Meal Planning Made Easy: How to Save Time, Money, and Stress

Are you feeling the urge to simplify your meal prep? Imagine a week where your fridge stays organized, meal planning feels effortless, and grocery runs and meal prep don’t eat up your entire weekend. Stick around, because today on Small Daily Habits, I’m sharing a few simple strategies that have the power to transform your kitchen habits into a low-stress, high yield routine. Tune in!

Welcome

Welcome back to the Small Daily Habits, the podcast where we chat about small sustainable habits that have the power to transform your life. I’m your host, Christine, personal trainer, menopause specialist and FASTer Way to Fat Loss Coach.  Today we’re discussing how to simplify your meal planning, prepping, and grocery routines to save you time, money, and stress.  Not to mention make it sustainable so you can do this week after week effortlessly.

Feeding ourselves and our families is a BIG job. And it can either fuel or frazzle our days.  And let’s be honest most days it feels overwhelming if we are not prepared. So if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed standing in front of your fridge wondering ‘what’s for dinner?’, this episode was created with you in mind.  

Let’s make a plan together!

1. Take Inventory and Plan Ahead

Before heading to the store or placing an order online, take a moment to check what you have on hand.

Peek inside your pantry, your fridge, even your freezer. Spring is the perfect time to clear out anything expired or forgotten. You don’t have to do it all at once. Start in one small area and spend a few minutes each week clearing one area out.

Knowing what you already have not only reduces waste, it saves you money and helps shape your meal plan.

I like to create meals that use similar ingredients.  For example, tacos on Tuesday can become a taco salad for lunch on Wednesday. Double duty meals like this means you cook once and eat multiple times without any extra effort.

2. Make a Detailed Grocery List

Once your meal plan is ready, make a detailed grocery list. Or if you are following the 6 week FASTer Way to Fat Loss meal plan just print out the grocery list for that week.  

PRO TIP:  I keep a magnetic dry-erase board on my fridge so the whole family can jot down what we’re out of. You can even skip the pen and paper and add items to an online cart throughout the week! I tend to do a combo of both.  I have a family of 5 so the dry erase board is great so others can help out with this process and the online grocery cart is something I add to as I see items get added to the dry erase board.

If you are doing a traditional shopping trip, try organizing your list by categories like produce, dairy, pantry staples.  This will save you time and reduce those back-and-forth store runs.

3. Utilize Online Ordering and Delivery

If you haven’t tried online ordering yet, I highly recommend it!  

I love being able to order groceries in the little pockets of my day.  It cuts down on impulse buys and helps you stick to your meal plan and budget.

4. Prep Ingredients in Advance

Once your groceries are home, carve out some time to prep. Wash and chop veggies, portion out snacks, maybe cook a batch of chicken, ground turkey, quinoa, or rice that can be used in multiple meals. Hard boiled eggs are also a great prepping options.

Even just 30 minutes of prep work can make mealtime smoother and healthier. Smoother because you planned ahead and are prepared even if the day doesn’t quite go your way and healthier because you are more likely to eat the healthy options when they are ready and waiting for you.

5. Invest in Proper Storage Containers

Good containers are a game-changer. I prefer clear glass containers so I can easily see what’s inside.  I have a family of 5 so our fridge is packed most of the time and clear containers mean things are more likely to get eaten instead of forgotten about and thrown away next week when it’s time to clear the fridge for new groceries.

Stackable containers save space and make meal prepping that much easier. Plus, prepping a few grab-and-go lunches will save you time and decision fatigue all week long.

6. Set a Weekly Meal Planning Routine

Create a rhythm that works for you. 

The number one reason my clients get off track is doing something just because it works for someone else.  It’s great to implement new strategies but it’s crucial to take your unique circumstances into account so you can adjust the habit as needed for sustainability.  If you aren’t going to do it regularly then it’s probably not the strategy for you.

Here’s what I do.  Take what works and adjust what you need to.

In my home, I plan meals mid-week, nowadays that means checking my FASTer Way app for the updated grocery list for next week’s meals.  If there is a meal that needs to be adjusted I make those adjustments and add or subtract from the grocery list.  For example, my family isn’t a big fan of salmon so if a recipe calls for salmon I substitute another protein OR I insert a meal we’ve been craving or wanting to try.  I do a grocery order or pick up on Fridays, and set aside an hour or so on Saturday or Sunday for food prep.

This keeps our fridge fresh, reduces chaos, and frees up time to enjoy spring weekends outside instead of inside the kitchen. Not to mention, this makes weeknight dinners less stressful because I know I have the ingredients to throw something healthy together.

7. Embrace Simplicity in Meal Planning

Remember, the goal is consistency, not perfection.  

Keep your meals simple, easy to customize, and packed with foods you and your family actually enjoy. The simpler your system, the more sustainable it becomes. This also means less stress!  

I love following the FASTer Way meal plans because it takes meal planning off my plate.  All I need to do is see what I have on hand, use the grocery list provided in the app, and order my groceries.  Not having to figure out what’s for dinner each night is such a stress reliever for me.

And when I or a family member has a craving for something specific, I just add that to the rotation and substitute that on a day that works for us.

This is what has worked best for my family to save time, money, and stress in the meal planning department.  However, we are all different so do what WORKS for you!

Closing Thoughts

Spring is all about new beginnings and there’s no better place to start fresh than in the heart of your home, the kitchen.

A little upfront effort now can save you hours later in the week and help you eat better, feel better, and have more time for the things that matter most.

See how easy life in the kitchen can be with this FREE 5 Day Meal Plan. And if you like what you see, I would love to have you join me in my next 6 week round to not only simplify your nutrition but also your workouts and other healthy habits.  

Thanks for spending a little part of your day with me!   If you found this episode helpful, share it with a friend and leave us a review so more women like you can benefit from it.  Remember to keep it simple, joyful, and that BIG changes begin with small daily habits.

Until next time!

Missed last week’s podcast episode? Catch up here to learn all about my personal journey with the FASTer Way to Fat Loss. Show notes can be found here. Inspired? Join my next 6 week round starting on 5/5/25!

Wishing you much love, health, and happiness,

Christine