There’s one quote that by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin that I always keep in mind: “You are what you eat.” Having healthy meal planning is essential to stay fit, keep your mind clear, and have an overall healthy lifestyle.
However, planning meals on a budget can be a little tricky. If you’re also struggling to manage meal planning on a budget, don’t worry at all.
In this article, I am going to help you solve this issue. Here, I’ll cover 12 smart strategies that will help you plan weekly meals on a budget easily. Let’s begin.
12 Smart Meal Planning Tips
Planning meals on a budget is more than just deciding what cheap meals you are going to eat for the whole week.
It’s also about using what you already have in the fridge, looking for discounts and cheap offers, and even discovering new cheap recipes to add to the plan. I’ve discussed some useful strategies below.
1. Use What You Already Have
One of the most basic strategies that you should follow in order to plan meals on a budget is use what you already have in the pantry. People usually ignore the pantry and go buy new ingredients to add in the plan. It not only costs a lot, but also results in a lot of food waste.
Avoid doing it.
Instead, make a list of all the items you have in the pantry. Then, adjust these items in your weekly meals to save money and have a proper meal plan.
Implementing The Strategy:
- Overview all the items and ingredients in the pantry.
- Make a proper list of these ingredients.
- Adjust the items in meals.
- Save the extra items for emergency meals or preparing quick snacks.
2. Buy in Bulk
Another one of the most useful strategies in this regard is buying items in bulk. Purchasing in bulk helps save a lot of money and keeps the pantry stocked for the future. I know that it’s usually impossible to purchase everything in bulk.
Still, you should purchase items like rice and dried beans in bulk to save money. These items don’t spoil for a long time and will help you keep on preparing planned meals for many weeks.
Pro Tip
🔷 Store items purchased in bulk in airtight containers.
🔷 Split bulk purchases with a friend in case you don’t have space to store them.
🔷 Avoid purchasing items in bulk that aren’t going to be added to a lot of the planned meals.
3. Look For Sales & Discounts
Every household mother will give you the tip of looking for sales and discounts in supermarkets around your area. It is one of the top strategies for healthy meal planning on a budget.
One interesting thing about meal planning ideas is that you try them out for at least a few weeks. Sales and discounts also appear in stores after the period of a few weeks. So, plan your meals during this time in order to get items on cheap prices.
Mistakes To Avoid:
- Don’t purchase items that you’ll rarely use just because they’re on sale.
- Avoid purchasing a lot of items that will expire quickly, such as milk.
- Avoid the “buy one, get one” discount offer if the original price is inflated.
4. Prefer Budget-Friendly Meals
If you’re not a very picky eater, this strategy can do wonders for you. People usually do everything right while budget planning meals except for picking the right meals to make. They go for expensive dishes and end up spending a lot of money.
Instead, you should go for budget-friendly meal, for example, as a quick evening snack, you can pick mac & cheese instead of avocado toasts. Apply this strategy to all the meals and you’ll be able to save a lot of money.
Pro Tip
🔷 Pick versatile items such as eggs and bread since they can help make budget-friendly snacks and meals.
🔷 Keep a balance between the meals. In simple words, you can keep on meal expensive meals and the other cheap ones.
🔷 Learn to swap meals better, i.e., coffee with a simple lemon tea.
5. Avoid Adding Special Recipes
Avoiding special recipes is a great family meal planning idea. There are different types of recipes that require special ingredients.
These ingredients will add extra expense in the budget and you’ll end up spending a lot of money. One of the biggest examples of these recipes is homemade sushi since it requires special type of fish and rice.
Examples of Special Recipes To Avoid:
- Homemade sushi
- Sauce-based dishes like Thai Curry
- Gourmet baking, such as French Opera Cake
6. Adjust Leftovers
Many people ignore leftovers and don’t utilize them properly. It’s a very bad habit that cause the waste of both food and money. So, it is important to adjust leftovers in your meal plans to keep things balanced. Leftovers can be utilized in different ways.
For Example
You can use the leftovers of lunch for dinner in case you’re not feeling very hungry at night. Similarly, using dinner leftovers for breakfast will help save food and money as well.
Mistakes To Avoid:
- Make sure to store leftovers properly to stop them from getting spoiled.
- You can entirely modify the leftover by adding different ingredients to have a fun meal.
- Try to balance portions in case there are leftovers of every meal.
7. Start With a Weekly Plan
If you’re just starting meal planning and haven’t tried it before, it’s smart to start with a plan for only one week. Food is something that’s very complicated to handle and plan. If you plan for a few weeks, you may end up adding the wrong stuff and missing the important one.
So, you should begin by creating a meal plan for one week. Consider it a trial period, since it will allow you to assess whether or not you’ve made the plan in a perfect way without spending a lot of money.
Creating a Weekly Plan:
- Set a budget limit for only one week.
- Focus on the current meal schedule and try to replicate it with a few tweaks.
- Avoid adding complex recipes since it’s your first week.
- Keep the plan flexible in order to adjust leftovers.
8. Avoid Processed Food
Any person who wants to have a healthy diet should avoid processed food as much as possible. These foods contain different chemicals that are not very good for long term consumption. Besides that, these foods usually cost more.
It’s always easier to prepare these meals at home. It will not only help save a lot of money, but also keep your diet healthy.
Why This Strategy Works?
- Processed foods contain preservatives that are not good for health.
- Preparing similar meals at home is relatively cheaper.
- It helps you build a habit of mindful eating.
9. Skip Some Meals
If you’re truly dedicated to saving money while meal planning, marking days when you’ll skip some meals would help out. Skipping meals isn’t something unhealthy or a cheap thing to do. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s one of the best meal planning ideas for weight loss. Skipping some meals helps with keeping the gut rested and can improve digestion. Besides that, it’s a great way to control eating temptation intentionally and build discipline for a healthy lifestyle.
Pro Tip
🔷 Pick a day for intermittent fasting.
🔷 Stay well hydrated during the ‘no-meal’ period.
🔷 Only skip meals when your body is ready to stay hungry.
10. Grow Your Own Herbs & Vegetables:
Growing your own herbs and vegetables is a very creative way to contribute to budget meal planning. I understand that it’s not possible for everyone to do. But if you have the right knowledge and space, try out this strategy at all costs.
Not only will it help save money, but you will also have quick access to healthy, homegrown ingredients. Besides that, it’s a very healthy hobby to keep yourself occupied.
Pro Tip
🔷 Start small and grow herbs like mint and cilantro.
🔷 Use pots and hanging baskets if you have limited space.
🔷 Keep on learning how to grow new herbs and vegetables to add to meal plans.
11. Use Base Ingredients Often
Another one of the top strategies for healthy meal planning for one person on a budget is using base ingredients often. There are many base ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes. Some examples include rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.
Create a meal plan that includes recipes made of these ingredients. These recipes will keep the meal menu versatile while saving you a lot of money at the same time.
Important Considerations:
- Don’t include a lot of such recipes since they can make the meal plan boring.
- Be creative and use these ingredients in different ways to keep meals tasty and exciting to eat.
- Keep recipes in proper rotation to keep the diet plan balanced.
12. Review and Adapt
Last but not least, reviewing and adapting your meal plans is important for saving money. In fact, it is one of the most underrated strategies in this regard. Meal planning may not turn out as you want it to. So, it’s important to review it.
Identify items that are still costing a lot of money and cut them from the plans. Also, try to add or remove different recipes to keep the menu exciting. Adapt to your current health and economic state and keep on updating the plan regularly.
Pro Tip
🔷 Keep a track of your weekly grocery spending.
🔷 Try to make the required adjustments in the plan either weekly or monthly.
🔷 Consider the opinions of family members in order to make changes in the plan.
Final Summary
Bringing it all together, creating a meal plan on a budget isn’t an easy task. It requires careful consideration of what you prefer to eat and how much money you can afford for it. However, following the discussed strategies can simplify things.
These strategies are designed to help create a proper meal plan without having to waste food or spend extra money. Keep on following these strategies, and you’ll be able to create a perfect plan for having healthy meals.
Poeple Also Ask
1. How do you prepare healthy meals on a budget?
The best way to do this is by analyzing the ingredients already stored in the pantry. Pick recipes that are simple and do not require expensive ingredients.
2. How to eat healthily on a budget?
It’s important to identify cheap alternatives of food of expensive food to eat healthy on a budget. Buying items in bulk and reusing leftovers can also help with it.
3. How can I create a healthy meal plan?
First, cut off foods that are unhealthy for you. Replace it with healthy recipes and decide on a proper time of eating. First, create a weekly plan and expand it gradually.
4. Is Using a Meal Planning Service Worth It?
Yes, if you can find a service that’s in your budget and offers great meal plans, there’s nothing wrong with trying it out.
