5 Meal Planning Tips for Busy Families

Meal planning can be a game-changer for busy families. Not only does it save time and reduce stress, but it can also help you eat healthier and save money. Here are five tips to make meal planning easier for your family.

1. Start with a Weekly Calendar

Before you plan your meals, take a look at your family's schedule for the week. Are there nights when you'll need a quick dinner because of after-school activities? Or days when you'll have more time to prepare something special? Understanding your schedule helps you plan realistic meals for each day.

2. Create a Rotating Menu

You don't need to reinvent the wheel every week. Create a list of 10-15 meals that your family enjoys and rotate through them. This simplifies planning and shopping while ensuring everyone gets their favorites regularly.

3. Prep Ingredients in Advance

Set aside some time on weekends to wash and chop vegetables, marinate meats, or prepare entire meals that can be frozen. This front-loaded work makes weeknight cooking much faster.

4. Involve the Whole Family

Let each family member choose a meal for the week. This not only shares the planning burden but also ensures everyone gets at least one meal they're excited about.

5. Use FamBowl's Meal Planning Feature

Our meal planning feature makes it easy to:

• Plan meals for the entire week
• Generate shopping lists automatically
• Share plans with the whole family
• Save favorite recipes for quick access

What are your favorite meal planning strategies? We'd love to see your recipes in the App!