Do you meal plan for your family?

[Sam9kids]

Or do you just buy whatever when you go shopping?

If you do meal plan, do you find it cheaper?

I was talking to my stepdaughter about it and she doesnt and spends a lot on shopping for the 3 of them. I do meal plan

Yesterday i went shopping and the meals are

Yesterday: Kids had chicken salad on fresh bread with bits like cheese, fruit etc. I had beef onion and mushroom on the same bread and oh had homemade beef curry.

Tonight: takeaway night so doesnt count!

Sunday: Sunday dinner followed by manor house cake

Monday: Homemade eef stew with bread and butter

Tuesday: Chicken in spices with mushroom, peppers and onions on fajita wraps with cheese, salsa, sour cream, onion rings and garlic mushrooms

Wednesday: Pork loin steaks with mash, mushrooms, petit pois, sweetcorn, carrots and gravy

Thursday: spaghetti bolognaise

Lunches we have toasties, crumpets, tuna sandwiches, beans on toast, cheese on toast etc

And our shopping including all that food, fruit etc, toiletries, nappies, a few jars for Jenson, a few cans of beer, washing powder etc cost me £110 for 11 people!!

Would def suggest doing it!

ETA:I dont plan usually what we have each night, i just buy enough meals and pick on the day. But this time, the dates on the meats werent that great and 2 of my girls are away with school on mon and tues so ive planned round all that!

 

[RJsMum]

We don't...but we SHOULD. I do think it would save us a lot. Especially since DH tends to do the shopping because he has the car and will stop on his way home from work. But I also find we save more when we do a proper shop together -- mainly because I shoo him out of the sweeties aisle.

 

[twinklestar]

i should do that, we spend around £150 a week for 6 of us x

 

[bump_wanted]

i do not strict like on this day we have that but basically i buy say 7 dinners, fruit, veg, chocolate and crisps lunch stuff like soup bread milk and anything else we need really im usually about £50 (ish) a week including formula wipes and nappys tho i try to buy those in bulk so £50 is an average

i go about with my wee list like an old granny i love it xx

 

[jenny82]

We do - seems a bit cheaper and less wasteful than randomly picking up items. I don't plan exactly what we're having each night but I know what meal options we have. Luckily my LO eats anything so we do enjoy our meals - and the spicier the better

 

[Jolinar]

I've just got back into doing this, I've halved my food bill and I don't throw food away. It's a really great idea and doesn't take long to do

 

[PepsiChic]

I do this, i plan 2 weeks worth of meals for me hubby and roommate number 2. then split the grocery bill 3 ways. its cheaper and makes life so much easier! it works out about $50 each, and that includes cereals for breakfast and lunch things too, plus drinks.

 

[Sarah10]

i really need to start doing this, would probably half our shopping bill lol

 

[Jchihuahua]

I always want to do this but it seems to never end up happening!

 

[Natasha2605]

I started about 3 weeks ago. Up until then I was at least £80 a week in ASDA for 2! of us. Since then I'm usually about 30, inc Summer's milk and nappies. I made things like steak pies, spag bol etc. Always using meat Xx

 

[Seity]

We're not very good at it, but my OH is the cook and shopper. When we do meal plan we save a lot. We have a budget either way and always stock up when things are on sale.

 

[MrsGlitz]

We try to but often forget. With it getting cooler I find it easier now as we make things like stew and tagine in bulk and freeze off portions. DH's hours mean he's not often home until late and I usually can't be bothered to cook for myself.

 

[Sam9kids]

We try to but often forget. With it getting cooler I find it easier now as we make things like stew and tagine in bulk and freeze off portions. DH's hours mean he's not often home until late and I usually can't be bothered to cook for myself.

I love making things in the morning either in my stew pot or my slowcooker and just leaving it!

 

[venusrockstar]

We have always planned our meals ahead of time and go to the store with a list.

 

[redpoppy]

No I'm rubbish and useless in every single way. I can't actually think of anything I'm good at. I'm surprised I'm still alive sometimes. We tried meal planning once Lo was born and it worked really well for a short while but we haven't for a long time now.

 

[Sam9kids]

No I'm rubbish and useless in every single way. I can't actually think of anything I'm good at. I'm surprised I'm still alive sometimes. We tried meal planning once Lo was born and it worked really well for a short while but we haven't for a long time now.

Awww dont be so hard on yourself xx

 

[bump_wanted]

No I'm rubbish and useless in every single way. I can't actually think of anything I'm good at. I'm surprised I'm still alive sometimes. We tried meal planning once Lo was born and it worked really well for a short while but we haven't for a long time now.

awww xx

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

I used to meal plan and it saved me a fortune. Since I stopped I spend at least double Must start again xx

 

[chuck]

We started to when it was just the 2 of us because it dod work out much cheaper, we both walked past a tesco on the way home every day so it was far too easy to pop in and grab something and end up spending loads.


It helps us reduce waste too as we try to use up the fresh bits we have before buying more.

 

[MrsGlitz]

We try to but often forget. With it getting cooler I find it easier now as we make things like stew and tagine in bulk and freeze off portions. DH's hours mean he's not often home until late and I usually can't be bothered to cook for myself.

I love making things in the morning either in my stew pot or my slowcooker and just leaving it!

I NEED a slow cooker. I have a massive stew pot but I can't leave it on the job all day if I need to go out.