Simple Meal Planning Tips For Your Home

Meal planning can be daunting for beginners, so we’ve formulated a few simple tips for you to consider when planning what goes on your dinner table. From creating mouth-watering meals to keeping your budget in check, we’ve got you covered.

Do some research
Spend time browsing food blogs and recipe books, and even asking friends for dinner ideas. Ask your family what they like or don’t like to eat. This will help you narrow your choices and choose menus that appeal to everyone. Try www.whatsfordinner.co.za for tasty meal inspiration!


Save your recipes
Create a simple space in which to save your recipes-especially quick and easy dinner recipes . This does not have to be a big folder with many printed recipes, but could go on your fridge, on your phone, or even on a Pinterest board.


Check the weather
Checking the weather for the week to come helps you plan meals that are comforting in colder weather and refreshing in hot weather.


Use our Whatsfordinner? Meal Planner
Take advantage of a host of delectable meals at your fingertips. Simply sign up for Whatsfordinner’s newsletter and find daily, weekly or monthly meal inspiration directly in your inbox. We’ll plan your meals for you and tell you exactly what to shop for.


Make a shopping list
After you have planned your meals, set aside a day in the week to do all your shopping. It’s often best to do this on a Saturday or Sunday when you have more time to spend finding the right ingredients. Having a detailed shopping list will streamline this process and ensure that there is no back and forth between stores, as well as helping you keep within your budget.


Plan for leftovers
Using leftovers to create imaginative meals is a great way to reduce food wastage. Ingredients such as cooked chicken or roast beef are versatile as leftovers as they can be transformed the next evening into completely different dishes.


Use your freezer
Soups, stews and most sauces freeze very well. Use this to your advantage when planning big meals so those little extras can be used at a later stage. Remember not to overstuff your freezer. Be realistic, as some things do get lost at the back when the freezer is too full - and this will only increase your food wastage.