Smart Meals, Slim Receipts

Have you ever walked into the store for milk and walk out with two frozen pizzas, a bunch of snacks you didn’t need, and somehow still… no milk. Sound familiar?

Grocery shopping without a plan, even if it is a delivery order, can feel like wandering through a maze of temptation. But there is one simple trick I have found that revolutionizes the way I shop and save money: meal planning.

Meal planning is not just about what is for dinner, it’s a small but mighty step toward organizing your life. When you take time to plan your meals, you’re not only cutting grocery costs, you’re clearing mental clutter, reducing daily decision fatigue, and creating space for what really matters.

Before we dive in, let’s be clear—I’m not talking about assigning meals to every single day of the week. That’s a level of structure I don’t even aspire to! What I do suggest is planning out a set of meals to cover the days you’re shopping for, making a list based on those meals, and then picking from the list each day based on what you’re feeling. It takes the nightly guesswork off your plate.

Now let’s talk about the benefits. When you buy groceries based upon a meal plan you:

1. Buy What You Actually Need

Planning your meals in advance puts a laser focus on your grocery list. You’re no longer guessing how many onions you need—you know you need three for the chili and one for taco night.

2. You Waste Less Food

No more mystery bags of wilted lettuce lurking in the back of your fridge. Planning meals helps ensure you use what you buy, which means less food (and money) in the trash. I don’t know anyone that enjoys throwing their money away. With every food item I throw away, that’s one less Amazon order I can make!!

3. Fewer Last-Minute Takeout Orders

Let’s be honest: when there's no dinner plan, DoorDash (AKA my kids) starts whispering sweet nothings. Having meals prepped or ingredients ready cuts down on costly impulse orders and making unhealthy choices.

4. You Can Shop the Sales—Strategically

Know what is on sale this week? Plan your meals around those deals. Chicken breast half-off? Time for stir fry and grilled chicken salads. Is couponing still a thing?

5. Pantry Power

Meal planning encourages you to work with what you already have. That lonely can of black beans? Suddenly it’s the star of burrito bowls. I think we all can agree, clutter doesn’t work in a simplified life, so why do you allow clutter in your pantry?

I personally shop for groceries two weeks at a time. Do I plan meals for all 14 days…. Heavens, no! Our schedules do not allow us to be home to cook for 14 days. So, when planning my meal list, I plan for 6-7 meals per shopping trip. But I always have 3-4 meals that require nothing more than throwing something in the oven (i.e., frozen pizzas, chicken patties, etc.).

Does the thought of meal planning in preparation for grocery shopping overwhelm you? Start small.  Pick 2-3 go to meals, check your pantry, fridge, and freezer for what you already have to prepare those meals, plan your list, and SHOP!!  Now here comes the hardest part……. stick as close to your list as possible when shopping, that is where the real money saving comes. 

Before you know it, your grocery bill shrinks, your waste goes down (fingers crossed), and your evenings feel just a bit more in control, and you have taken another step towards having a simplified life!