, if you are looking for a quick, easy, and cheap way of planning your meal, then this is the article for you!

Taking a glance at the table of contents below will give you an overview of these ideas.

What Is Budget Meal Planning?

Budget meal planning means different things to different people. It can be a weekly meal schedule that helps saves time and reduce costs.

It entails making out time to think about what type of budget-friendly meals you want to eat during the week and then writing those meals down on a calendar using a pen and paper, phone or computer.

In summary, Meal planning is a way to actively save money by making a menu of what you’re going to eat every day.

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13 Best Healthy Meal Planning on a Budget Ideas

Here are weekly meal planning on budget ideas that can help you cut down feeding expenses:

#1. Prepare a Food Menu

If you want to make a meal plan that can help you save time and money, start by having a food menu. Take a decision on what you will have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner based on what you like or what the family likes if it’s a family meal planning.

Note, in preparing your menu, consider a monthly family meal plan on a budget. And believe me, if you can put this in check, you will save a lot.

#2. Consider Foods in season

It is believed that once the food is in season, it is less expensive. I’m not telling you to consider foods you are allergic to because it’s in season. Do a thorough survey and you will find foods that meet your taste and your family’s.

#3. Make a Weekly Plan

Planning weekly can help you keep it simple and easy whether it’s a meal planning on a budget for 2 or 5. Also, it will help you measure the level of effectiveness.

#4. Plan based on the foods in Sales

Planning based on the foods in sales is one of the best healthy meal planning on a budget ideas you can implore that can help reduce your feeding cost. Now, how do you go about it?

Check online stores, newspaper inserts, and even coupon sites online to see foods at a discount rate.

#5. Consider getting a Fridge

Storing foods in a fridge or cupboard can help make things very easy for you regarding meal planning. And also it will save you the stress of going to the grocery shop every time, which is time-consuming.

#6. Consider your Pantry

Considering foods in your pantry, freezer or stores is a pleasant idea to implore before putting your meal planning on a budget shopping list. Doing that first will enable you to know the meals with some foods and ingredients you have in your pantry, you can prepare.

#7. Consider your Leftover Foods

Whether you are making a meal planning for one on a budget
or for 5, considering your leftovers is a pleasant idea. For instance, if chicken stew is prepared on Sunday evening, you can prepare Jolof rice without egg on Monday using the leftover stew.

#8. Plan based on your favorite

Before you put weekly meal planning on a budget, it’s ideal to think about your favorite. And if it’s a meal plan for the family, consider what your family members like. That way, you can make a good meal plan that everyone will love.

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#9. Plan on getting Meals that require similar Ingredient

Even though you are expected to try out varieties of food, avoid going for meals that require special ingredients. You will save more time if you can use an ingredient on two or more meals. Even if you want to cook a meal that requires a special ingredient different from the ones you have, let it be once in a while.

#10. Prepare Meals in Batches

Preparing in batches is one of the best healthy meal planning on a budget ideas that really works. I do it often and believe me it’s worth doing. You can prepare your breakfast, dinner, and lunch using the same ingredient. Once you take your breakfast, you can freeze the other batches in meal-sized portions for another time.

#11. Put your meal planning on a budget shopping list in Advance.

Include your meal plan on your weekly shopping list 3 days before the day you intend to go shopping. Doing this will help save you the stress of any inconveniences.

#12. Repeat Meals

Repeating a few of the same meals for some weeks is also another plan you can apply when making a meal planning budget.

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#13. Consider a meatless Meal

Maybe a meatless meal once a week will help reduce your feeding cost. You can try out Legumes like beans, lentils, or dried peas. Having eggs, peanut butter, and canned fish is also affordable and can give you a tasty meal.

Bottom Line

Whether you are making a family meal or planning on a budget for 5, 4, or 1, you can save a lot with the above ideas.

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