Meal planning for the week has been proven to help you eat more healthily, lose weight, reduce food waste, save both money and time.

Read more on my blog post >> 5 Reasons to start meal planning today

However, despite all of the advantages of meal planning for the week, it can be difficult to get started, especially when you're looking at an entire week or month of empty meal plans and wondering where to start.

How to Meal Plan for the Week: Easy Meal Planning Tips to Save Time and Money

Here are some expert tips to help you develop a consistent and stress-free meal planning habit.

1. Plan Your Meals Before You Go Shopping to Save Time and Money

If planning a whole week’s worth of meals feels like too much, start small. Before heading to the shops, jot down a few meal ideas so you know what you need to buy. This helps you avoid those “what’s for dinner?” moments and stops you from grabbing random things off the shelves that you don’t actually need. And whatever you do, don’t shop when you’re hungry – we’ve all made that mistake!

2. Save Your Meal Plans and Reuse Them

Instead of starting from scratch every week, save your meal plans. If you find a week’s worth of meals that works well, why not use it again in a few weeks?

Using a digital meal planner, like this Google Sheets meal planner , makes it even easier. Just copy last week’s plan and tweak it as needed.

Top Tip: If you have set meal plans for big events like Christmas or birthdays, save them so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every year.

3. Keep a List of Go-To Meals

We all have meals we cook over and over because they’re easy, tasty, and everyone in the house eats them without complaint. Make a list of your favourites and use it when you’re stuck for ideas.

You can break it down like this:

• Quick meals – for busy nights

• Budget meals – when you need to save some cash

• Family favourites – ones everyone enjoys

• New recipes to try – so you don’t get bored

4. Use Theme Nights to Make Life Easier

If meal planning feels like too much effort, theme nights can help. They take the guesswork out of deciding what to eat.

• Meat-Free Monday – great for adding more veggies to your diet

• Taco Tuesday – because who doesn’t love tacos?

• Slow Cooker Wednesday – minimal effort, maximum taste

• Fish Friday – mix it up with something light

• Leftovers Saturday – reduce waste and save time

• Batch Cook Sunday – get ahead for the week

5. Batch Cook to Save Time

Some nights, cooking from scratch is the last thing you want to do. That’s where batch cooking comes in handy. Cook double and freeze half, or prep a few meals in advance so you always have something ready to go.

Try:

• Making extra portions of stews, soups, or casseroles and freezing them

• Chopping vegetables ahead of time

• Cooking big batches of rice, pasta, or sauces to use throughout the week

Pro Tip: Using a Google Sheets Meal Planner can help you track what meals you have prepped and when you need to use them.

6. Use Leftovers to Make Another Meal

Leftovers don’t have to be boring! Get creative and turn them into something new.

• Bolognese sauce → Lunch over a baked potato or turned into chili con carne

• Roast chicken → Sandwiches, salads, or stir-fry

• Cooked rice → Fried rice or burrito bowls

7. Keep a Running Grocery List

A grocery list helps you stay organised, avoid food waste, and stick to a budget. Every time you run out of something, add it to your list straight away so you don’t forget.

Using a digital grocery list, like the one in my Google Sheets Meal Planner, means you can easily track what you need and check things off as you go.

8. Save Time by Duplicating Your Shopping List

If you buy the same staples every week, duplicate your list so you don’t have to write it from scratch every time.

Pro Tip: My Google Sheets Meal Planner comes with a built-in grocery list feature so you can save and reuse your lists.

9. Make Meal Planning Effortless with a Google Sheets Meal Planner

A meal planner doesn’t have to be a paper notebook. A digital planner makes everything easier.

This Google Sheets Meal Planner is designed to help you:

• Plan meals for the week with ease

• Keep track of groceries in one place

• Save and reuse meal plans

• Cut down on food waste and last-minute stress

10. Save Money and Cut Down on Food Waste

When you plan your meals, you buy only what you need, which means less waste and more money saved. Planning your meals helps you track what’s in your fridge and make sure nothing goes to waste. 

Make Meal Planning Stress-Free with My Digital Meal Planner

Want to take the hassle out of meal planning? Check out my Google Sheets Meal Planner on Etsy. It’s designed to help you stay organised, save time, and reduce food waste.

👉 Get it here