Saving Money Whilst Spending & Losing Weight Whilst Eating-The Power of Meal Planning!

Hi Everyone,

I have always been one to plan. Throughout school I would be the girl with the colour coded everything, stationary lover, folder fanatic. This of course benefitted me when it came around to exams as I knew exactly where everything was to revise from. You could say I like to be in control which is why I get so anxious when the situation is ‘uncontrollable’. 

Speaking of which, since leaving school and entering ‘the real world’ I have felt even more pressure (like everyone). I am aware more than ever that money isn’t always so available which is one of the main aspects that has really fuelled (still fuels) my ‘meal planning’- Eating well but on a budget. 

Here are a few things I do weekly to help organise myself/meals which (I hope) will also help you too:

1. Sit down once a week (I usually do this on a Sunday morning) and give myself a food budget for that week.
2. I live with other people so I find out where everyone is likely to be that week so I can work around it- for example, my Mum goes to choir every Monday evening so will ‘sort herself out’.
3. Write down a list of balanced meals I would like that week (I sometimes set certain nights to be a particular cuisine to make it easier to research/make up recipes).
4. Go to the shops and buy as many of the ingredients as I can- you can freeze things if you have to.
5. Bulk cook meals like soups, bolognese sauce, casseroles, and snacks (like protein balls). Pop them in the fridge/ freezer depending on what time of the week I’ll be eating that dish so all I have to do is defrost it and heat it up.
6. Breakfast and lunch- I prepare this the night before if I can just so I can get up and  don’t faff or have the excuse that I ‘didn’t have time’.

All of these things have really helped me:

1. Save money as I’m keeping to my budget and not over-buying food which will go to waste (as no one is around to eat it etc).
2. Nourish my body with everything it needs as it’s already there waiting for me. 
3. Lessen my anxiety/worry about going ‘off track’ and not knowing what to cook.
4. Save time.
5. Less likely to eat something less nutritious as the healthier options are too hand. 
6. Lose weight.

I hope this has been beneficial for you. I will be posting more recipes which should help you out too.

Love  

Isabel x