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We’ve entered a new year, and yet nothing has really changed. Figuring out what to eat for dinner after work is still a struggle, the cost of groceries still feels too high, and life refuses to slow down. But nothing changes if nothing changes, and there’s one habit you can start implementing that will make waves of change in your life.
One thing we frequently discuss on the Plan to Eat Podcast is how meal planning is the best New Year’s resolution or new habit to start because it’s an umbrella habit. An umbrella habit is a single habit that positively impacts multiple areas of our lives. These are things like money savings, time savings, less food waste, reduced stress, less decision fatigue, and more family meals together. Think of all those benefits being held underneath the umbrella of meal planning.
One habit, many outcomes.
The magic of meal planning is that by doing just one task, you get myriad benefits. You only need to put your effort into meal planning, but the result gives us so much more than just a meal plan. It’s a task that not only makes your meals more efficient, but also makes your life more efficient!
What makes meal planning special?
Does the thought of meal planning make you groan because it seems like work? Getting started with any new habit is a struggle. We feel resistance, make excuses, and trick ourselves into believing it’s easier not to make a change. But meal planning is special because once you get started, you’ll notice the positive effects in so many other parts of your life. It’s the only habit I can think of that will help you make progress toward other goals you might have.
For example, you start going to the gym, which could result in a positive impact on how you eat and how much daily movement you get. But working out may also cause you to spend more money because you want new shoes or trendy workout clothes, or someone at the gym convinces you to start taking half a dozen supplements.
By contrast, 30 minutes of meal planning at the beginning of your week saves you time because you’re not scrambling to figure out dinner every night at 5 pm. It saves you money because you go to the grocery store with a purposeful list of ingredients for your recipes. You feel less stressed because you know you have food and a plan for how to feed your family. And you waste less food because what you buy at the grocery store isn’t random. There are tangible benefits you will see in your daily and weekly life, simply as a result of creating a meal plan.
How to get started?
To start feeling the benefits of meal planning, all you need to do is plan out a few dinner recipes for the week ahead. It doesn’t need to be meticulous or bloated with recipes – start with 4 dinners and see how the week pans out.
This works best when you have a bank of recipes to choose from that you know how to cook and enjoy. Your planning will feel most effective when you first look at your schedule and choose recipes based on what’s going on in your life. And the final piece that takes meal planning to a new level is having an organized grocery list to help you buy what you need.
Having tools to keep everything organized is key to executing your plan once it’s made. You don’t want to just keep a running list of recipes and ingredients in your head; that will increase your stress, not decrease it!
You can meal plan with pen and paper, a whiteboard, or notes on your phone, but the most efficient way is to use an app like Plan to Eat. Plan to Eat includes a recipe book to keep all your recipes in one place, a planning calendar to schedule meals, and an organized shopping list created for you. And it all lives on your phone, so you can quickly reference your meal plan, and you’ll never forget your shopping list at home again!
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a habit to start in the new year (or any time of year), meal planning is the clear choice. It will help you free up valuable time and brain space, save money on groceries, and help you waste less food. You might also notice your family gathers around the table for meals more often, too. And if you want to try the best meal planning app available, start a free trial of Plan to Eat today!
