I'm a numbers person, therefore I seriously consider my family's spending budget. For the most part, we're quite a simple family, but the one spending category which really disturbs me is just how much we spend on meals. And I don't signify eating at restaurants... I'm talking about how much we spend on groceries every week. For a small family, our grocery budget is out of control.

Thus when I learned about weekly menu planning, I was thrilled. Specially when I realized how much menu planning can reduce our grocery spending budget.

Spend less

There are lots of benefits to weekly meal planning, but the greatest help to my family is the amount of money we save on groceries. By planning our meals beforehand (I generally plan our meals one week at a time), I am aware just what I have to purchase at the store, and I refrain from purchasing food which we won't eat that full week. Before I started planning our meals, we wasted plenty of food as it spoiled before I got around to preparing it. Meal planning also reduces the number of times I visit the food store (I used to visit nearly every day!), which means less impulse purchases. I don't know about you, but each time I go to the shop to get one or two items, I've wasted $50 or $60 before I know it. Weekly meal planning allows decrease needless purchases, this means huge savings over the future. Cutting out the daily grocery visits probably saves me a lot in our grocery budget.

Saving time

Another advantage to weekly menu planning is the time it saves you. Firstly, since you devote less time figuring out what to prepare for lunch (or surfing the web for suggestions). Secondly, since you already have everything you need to cook dinner (for the entire week!) you will not have to run by the shop after picking the kids up or on your way from work. Just imagine how much time you'll save only from eliminating daily visits to the grocery shop. If you're much like me and visit the grocery shop many times a week, you could put away a couple of hours of time simply by planning your meals ahead of time.

Eat Healthier

One more huge advantage you get from weekly menu planning is that it helps you eat healthier. Folks who do meal planning often eat healthier because they go out to eat less frequently. By dining out less often, you eliminate much of the fatty foods which you would usually eat at fast food eateries. Also, when you cook at your house, you're able to select fresh, healthy ingredients for your meals.

As you could see, meal planning has several benefits, including saving your time, money and helping your family eat better. At My Weekly Menu Planner, we provide content articles, tips and free resources, including free menu planners and shopping lists to assist you start saving time and money with menu planning today.

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