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    Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

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  • Oct. 24, 2009

    Menu planning: Save your diet and save time

    By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

6 comments posted

Menu planning can do more than save your diet — it can save you time and money. Planning a week's meals will organize your shopping list and lessen your time at the grocery store. Stick to your list and you'll also avoid overspending.

There's no perfect way to plan menus. Some people like to look at cookbooks or Web sites for recipes. Others look for sales and coupons and build meals around the sale items.  My personal approach is a little different: I like to build meals from the staples I keep in my pantry and refrigerator. I then use garlic, seasonings, low-fat dressings or salsas to add variety and flavor.

My weekly grocery list typically looks like this:

  • Fruit — what's in season or on sale plus family favorites
  • Veggies — salad greens, carrots, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and any others I need for specific recipes
  • Whole-wheat tortillas, bread or rolls
  • Skim milk and low-fat yogurt
  • Meat, fish and nuts — what's on sale
  • Canned items — veggies, fruit, fish, beans
  • Starches — brown rice, potatoes

From just these foods I can make a variety of meals, such as:

  • Traditional dinner: Roasted meat, sautéed or steamed veggies, whole-wheat roll or small potato (with skin) or rice pilaf, and a side of fruit
  • Tacos: Tortillas filled with beans, grated cheese, veggies and perhaps meat or fish, with a side of fruit
  • Salad: Spinach or other salad greens with leftover meat, veggies, fruit and beans or nuts, with whole-wheat dinner rolls or bread
  • Stir fry: Veggies, with or without meat or fish, over brown rice, and a fruit and yogurt parfait for dessert

I just add a glass of milk or some yogurt, and I've got four dinners that not only please my family but are also nutritionally balanced.

Leftovers? I've got lunch for the next day.

So what do you do? Are you a planner? Does menu planning help you eat healthier meals, spend less or save time? Have you had success getting your children, spouse or other family members involved?

Thanks for sharing,

Katherine

6 comments posted

blog index

  • January 3, 2010 5:36 p.m.

    I followed a strict diet in my 20's, even carried two baby boys and continued the diet. I am now pregmamt again and can't remember my menu plannig, can you help me

    - Pregnant, and vegetarian

  • November 7, 2009 5:34 p.m.

    Vivian, Cooking Light Magazine has excellent recipes for the health conscious person. I love it when they redo a family recipe to make it healthier. I look at the grocery ads, find my recipes for the items on sale and take an inventory as to what I have in the cupboard and our dinner meals are planned. Left overs are next day lunch. Breakfast is planned with hot, wholesome grains (cereal, waffles, pancakes) and a protein. Morning and afternoon snacks are always fruits. Veggies with lunch and dinner. Meal planning, grocery store ads and coupons definitely save money. Crockpot, wok and indoor grill are big time savers.

    - Kay

  • October 29, 2009 3:46 p.m.

    Well, this isn't exactly the same type of menu, but planning what you eat around restaurant menus is equally challenging.

    - Shawn

  • October 28, 2009 10:10 a.m.

    I cook for my boyfriend and I. I will eat mostly anything except mushrooms and fish, but he is very picky. I can plan all the meals, but he will hate 4/5 of them. So recently I have been letting him look up online some meals he would like to try. They have been more extravagant than a salad or stir fry, but it has been working good so far.

    - Danielle

  • October 27, 2009 6:52 p.m.

    I am definitely not a planner, but would like to improve in that area. My problem lies in deciding what to have for meals. It is just my husband and me, and I prefer healthier eating, but he does not. He is a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. I just need some good ideas!!

    - Vivian

  • October 26, 2009 11:55 a.m.

    I’m definitely a planner and a one-grocery-trip-per week person! Each week when the grocery ads come out, I take enough time to peruse what’s on sale that. I start my grocery list with the sale items that I usually buy or plan to buy in order to stockpile a few. From there, I take a quick glance thru the cupboards and freezer to see what existing items could be matched to sale items to create a menu for a full week. Then I create a weekly meal planner using those items. It may sound like a lot of committed time, but it really isn’t when you consider the time it saves during the entire week. My husband & I both work fulltime and it’s usually late by the time we get home at night. Having home-cooked items that can be popped into the oven or microwave to warm up is a time-saver on those nights! And incorporating the use of crock pot meals is also a great helper to save time. We are way more health conscience now and I like being able to control certain aspects of the meals, like the amount of salt being added, fresh ingredients versus canned, etc. It is enjoyable to create good, wholesome meals and still save time and money along the way.

    - Lee

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