The Busy Mama’s Guide to Meal Planning
A little weekend prep can help reduce the stress.
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Bon Appétit - Find yourself staring into the refrigerator every day after work wishing it would magically prepare a meal for your family? Or are you frequently reaching for your phone to order after a busy day? We’ve all been there. But a little weekend prep can help reduce the stress of turning out fab meals every day. Read on for your guide to easy meal planning. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: Portra Images / Getty Images)
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Take Stock - First, see what you already have on hand in the fridge, freezer and cabinets. Those will be the building blocks for your meals for the next week or two, however far in advance you want to plan. While you're at it, take note of anything that's running low. (Photo: Stigur Karlsson / Getty Images)
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Check Your Recipes - Create a list of all the things you currently know how to cook and keep it on your phone. These are your go-to meals. Then use a recipe site like Yummly.com or Epicurious.com to add to your repertoire. We also love Supercook.com; just tell it what you already have on hand and it will suggest meals you can make from those ingredients. (Photo: JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images)
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Write Down Your Plan - Now look at your list of go-to and new recipes and figure out what you want to cook for the next week, keeping in mind what you already have in your fridge. You can plan just dinners or map out every meal, which is especially helpful if you have to pack lunches. It can be useful to pick a type of entrée to serve each day of the week, for example, vegetarian Mondays, chicken on Tuesdays, etc. Be sure to dedicate at least one day a week to trying new recipes. If they turn out great, you’ll have another meal to add to your rotation. Tools like the ones on Pepperplate.com and the Paprika app make it easy to keep track. (Photo: Pepperplate)
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Make a Grocery List - Now that you know what you’re making, create a grocery list that includes all the ingredients you need that aren’t already lurking in your kitchen. If you use one of the apps we mentioned, they can generate a grocery list for you based on the meals you choose to make. (Photo: Yuri / Getty Images)
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