For my very first post, I wanted to share with everyone my weekly ritual when it comes to meal planning and healthy eating.

The main goal of this blog is not only to share some of my meal planning secrets to make your life easier, but also to share all the healthy recipes to help keep you on track with weight management. Also, please read my intro to learn more about me and how this blog started, and follow me on Instagram where I have already been sharing all of my meals!

Ongoing, I will be sharing easy, healthy recipes that anyone can add into their repertoire, along with my weekly meal plans.  Subscribe by clicking the “+follow…” button that appears at the bottom right of this page, or leave me a comment using the ‘COMMENTS’ link beside the date at the top of each post.

Meal Planning 101

Step 1:  Plan out your meals for the week, by day. This is the most important step and the basis for how I build my grocery list each week (see image below). Coming up with meal ideas can be the hardest part of the whole process, but once you have your list it gets that much easier. Also, think about striking a healthy balance. Try cooking these meals on the weekend to prepare you for the upcoming work week.  Also it is always good to consider at least 1-2 meals that you can whip up easily when you get home for everyone (BBQ, for example). Also, making big batches and freezing for another week is a extra bonus, for example meat sauces, meatballs and chili freeze great!

And don’t even think about throwing out that list at the end of the week. When  you have  4–5 weeks of meal plans saved, it becomes that much easier to recycle and mix and match those idea as you plan your next week.

Step 2: Build your grocery list. The example below is organized by department; in my mind, I just follow the path of the grocery store, starting with fruits and veggies, followed by meats, bakery, etc.

Step 3: Get your groceries! Now this all depends on what type of shopper you are. I recently converted to online shopping, which, as a busy working mom with 3 young children has saved me tons of time running around the grocery store every Saturday (I’m exhausted just thinking about it!). But if you’re the type who likes to get out there in the aisles, by all means, go for it. Either way, I keep a list of favourites that I buy, adding those extras that I need to fulfill my meal plan each week. It’s that simple.

Step 4: Get cooking. People often ask me how and when I find the time to prep 3-4 meals for the week, but really there’s no secret. When you already have the right ingredients in the fridge, just roll up those sleeves and get to it. Remember – no pain, no gain. A few hours on the weekend (in between those kids swimming lessons and birthday parties), will make a world of difference come Monday thru Thursday when you’re not scrambling in the kitchen. Eating right doesn’t come without a little sacrifice, so if you can spare a little time on a Thursday or Friday evening planning for the week ahead, you – and you’re entire family – will thank you for it later. Once you get into the routine, you will never go back!

If anyone would like my template, message me I will be happy to share!

Thanks for reading, and happy meal planning!