Why is meal planning important you make ask ...

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Meal planning gives you more time and also more money in your pocket.

Planning meals doesn't have to be painful nor does it have to take hours on end. In this article I'll explain my process of meal planning. This process has taken on many forms and may change further, I don't know yet but, I want to share this with you. I really want to help you save money and this process can save you tons! Once established, a meal plan can save you big bucks and a ton of sanity... I need all of both that I can get!

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Take inventory of ALL food in your home.

I've found this is easiest to do by breaking up the food by where it's stored at home. Example, freezer, cabinet, fridge and pantry. I tally all food that we have. Each portion that will make 1 meal for my entire family is considered 1 serving and is tallied as 1. Seasonings are counted the same way.

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Grab a calendar.

I've found it's easiest to somehow mark the days when you won't have a lot of time allotted for cooking dinner. By doing this you know when you need a quick dinner or perhaps a slow cooker meal. When I plan, I concentrate mostly on dinner. I plan lunches only on weekends, the rest of the time I just wing it.

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Start Planning..

I make it a point to plan out as much of the food that I have on hand first. 

If I plan to use an ingredient that's been inventoried I mark off a tally. I stick to simple recipes that only require a few ingredients and sometimes they show up 2 or 3 times per month. If my family will eat it, it wins and is welcomed back. :)

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Incorporate new groceries into your plan ...

Always, always, always ..... and always check the sales circular before you even leave your home. Make a list and stick to it as much as you can.  IF chicken is on sale that week for a great price buy plenty of it and incorporate it into your meal plan. When I buy meat I repackage it and freeze it in the serving size I'll be using it for.

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The flexibility of a meal plan

We are not slaves to our menu. Our meals can be switched around and I switch them often. If the food requires thawing make sure to plan ahead for that process.

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