by Tiffany Ricci 

The temps might not scream fall just yet, but for many families - the calendar certainly does! Kids are transitioning back to school, work’s pace is picking up, and weeknights are just a little busier after Labor Day. With this new schedule, it can be challenging to figure out dinner meals again. 

This is where meal planning is worth money in the bank (literally). Meal planning can help make your desire for healthy and delicious recipes a reality. Fall is the perfect season to resurrect your meal planning practice (or get started if you don’t have one) because cooler temps entice us back into the kitchen, where we’re ready to turn on the oven again. And this opens the door to so many autumn-kissed recipes. We can look forward to roasted acorn squash, baked frittatas filled with garden-fresh onions and spinach, and warm apple crisp served with vanilla ice cream.

If you’re not in the groove of planning your meals and shopping on a schedule, meal planning seems more like a headache than a blessing. But you might change your mind after reading some of the benefits of meal planning:

Improve your health with home-cooked meals. You’re more likely to eat more vegetables and fiber at home and less sodium, sugar, and saturated fat. You’ll also meet more nutrient goals because your overall diet quality improves.

Save time, money, and stress. 

Time: When planning your meals and creating a weekly grocery list, you decrease trips to the store. 

Money: Home-cooked meals are cheaper than restaurant meals (especially because of their increased nutrient density). You’ll actually use what’s in your fridge rather than tossing it (there is not much more expensive and wasteful than a garbage full of unused produce).

Stress: Two words, Decision Fatigue. When you spend a little time planning your meals, you decrease the decisions you must make during the week by following your plan. And you’ll always have the answer to that oft-asked question, “What’s for dinner?”

Enjoy a wider variety of foods. 

By incorporating seasonal produce, your meals will have a new vibe with the changing of the leaves. Fall is the season to stock up on local produce at the farmer’s market and connect with local meat producers and food artisans. This will undoubtedly increase your food choices when planning your meals.

Let’s look at the basic framework to help you put that magic into your weekly routine:

SCHEDULE. 

To plan your meals, you have to know what is going on in the evenings and how much time you have to prepare the meal. Some seasons require late nights at work or are time-crunched with youth activities. When you know your schedule, you can plan meals that will fit into the time available. 

PLUG IN MEALS. 

This is where the fun starts! Now that you know your schedule, you can fill in your menu with tried-and-true favorites or new recipes to try. Don’t forget to add breakfast, lunch, and snacks to your meal plan. 

CREATE A GROCERY LIST. 

With your meal plan sketched out for the upcoming week, it’s time to make a grocery list. Make your list while you are creating your meal plan. This way, you don’t forget very important ingredients to make the meals you’ve planned. You might already have an ongoing grocery list for when you run out of items and need to restock. Consolidate this list with your meal-planning grocery list. Pro-Tip: Take your meal plan with you to the grocery store. You’ll know what ingredients will be used for in case the store is out of them.

PREP.  

Save time by meal prepping - chopping veggies, creating spice kits, and portioning meat - to ease the time commitment later in the week. You can also prepare your breakfast, lunch, and snacks all at once so that they’re ready to go when you are. This is not an essential step to meal planning, but one that can help once you get into the rhythm of planning your meals.

Meal planning can be a lifesaver as we transition from carefree summer days to the scheduled tempo of fall. Posting a meal schedule can bring a sense of peace. You are free of the late afternoon “what’s for dinner” panic and a last-minute trip to the grocery store. 

Meal planning is a skill we can practice to become proficient at. Give yourself grace and remove the expectation that your meals need to be elaborate and time-consuming. Meal planning is naming the meals you will have for the week. It might be boxed mac-n-cheese or pork tenderloin with honey garlic glaze. The sophistication of the meal is not the point. It’s knowing what you’re having when, and that’s the magic. SLM

Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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