30 Meal Planning Tips for Busy Families

Maybe you’re that magical mom or dad who can walk into the kitchen at 5:30 PM and create something marvelous from nothing without a plan and without stress every night. Or maybe you’re that other magical mom or dad who naturally plans every meal a month ahead. But the likelihood is you’re more like me: a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants cook who whips up something last minute every night, but gets a bit stressed out by the chaos. Maybe you’re finding unused vegetables rotting in the fridge, or maybe you’re running to the grocery store every other day!

There’s no doubt that without a meal planning strategy, preparing and consuming a nourishing and delicious diet can be a challenge. In my recent survey of the Liz’s Healthy Table community, I heard from quite a few of you with questions and comments like, “what are your best meal planning strategies?” and “what are your suggestions for pre-prepping produce for cooking nourishing recipes?” In this post for 30 Meal Planning Tips for Busy Families, it’s my goal to solve your mealtime dilemma, and I did it with the help of fellow dietitian bloggers.

It’s National Nutrition Month, so let’s celebrate with some new strategies for making your life easier when it comes to feeding your family healthy meals. As you scroll through this meal planning blog post, you’ll find links to my FREE Supermarket Shopping List and 7-Day Meal Planner, and I’ll tell you about a few of my favorite family cookbook resources. To sweeten the post, I also gathered dozens of tips from fellow dietitian bloggers to make your meal planning and meal prep journey even easier. Get ready for a whole new way of cooking.

(1) Use a Supermarket Shopping List: Planning healthy meals starts with a healthy shopping list, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with this two-page FREE download. From fresh produce and dairy to canned foods and the frozen food aisle, this thorough list will keep your weekly shopping trips organized, efficient, and hassle free. To make it in and out of the supermarket quickly, shop during off hours when the store isn’t too crowded. For me personally, I prefer early Sunday mornings. {Liz Weiss, MS, RDN, Liz’s Healthy Table}

Watch this video for my top 3 meal planning tips.

(2) Use my 7-Day Meal Planner tool: Plot out your family’s meals—including those pesky packed school lunches—a week ahead and never feel that flustered, hangry kitchen chaos again. It’s easy to print out and bring to the grocery store (along with my Supermarket Shopping List). I promise—a bit of planning solves a lot of problems. {Liz Weiss, MS, RDN, Liz’s Healthy Table}

(3) Keep your favorites on rotation: I recommend that people start their meal planning with making a list of “go to meals,” that they typically have the ingredients for and can be made quickly without planning. These may be breakfast for dinner or cheese toast and/or soup. Then, if life throws you a curve ball, and we know it will, you can turn to a “go to” meal rather than a planned meal. It’s helpful to have a “plan B” to be successful. {Anna Lutz, MPH, RD, from Sunny Side Up Nutrition}

(4) Make your breakfast ahead of time: The number-one reason people skip breakfast is lack of time. My cookbook, The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club will help you meal prep a protein and fiber filled breakfast to start your day off right. {Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN from Nutrition Starring You}

(5) Have a weekly game plan: First, create your meal plan for the week ahead. I use That Clean Life to help my clients make a plan that works for their tastes and lifestyle. Then choose one day a week that you can dedicate several hours to grocery shopping and prepping food. Before you put away the groceries, prep your food for the week by washing and cutting up fresh veggies, portioning out your meat, and preparing your grains. {Kylee Pedrosa, MS, RDN, LDN}

(6) Keep a well stocked pantry: Have a list for a few easy 30-minute recipes that you can make with common ingredients that you keep when you don’t plan ahead. 30-Minute Meals with No Plan or Recipe. {Sylvia Thomas White, RD, CDE, from Quick Healthy Cook}

(7) Incorporate theme days to help streamline planning: Once you designate Tuesday to be taco night, when you sit down to meal plan all you have to decide is what type of taco instead of deciding whether it will be tacos or Italian or soup night. My kids also love knowing what night it is–whether it’s Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, or Pasta Thursday. {Maria Westberg Adams, RDN from Halsa Nutrition}

(8) Cook (and plan) ahead: Roast two giant sheet pans of veggies in the beginning of the week to have veggies ready to add with some protein for easy lunches. Use a meal planning template consistently, and it’ll get easier! You can check out my free meal planning template available on my website. {Ashley Sweeney, RDN}

(9) Start small: You don’t need to plan every meal for every day of the week. Start with planning one day a week or just dinner for a couple of nights until you get in the swing of things. Write it down; don’t rely on remembering what’s on your plan. Putting it in writing increases the likelihood of following it, and it’s also helpful for the rest of the family to know what’s coming up for the week. And plan theme nights. For example, Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Leftovers Thursday, Fish Friday. Having a theme reduces the amount of time spent planning and keeps mealtime fun!
{Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, New York-based culinary nutrition expert and author of “52-Week Meal Planner”}

Listen to my podcast with Jessica on Dinner Dilemma Solved! Just click the PLAY button below:

(10) Look at meal planning as a form of self-care: We don’t have to do it “perfectly” to reap the benefits. Taking some time to shop your pantry, plan a few recipes, and take your schedule and energy into account can go a long way towards minimizing stress or chaos in the kitchen. Meal planning can be a form of flexible structure that supports your health without resorting to a restrictive mentality. It aligns well with intuitive eating when viewed in this way.  {Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD from Street Smart Nutrition}

(11) Scan, plan, cook: Step one is to scan your fridge, cupboards, freezer to see what you have. Is there a food that could jump start a meal? For example, broccoli in the fridge could be broccoli soup, which also helps reduce food waste. Step two is to plan three dinners and write them down. This keeps everyone focused, helps them know the plan, and also helps with shopping. Lastly, when it comes to cooking, I usually spend an hour or less on Sunday when I bake oatmeal, toast nuts, chop vegetables (and roast some of them), make a soup or chili, maybe make a bean dip or hummus, boil some eggs and then use that same pot to cook some grains. One of my go-to meals is Instant Pot Chicken Jambalaya which is easy to make and family-friendly. {Judy Barbe, RDN from Live Best}

(12) Find what structure works for you: I always work with clients to help them determine what sort of loose, flexible structure will be most helpful for them and their families. We talk about nourishment as a form of self care. We review what balanced meals look like, and then brainstorm a few different types of food for each category and how they might come together in a meal. I wouldn’t encourage aiming for every day of the week, but rather having some flexible structure so there’s food that’s easily available on hand. We talk about emphasizing satisfaction as well, while also acknowledging every meal isn’t going to be “the best meal ever.” Both chaotic eating and rigid eating feel uncomfortable, so we have to find a balance with meal planning. {Kathleen Meehan, MS, RDN}

(13) Utilize the sale items: I plan meals around the lean meats, fresh produce, and packaged items that are on sale, which helps save money while building in variety and seasonal eating. I stock up on shelf-stable staples, like olive oil, oats, broth, canned beans, brown rice, and whole-grain pasta, as well as frozen items, like frozen shrimp and fish, frozen steamable vegetables, and frozen fruit, when they’re on sale to save even more money. {Jessica Ivey, RDN, LDN}

(14) Start at home: I tell families that the first step to eating meals at home is planning. If that means it is a frozen pizza and a salad or a box of mac and cheese paired with steamed veggies and fruit that is a great start. I also recommend cutting and washing the fresh produce ahead of time to help decrease that step later in the week. As they get more comfortable, their meals will evolve into more. But start simple. {Amy Reed, RDN}

(15) Keep the essentials on-hand: Stock your kitchen with shelf stable and frozen foods that you can throw together into a quick and delicious dinner on those days you haven’t planned. I have a pantry essentials checklist that you can check out here. Another tip is to plan your meals/prep around your schedule (ie: if you have a late day at work or events right around dinnertime, do a crockpot meal or plan on leftovers so you don’t have to spend time when you don’t have it.) {Rebecca Clyde, RDN from Nourish Nutrition}

(16) Get the meal prep process started: It’s Wednesday night and what is going to be more approachable? The full head of broccoli, unwashed or the already washed and trimmed florets ready to be used? I think we all know the answer. Now, that semi-prepped broccoli can be easily steamed, roasted, sauteed, etc. depending on what I am in the mood for. {Julie Harrington, RDN}

(17) Get organized: Lose the “what’s for dinner” stress and grab a free meal planning worksheet that puts your grocery list and menu planning all in one place. {Sally Kuzemchak, RDN from Real Mom Nutrition}

(18) Prep ahead for lunch: I know it can be overwhelming (especially last minute or on rushed mornings) so having a plan in advance helps. I encourage families to get the kids involved and try and pack the night before when doing dinner clean up to get it all done in one swoop! I have a free lunch packing guide that includes tips on packing a balanced lunch, 30 days of lunch ideas (in a grid planner) plus a blank grid so they can write their own options/lunches. {Jessica Gust, RDN from Element Nutrition}

(19) Keep it easy throughout the week: I keep simple foods on hand: eggs, canned beans, tuna and frozen veggies for when time is tight. The “heavy lifting cooking” is left for weekends. {Lisa Andrews, RDN from Sound Bites Nutrition}

(20) Get everyone involved: I think meal planning is a family activity! I like to survey everyone in the family, even kids, and ask “what’s something that you’re really craving and want to eat this week?” or “what are you sick of and want to skip this week?” Involving the whole family in meal planning helps you stay excited about (and stick to) your plan, and may even get the kids involved with helping to cook! {Stephanie Van’t Zelfden, RDN from Nutrition Hungry}

(21) Try a 24-hour meal plan: Families can get too overwhelmed with the idea of a full week and sitting down for an hour to plan and then go shopping. I have found this advice is aligned with the modern, busy family and parents have been receptive — almost relieved! — to do it this way. For those families who want to do a week at a time, we do that, but having the freedom to just plan the next day has been welcome by my clients. {Jill Castle, RDN, author of Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School}

(22) Don’t overthink meal planning: I think some of us have this idea that meal planning involves sitting down with cookbooks and new recipes we’ve clipped from blogs and magazines. In reality, meal planning is much easier to do when we cycle through a handful of family favorites, maybe 15 or so go-to meals. This keeps things simple because you learn exactly what you need to shop for and keep on hand, how long each meal will take to make, and you can bulk prep things you know you’ll need again and again. I also find it’s a great strategy for families with young kids who may be fearful of new meals. You can always switch things up as you go along…like with new toppings for tacos or pizza or a salad for the adults while the kids have their favorite steamed veggie. Simple and comforting doesn’t have to mean boring and not nutritious! {Diana Rice, RDN from The Baby Steps Dietitian}

(23) Keep is simple: Start your meal planning with “Master Meals”! You know that it would be a tall order to make 7 new dinner recipes each week, so save yourself some stress and start with the ideas you know and love. {Lindsey Joe, RDN LDN from The Meal Planning Method}

(24) Make it a family ritual: When I was 20 I worked as an aupair (nanny) in Germany. Each week the whole family sat down and gave input for the upcoming week’s menu. It was great! Menu planning is less daunting when you a) spread the mental load among all the family members and b) make it a habit! A weekly family meeting accomplishes both! For more meal planning solutions, check out my free e-book, Meal Planning Hackers. {Jessica Elyse, RDN}

(25) Utilize new kitchen tools: My favorite hack in the kitchen is using gadgets to help make the process easier. This includes a food processor, blender, Crock Pot, and Instapot. These tools can help make a bulk of meals in less time. {Jeanette Kimszal, RDN}

(26) Keep your family’s favorite cookbooks nearby: Include your kids in the meal planning process to up the odds they’ll get excited about what’s for dinner. Set out your favorite cookbooks each week and flip through them with your kids. Choose new recipes to try along with old favorites, and add them to your 7-Day Meal Planner. Cookbooks with pictures are even better, because it helps everyone visualize the meals that will ultimately land on their dinner plates. Need inspiration? Check out the cookbook authors who’ve been on the LHT podcast and hear all about their recipes and stories. Some recent favorites include, Great Food for Kids by Jenny Chandler; New Favorites for New Cooks by Carolyn Federman; and the Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook by Dana Angelo White, MS, RD.

(27) Stock pile your pantry with the right foods: Having the right food on hand can make meal prep so much easier. Stock the freezer with frozen vegetables that you can pop in the oven to roast, or add to a soup broth. Have canned fish and beans that you can throw into a salad or pasta. Convenience food makes meal planning a lot simpler and more approachable. {Bracha Kopstick, RD from BeeKay Nutrition}

(28) Prep before you store: One tip that works well for me is to do some of your meal prep as soon as you return from the market before putting your food away. Wash and dry your leafy greens and lettuces, cut the broccoli, strip the meat off the rotisserie chicken and store it in a container, chop an onion, cut your pineapple or melon, and so forth. This kind of prep work goes pretty quickly when you focus on it and it makes dinner that much less daunting when the time comes. {Katie Sullivan Morford, RDN from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook}

(29) Utilize grocery delivery services: Online ordering requires you have meals planned! I’ve used many options and share my secrets here. {Megan Boitano, RDN}

(30) Get creative with leftovers: I recommend planning 3 to 4 protein foods and some prepared side dishes for the week that are also easy to re-purpose. For example, if you grill steaks on Sunday, have the leftovers as a main dish salad. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and use leftovers for chicken salad or tacos. In the winter, we usually make a blended veggie soup, grated carrots with vinaigrette, and a pot of beans or lentils over the weekend. Have some frozen or fresh veggies on hand for sides and you’ve got a solid but flexible plan for lunch and dinner for the week. {Bridget Swinney, RDN from Eat Right Mama}

What’s your best meal planning tip? Do tell!