Free Printable :: Meal Plan Template

Last week I decided it was time to actually create a meal plan template for me to use when I go to the store.  After searching and pinning lots of different templates I decided create one of my own based off this one I found online.  The one I found online was great, but it only allowed for planning 4 days worth of meals.   I wanted the ability to plan out at least 2 weeks.  There are times where I am so busy, I find it hard to sit down and plan out the following weeks meals. 

This meal plan template is for 2 weeks instead of 1, like I've seen everywhere.  It includes space for you to jot down any items you will need to pick up for that meal and there's also another space for other items that may be needed from the store. 

Feel free to download a copy of this template here and let me know what you think!

Meal Planning 1/13/14 - 1/18/14

Sorry this post is late.  I will try to schedule my posts to go out on Friday or Saturday, so that you can have some time to shop.

Last week, you may have noticed that I did not have a menu set up for Sunday. I love to eat out, but would love it much more if we actually ate out on a day that we could choose a half decent restaurant and sit down and enjoy the few hours that were left in the weekend.  

Last week was my first week at meal planning and I was sort of successful!  I did however deviate from the plan a little.  On Friday, we had Chinese take out.  I totally forgot that we had a commitment to serve dinner at a local women's shelter.  After running home after work to make another tray of brownies before going, I didn't have much time to prepare our own dinner.

This week I kept the menu simple.  Most of the meals can be prepared in 30 minutes.   

Menu for January 13 to January 18.

Mon - Fajita-Style Quesadillas
Tue - Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 
Wed - Homemade Pizza, side salad
Thu - Stuffed Pepper Soup
Fri - Linguini with Tomatoes & Shrimp
Sat - Grilled Ham & Cheese on Ciabatta, Chips, Fruit Salad

Meal Planning 1/6/14 - 1/11/14

Last year I was slack on planning my meals and my grocery bill (and health) suffered.   Not having a meal plan for me means that I cook whatever is quick or worse, I pick up fast food.  I try to be good but you cannot eat healthy if all you have is meat and carbs in your kitchen.  

Not having a meal plan also means wasted food.  Even though I did not have a plan, I would still shop.  I would buy whatever I thought I would cook that week.  Most times, I would go home only to find that I did not have everything I needed to prepare that meal.  Sometimes the food was something that could go in the pantry and wait until the following week.  Most times, fresh veggies and herbs would go in the crisper, but not come out until they were ready to throw away.  “Remember the starving kids in Africa!” Did you parents use that line on you as a child?  Mines did!  I would remember sitting at the dinner table forcing myself to eat the liver and onions because my mother did not waste anything.

This year I am going to make a plan to create my meal plans out at least 2 weeks in advance.  I have already started planning my meals for this month and have come up with a plan for the next two weeks.  I want to start saving money so I am using what I currently have in the pantry for the next couple of weeks.  I will only purchased fresh veggies and small items needed to make my recipes, but most items will come from my pantry.   In an attempt to clean up my eating habits, will also start buying non-processed items and stock my pantry full of whole grains and beans.

Meal Plan ::  January 6 – January 11

Lunch:

Tuna wraps, yogurt, carrots

Leftover sweet potato soup

Dinner:

M - African Sweet Potato Soup with Peanut Butter, Black-Eyed Peas & Beans + corn bread
T - Crispy BBQ Chicken, string beans, buttered noodles
W - Homemade Pizza w/ side salad
Th - Pork Fried Rice, Vietnamese spring rolls
F - Baked Tilapia, broccoli, roasted red potatoes
S - Leftovers