We all know how difficult it is to fight the urge and temptation of buying those last minute items that are not on our shopping list and should not be in the shopping cart! One of the best ways to buy only the things that you need for your home is by having a game plan ahead of time. Purchasing only the things on your shopping list will help you financially as you’ll be buying the items in bulk which will likely have an impact of a reduction in your weekly shopping bills.

Plan your meals ahead of time to give yourself an immense amount of extra free time while also creating an easier path towards achieving your healthy eating and dietary goals by cutting unhealthy food out of your diet. You can now put your feet up at the end of the day, catch up with your friends or spend your evening time doing the things you like to do to unwind because of all the time you now have.

1. Save time

Do you know what you will be cooking for dinner tonight or will you only figure that out when you make your way home from work? The truth is, we spend a lot of time deciding what to eat on a daily basis, grocery shopping, cooking and then cleaning up after dinner. This is when planning your meals for the week can be of great benefit for you to manage your time better. By planning ahead and organizing your meals, it means there’s no more unexpected trips to the shops and this eliminates the aimless wandering and overspending when you’re there.

2. Portion control

If your goal is to lose weight or gain some kilos, getting your meals prepared in advance can help you manage your portion sizes which will help you in achieving your goal.

3. Avoid unhealthy meals

Knowing you have a meal ready for you at home can eliminate the temptation of unhealthy last minute options! Meal planning will help you to stay in line with healthy options instead of pulling out anything from the fridge for the sake of eating or heading to the drive-through to pick up an unhealthy takeaway on the way home. The combination of being too tired and hungry can lead to poor food choices, so it’s handy to have meals ready to go when you are.  

4. Enjoy more variety

Following a healthy meal plan is one way to ensure you’re eating the right foods in the right portions. It’s easy to cook the same thing over and over again simply because you’ve mastered that specific meal or you’re just too tired to try something different. Meal planning helps to ensure you’re eating a variety of different foods, and it can also help you eat from all the different food groups or simply add more fruit and vegetables to your meals than you did before. Keep your fruits and vegges neatly packed away in a Sistema 6PC Food Saver, 3PC Addis Rectangular Food Saver Set or use Square Containers from Crazy Plastics to keep your food fresh for a long time.

5. Reduces the amount of food waste 

When you only buy what you need and use the right ingredients when you cook or prepare your meals, it can reduce what ends up in the bin at the end of the week. 

6. Save money

Simply put, meal planning reduces impulse buying of unnecessary groceries at the shops! When you don’t know what you will be making for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s very easy to overbuy ingredients or completely get the wrong ingredients in your shopping basket, which will eventually be thrown away. It also means you can cut down your spending on takeaways and eating out. Meal planning can help you become more aware of how much money you’re spending on food.