I'm a numbers person, therefore I seriously consider my family's budget. Typically, we're a pretty frugal family, but the one spending category which really disturbs me is how much we spend on meals. And I don't signify eating out... I'm referring to how much we spend on groceries each week. For a small family, our grocery budget is out of control.

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

Spend less

There are many advantages to weekly meal planning, but the greatest benefit to my family is how much money we save on groceries. By planning our meals beforehand (I generally plan our meals one week at a time), I know just what I have to buy at the shop, and I avoid buying 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 cooking it. Meal planning also minimizes the number of times I go to the grocery store (I used to visit nearly every day!), which means less impulse purchases. I don't know about you, but every time I visit the store to pick up one or two items, I've wasted $50 or $60 before I know it. Weekly meal planning allows reduce needless purchases, this means huge savings over the long run. Eliminating the daily grocery trips probably saves me the most in our grocery budget.

Saving time

Another advantage to weekly menu planning is the time it saves you. Firstly, since you spend less time finding out what to cook for dinner (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 store after picking the children up or on your way from work. Imagine how much time you'll save just from eliminating daily visits to the grocery shop. If you're like me and visit the grocery shop several times per week, you could save a couple of hours of time just 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 better as they go out to eat less often. By eating out less often, you eliminate much of the fatty foods which you would usually eat at fast food restaurants. Moreover, when you cook at home, you're more likely 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 articles, suggestions and free tools, including free menu planners and shopping lists to help you start saving time and money with menu planning today.

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