Planning family meals on budget when your a busy mom can feel like a really daunting task. I remember how hard it was to organize, plan, and budget after having my second child. We went from a family of 3 to a family of 4, and now a family of 5. I would randomly make my grocery list of all the necessities but it was never organized and I would end up having to run back to the store mid-week because I wanted to make something that evening and didn’t have all the things I needed. Doing this made me end up going over budget on what I had budgeted on our groceries every week.
What is Family Meals on a Budget
Figuring out your grocery budget for the week or month (however you plan your budget) and then planning your family meals for the week based on your menu and other necessities (toiletries, cleaning, diapers, pet food or litter, etc.). Being familiar with prices at different stores, and sales, or deals going on; like Fantastic Friday at my local grocery store sometimes has really great deals on certain meats.
You might be thinking, “I don’t have time for meal planning. I have so much on my plate with kids, house, or job. I don’t even know where to begin.” Planning meals on a budget is not “Meal Prepping”, it is not as involved. Trust me, you do have time because it really doesn’t take very long, and I can show you how to get started to make it easier. As you do it each week, it will get even easier.
How to Get Started
- The first step is setting up a budget. I went through a program at our local church and it was super beneficial in helping me understand how to budget and remove a lot of stress from my life. The first thing I do is list all of our debts and bills for the month. I then look at our monthly income and subtract all of our necessary bills (example: rent/mortgage, electric, water, phone, car payment), then I figure how much I need a week for my grocery visit. I worry only about the bills we need to survive, then I allocate the rest to debts, misc, and savings.
- After you have your budget in place, its easy-peasy planning family meals. Take 15-30 minutes out of one day and plan a dinner menu out for each day from the day after you go shopping to when you will go again. Then, make your shopping list based on that menu. For me, its Friday-Thurs, and one of those days is a leftover day where I make or re-do a meal with our leftovers. Another example is a pizza day where I either make fresh pizza or I use Tortillas to make pizza once a week. I found its actually cheaper to make my own than to buy it pre-made. We either do Taco Tuesday, Breakfast for Dinner, or Pizza Tuesday! That’s 2 days taken care of and leaves five meals to plan. I normally go to Pinterest to help get ideas and then I look at how I can make them without breaking the bank. In doing this I can feed a family of 5 for less than $200/week!
Tips for Success
- Look at what you and your kids eat on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch and snacks. For example, I always buy bread, sandwich meat, cheese, fruit, cereal, milk, and eggs every week. Those are the things I know that the kids and hubs will use for those meals before dinner. I call them my “weekly groceries”
- Buy chicken or other meats on sale and stock in up in your freezer. For $20 I’m able to buy 2-5lb. family packs of chicken. Always pay attention to your local weekly grocery store deals. Also, chicken goes on sale in cycles of about every 6 weeks.
- If you have pets, I shop for dog and cat products on alternating weeks. That way, I’m not having to spend $40 a week on my pet food and litter and take $20 from feeding my family that week. So dogs one week, and cats the next week.
- Have little ones still in diapers or on formula? Plan for those either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. You can even try buying in bulk once a month at a Costco or a Sams Club. My youngest is still using pull-ups at night time, so I put that on my list for every 2 weeks.
- Don’t be afraid to buy off brand items. They are very reasonably priced and do not taste any different than the name brand items. Choose one brand name item that you cannot live without if it helps. I don’t skimp on my mayo, so my one item is my favorite brand of mayo.
Common Questions/FAQ
- Does planning family meals on a budget mean I can never give my family fresh produce because boxed and processed items are cheaper?
- The answer is Yes, you can! Buying seasonal produce is cheaper than buying it out of season. Get familiar with what produce is in season, and also keep a look out for your local grocery store deals. Find a local farmer’s market in the spring, summer, and fall and you can get some really good quality produce at good prices. If a meal on your menu calls for a particular fresh vegatable or fruit, the item/items price is just not in your budget, look for another item that you can substitute.
- Is coupon cutting beneficial?
- Yes, couponing can be beneficial. Some people can really get some good stuff from couponing. If you have the time and dedication it takes to do extreme couponing, more power to you! If you are wanting to create a very well stocked pantry, yes.
- Will this work if I/family member has a special diet due to allergies?
- Yes, this can work. If you or someone in your family has an allergy, then building a plan and menu will need more research and comparison of prices. Once you learn which stores and brands have affordable substitute items, you can make it work. It is just going to maybe take a little longer to get used to, because you are going to have to do a lot of research and comparison. (example: lactose intolerance- I can buy the store brand lactose free milk.)
The Last Thing You Need to Know about Planning Meals on Budget
- Creating your weekly menu on a budget really is super simple, and so beneficial in helping a mommy to keep her sanity. Even if you get discouraged and it feels harder to do, just remember, practice makes perfect, and it will save you so much time and energy in the end.
- If you found this article to be beneficial in helping you create a meal plan on a budget, and if you have questions please subscribe, share, or comment on this post. I love hearing new pointers or ideas you may have, and I can update on the new things I may learn!
