Meal planning can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right approach, it becomes a simple habit that saves time, money, and stress. At Berry Street, we’ve put it to the test and found that learning how to meal plan makes grocery shopping easier, reduces food waste, and helps build a routine of balanced, home-cooked meals.
A well-planned menu means fewer last-minute takeout orders and more control over what goes on your plate. From choosing recipes and writing grocery lists to staying consistent and making it work on a budget, this guide covers everything needed to create a meal plan that fits your lifestyle.
With insights from Registered Dietitians and years of experience helping others develop sustainable food habits, we’re here to break it all down step by step.
What Is A Meal Plan?
A meal plan is a structured plan for what you’ll eat over a certain period—usually a week. It includes choosing recipes, writing a grocery list, and sometimes prepping ingredients in advance.
According to our research, meal planning helps reduce food waste, saves money, and makes healthy eating more accessible. Plus, when meals are already decided, you spend less time wondering what to cook and more time enjoying your food.
Why Should You Make A Meal Plan?
Meal planning has a ton of benefits, and we’ve tested them firsthand. Here’s why you should give it a try:
Saves Time: Less cooking throughout the week
Reduces Food Waste: You buy only what you need
Saves Money: Fewer impulse grocery runs and takeout orders
Encourages Healthier Eating: You can balance your meals in advance
Less Stress: No more "What’s for dinner?" panic at 6 p.m
How To Make A Meal Plan
Check Your Schedule
Before deciding what to cook, take a few minutes to review your week. Are there nights when you’ll be home late? Do you have social plans that will keep you from cooking?
Identifying your busier days allows you to plan for quick, easy meals or leftovers, while less hectic days can be reserved for cooking more elaborate dishes. A realistic meal plan should work with your schedule, not against it.
Take Inventory
Before adding anything to your grocery list, check what you already have. Look through your fridge, pantry, and freezer to see which ingredients need to be used up. This not only helps reduce food waste but also saves money by incorporating what’s on hand into your meal plan.
If you have a surplus of a certain ingredient—like canned beans, frozen chicken, or rice—search for recipes that feature them. Planning meals around what’s available ensures that nothing goes to waste.
Choose Your Recipes
Now comes the fun part—choosing meals for the week. Pick recipes based on ingredients you already own, what’s on sale, and what your household enjoys eating. A mix of quick meals, batch-cooked dishes, and family favorites makes the plan practical and flexible.
If meal planning feels overwhelming, keep it simple with a set rotation of meals or theme nights like pasta Mondays or stir-fry Fridays.
Need help creating a personalized 7-day meal plan? Connect with a Registered Health Dietitian or Gut Health Dietitian through Berry Street for expert guidance tailored to your preferences and lifestyle.
Write A Grocery List
Once your meals are planned, it’s time to write a grocery list. Organizing it by store section—like produce, dairy, proteins, and pantry staples—makes shopping quicker and more efficient.
Double-check your list against what’s already in your kitchen to avoid unnecessary purchases. Sticking to a list also helps prevent impulse buys, keeping both your budget and your meal plan on track.
Prep What You Can
A little meal prep at home can make a big difference during the week. Wash and chop vegetables in advance, marinate proteins for added flavor, or cook a batch of grains to use in multiple meals.
Even small tasks—like pre-portioning snacks or making a simple sauce ahead of time—can help streamline mealtime. Weekly meal prep doesn’t have to mean cooking everything in advance; it’s about reducing the steps needed when it’s time to cook.
Tips For Being Consistent With Meal Planning
Keep It Realistic
From our experience, the biggest mistake people make with meal planning is overcommitting. A packed schedule combined with a rigid plan can quickly lead to burnout. If you know you’ll eat out once a week or rely on a frozen meal now and then, build that into your plan.
The goal is to create a system that works for your lifestyle, not one that makes you feel guilty for adjusting it. A realistic plan is one you can stick to long-term.
Use Theme Nights
Having a few themed meal nights each week makes planning easier and more predictable. "Meatless Monday," "Taco Tuesday," or "Soup Sunday" add variety while cutting down on decision fatigue.
Theme nights also make grocery shopping simpler since you’ll buy similar ingredients each week. You don’t have to commit to the same meals forever—switch up the recipes within each theme to keep things interesting.
Make A Master List Of Recipes
Starting from scratch every week can be overwhelming. Keeping a list of go-to meals simplifies the process and saves time. Include meals you love, recipes that are quick to make, and dishes that use staple ingredients.
Organizing your list by meal type—such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner—makes it even easier to mix and match. If you’re struggling with variety, revisit your list every few months and add new ideas.
Give Yourself Some Flexibility
Meal plans should guide your week, not control it. Some nights, you might not feel like eating what’s on the menu, and that’s okay. Leave room for adjustments by including one or two “flex meals” that can be swapped around.
Keeping a few easy backup options—like frozen meals or pantry-friendly dinners—can help if your plans change at the last minute.
Batch Cook When Possible
Cooking in bulk can save time and make sticking to a meal plan much easier. Preparing extra servings of soups, stews, grains, or proteins means you’ll always have something ready to go.
Leftovers can be used for lunches, repurposed into new meals, or frozen for another week. Even small-scale batch cooking—like roasting extra vegetables or making a double batch of rice for meal prep—can help cut down on prep time.
Keep Ingredients Versatile
Instead of planning meals that require completely different ingredients, focus on ones that share common staples. For example, if you buy a large pack of spinach, use it for salads, smoothies, and pasta dishes throughout the week.
Choosing ingredients that can be used in multiple meals helps prevent food waste and makes last-minute adjustments easier. Plus, it keeps your grocery list shorter.
Budget Meal Planning Tips
Buy In Bulk
Purchasing staple ingredients in bulk can significantly cut costs over time. Foods like rice, beans, lentils, pasta, oats, and frozen vegetables often have a lower price per unit when bought in larger quantities. Bulk shopping works best for non-perishables or items you can store in the freezer.
If you don’t need a huge supply, consider splitting bulk purchases with family or friends. Stocking up on essentials also reduces the number of grocery trips, saving both time and money.
Plan Around Sales
A little planning before heading to the grocery store can lead to big savings. Check weekly store ads and see which proteins, produce, and pantry staples are on sale. Base your meals around these discounted items rather than sticking to a rigid recipe list.
If chicken is on sale instead of beef, swap your planned stir-fry or tacos to make the most of your budget. Shopping with a flexible mindset helps you get the best deals while still keeping variety in your meals.
Cook Once, Eat Twice
Cooking meals that provide leftovers is one of the easiest ways to save money and time. When making dinner, double the recipe and store extra portions for lunch the next day or freeze them for later.
Soups, stews, casseroles, and roasted meats are great options that reheat well. By planning for leftovers, you cut down on food waste and avoid the temptation of grabbing expensive takeout when you’re too busy to cook.
Use Seasonal Produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables can get pricey, but choosing seasonal options helps keep costs down. In-season produce is often more affordable, fresher, and tastier than out-of-season items shipped from far away.
Plus, knowing how to meal prep salads and keep them fresh can help them last longer and save even more money in the long run.
If you’re unsure what’s in season, check your local farmers’ market or grocery store flyers. Another budget-friendly option is frozen produce, which is picked at peak ripeness and lasts longer without waste.
Limit Pre-Packaged And Processed Foods
Pre-cut fruits, individually wrapped snacks, and microwave-ready meals may be convenient, but they often come with a higher price tag. From our experience, opting for whole ingredients and preparing meals from scratch is a smarter way to stretch your budget.
Instead of buying pre-chopped veggies, grab whole versions and prep them yourself. Instead of snack packs, portion out servings from a larger container. Small swaps like these can add up to significant savings.
Make Meat a Side, Not The Main Dish
Meat is one of the most expensive items on a grocery bill, but you don’t need to cut it out completely to save money. Instead, use it as an ingredient rather than the focus of your meal.
Dishes like stir-fries, pasta, soups, and grain bowls can be just as filling with smaller amounts of meat. Incorporating plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, and eggs a few times a week can stretch your budget without sacrificing nutrition.
Reduce Food Waste
Wasted food is wasted money. Planning meals around ingredients you already have prevents unnecessary purchases. If you notice food nearing its expiration, get creative—overripe bananas become smoothies, extra veggies go into stir-fries or soups, and leftover rice turns into fried rice.
Freezing leftovers, herbs, or even milk before they spoil is another great way to extend their shelf life. The less food that ends up in the trash, the more money stays in your pocket.
Stick To A Grocery List
Impulse purchases can add up quickly, so shopping with a list helps keep spending under control. Before heading to the store, plan your meals and write down only what you need.
Organizing your list by store section prevents unnecessary browsing, making grocery trips faster and more budget-friendly. If you tend to stray from your list, try grocery pickup or delivery services—they eliminate impulse buys and help you track your total before checkout.
Family Meal Planning Tips
Get The Whole Family Involved
Meal planning works best when everyone has a say. Let each family member pick a meal for the week, whether it’s a favorite dish or something new to try. This makes mealtime more exciting and ensures that everyone has at least one meal they’re looking forward to.
For younger kids, giving them a choice between two meal options can make them feel included without overwhelming them. Getting the family involved also helps teach kids valuable cooking and decision-making skills.
Keep It Simple
Complicated recipes may look great on social media, but they don’t always work for a busy family. Stick to meals that are quick, nutritious, and easy to prepare. Tried-and-true favorites, one-pan dinners, and slow cooker meals are lifesavers when time is short.
Meals with minimal ingredients and simple steps make it easier for the whole family to pitch in. From our experience, keeping meal prep manageable increases the likelihood of sticking to the plan.
Batch Cook Kid-Friendly Options
Having a stash of ready-to-go meals makes weeknights smoother. Cook extra portions of family favorites like pasta, chili, or soup and freeze them for later. On hectic days, you can reheat a home-cooked meal instead of resorting to takeout.
If your kids have specific go-to meals, consider prepping individual servings for quick lunches or after-school snacks. Keeping freezer-friendly options on hand reduces stress and ensures everyone has something they enjoy.
Make Meals Customizable
Kids (and even adults) can be picky, so offering meals with customizable options makes dinner time easier. Build-your-own taco nights, pasta bars, or grain bowls let everyone choose their favorite toppings.
This way, each person can create a meal they enjoy without requiring extra cooking. Keeping base ingredients simple while offering a variety of toppings or mix-ins makes meal planning more flexible and enjoyable.
Conclusion
Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. By checking your schedule, using what you already have, choosing simple recipes, and prepping in advance, you can save time, money, and stress while enjoying more home-cooked meals.
Staying consistent is easier when you keep things realistic, flexible, and fun for the whole family. The key is to create a system that works for your lifestyle and makes mealtime easier, not harder. If you need help designing a meal plan tailored to your needs, connect with a Registered Dietitian through Berry Street for expert support.
