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Family
Meal
Planner
Tips & Tricks To Save
You Time, Money
And Energy in the
Family Kitchen
By Don Rieland
A Family Meals Project Publication
©2014 All rights reserved
“What’s for dinner?” “What do we have for snacks?” “Can I go out and play?”
These are words often heard as kids come through the door after school.
Members of families that take time to plan meals together have no need to
ask. They can just look at the meal calendar and see what their responsibility is
for that meal. There are other benefits for planning:
Planning to use food from the cupboard saves a trip to the grocer.
Buying in bulk & cooking once for several meals saves money.
You will know about how much meals will cost for the month.
You can adjust meals to stay within your budget.
You can scan the overall plan and adjust meals for better nutrition.
You decide what to bag, label and store for planned-overs.
You plan what can be set aside for snacks.
2
Table of Contents 2 How your family benefits by meal planning.
3 How much money can you spend for meals.
4 Wise shopping and smart cooking saves time and energy.
5 Food bargains or sales gimmicks?
7 Sample shopping list.
8 Meal planning: Steps 1-4.
9 Planning Calendar.
10 Sample Planning sheet: Cook chicken once for three meals.
11 Sample Planning Sheet: Cook pork once for three meals.
12 Sample Planning Sheet: cook once for three Tex-Mex meals.
13 Blank Planning Sheet
14 Review of important ideas.
15 Closing Thoughts.
Don and Ardis Rieland ©2014 Ferndale, WA
This booklet may be downloaded for personal use only. It may not
distributed electronically or in any printed form without written
permission of the authors.
Let food be thy medicine and...
…...Medicine be thy food.
3
Here are some tips to get everyone involved in meal planning, prep and eating.
Get the whole family together and plan meals for at least a week.
Work together to list of what’s in the pantry. Plan to use those items first.
Make a “to buy list” for ingredients not in your cupboards, fridge, or freezer.
Take everyone shopping and divide the list with the kids if they are helpful. Let
them calculate the best prices as a math exercise.
Work together to prep some of the food when you get back from shopping.
Take turns cooking, serving, leading a discussion at a sit-down-dinner and clean-up.
Let kids plan special nights with their favorite healthy food or ethnic décor.
Plan something special when kids invite friends.
Start a meaningful or funny conversation that
kids will relate to.
Make a catalog of favorite recipes and repeat
those several times per month.
Share these ideas with your family and add more as you refine your planner.
FMP Tip: fewer trips to the grocer means more savings. One simple way to do this is to stock up on inexpensive
foods that keep well like rice, dry beans, noodles, potatoes and canned soup or sauces. Buy in bulk for even more
savings. You can create many different dinners with these basic ingredients plus spice mixes.
4
Before you start…
We assembled this booklet with the belief that meal planning is important. Your family wants to get the
most food for the money so you don’t run out. At the same time, you want to serve healthy foods that are
easy to prepare. And finally, you want to serve food that tastes, looks, and smells great. We believe you
can achieve this most of the time if you plan for success, try new recipes, involve everyone in the process,
and celebrate everyone’s contribution during the meal.
When each family member plays a role, shopping becomes organized, meal prep is easier, cleanup is faster
and sharing the meal while sitting around the dinner table is more enjoyable. We assume this to be true
because your family made a plan that fits your situation. If your family finds anything lacking, get everyone
together and make changes. Simply said, “There is no one best way to plan.” Every family is unique. We
hope this planning guide gets you started and feel free to make changes. Join our familymealsproject.com
forum and let us know how it worked.
We also need to remind you to make changes over a period of several weeks. Always consult your physi-
cian if making significant modifications to your normal diet.
How much you can spend for food? Establish a budget.
A Really Simple Budget! Print this monthly budget worksheet and use it to compare your income with your pro-
jected expenses. Rework it monthly to ensure you’re always living within your means!
Adapted from http://www.moneyunder30.com/really-simple-budget-worksheet
1. Your Income
a. Take-home pay (Wages and tips) $
b. Additional income (Side business, interest, alimony,) $ -
Total income $
2. Your Expenses
a. Housing (Rent or mortgage plus taxes and insurance) $
b. Transportation (Car payments, gas, insurance, tolls, etc) $
c. Utilities (Heat, electricity, etc.) $
d. Subscriptions (Cable, internet, cell phone, gym, etc.) $
e. Groceries $
f. Medical (Co-pays, prescriptions, etc.) $ -
g. Dining, travel, and entertainment $
h. Other discretionary (Hobbies, personal care, etc.) $
i. Debt payments (Credit cards, student loans, etc.) $
j. Savings $
k. Custom (Other unique expenses not covered) $ -
Total expenses $
3. Your Bottom Line
Income minus expenses $
Start gathering receipts at the beginning of the month.
$ On the first of the month, talk with your family and explain about saving receipts in a box.
$ If you have no receipts, just jot down on a post-it note what was purchased and the cost.
$ If you get cash from an ATM, write on the back of the receipt what the money went for.
$ At the end of the month, sort the receipts into categories with your family.
$ Find the total in each category, and determine what is a “must” and 5 things you can do without..
$ Do this again next month and keep adjusting until you have money left over to put in savings.
See: http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/23/budgeting-101-how-a-simple-budget-helped-me-and-can-help-you-too/
If you are well organized, the above budget form works, but if you find it hard to do, try the next suggestion:
5
Saving Money and Time
Start preparing the night before or
start slow cooking in the morning to
lessen the temptation to eat out.
Plan to use leftovers (planned-overs)
for other meals, lunches, or in soups.
Cook extra food and freeze. Use later
for salads, casseroles, soups, tacos and
pizza.
Include inexpensive soup and salad in
your meal plans.
Serve meals on smaller plates.
Save juice from fruits to use in gelatin
desserts and smoothies.
Marinate inexpensive meat to tender-
ize and add flavor. Slow cooking also
tenderizes some types of meat.
Avoid juice, soda, and energy drinks.
These simple sugars kill your budget.
Cook a double batch, then package
planned-overs for later use.
Feel free to change recipes to suit
your palate and budget.
Cook with friends to share ingredients,
meals and recipes.
Exchange meals with another family.
6
Buying Food
Eat before shopping.
Form a support group so you can
plan, shop, and share with friends.
Take inventory of your cupboard and
plan to use what you have available.
Use our monthly calendar to plan.
Make a “to buy” list of what’s need-
ed for the week and month.
Arrange your list and coupons to
match the aisles in the store.
Clip, organize, and use coupons.
Shop without young children, unless
they are helpful.
Some parents
spend more
when joined by
children.
Shop store brands and during sales.
Buy case lots from stores like Costco
or restaurant suppliers. Divide the
bulk food among your group.
Glean from farmers and neighbors.
Buy local veggies: more nutritious,
fresh, & supports your local farmers.
Pool money and buy a freezer.
We suggest you keep track of sale prices for your
common foods so you know when it’s a “bargain.”
Some items like baking soda seldom go on sale.
Food like turkeys and hams have seasonal sales.
Be aware of sales gimmicks like:
Offering 3 for $6 (regularly $1.78 each.)
Putting high profit items on the end cap.
Circulating bakery and barbeque smells.
Giving samples of high-priced foods.
Tip: Find a restaurant supply outlet in
your area. Like Cash and Carry..
Example of savings:
25lbs whole grain rice: $17.00
#10 tin of canned pears: $5.39
#10 tin of canned beans $3.68
5 lbs. grated cheese $12.00
5 lbs. salad mix $4.00
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Shopping At Restaurant Supplier or Local Grocer?
Planning meals to fit a budget is easier when you know what food will cost.
Local and chain grocers charge more because they require more staff, handle hun-
dreds of different brands, have more paperwork and require more advertising.
Restaurant suppliers, on the other hand, can charge less because they usually sell
in larger quantities (case lots), have faster turnover, offer fewer options and do not
accept coupons or vouchers. Their stores are usually self-serve.
A third option is to shop at a food co-op where you become part owner. Prices
change when wholesale prices change but are fairly predictable. The advantage of
co-ops is you become part of a network that supports local growers and/or produc-
ers that adhere to Earth-friendly standards.
Regardless of where you shop, keep track of prices so you can plan accordingly.
Keep track of items you buy regularly or use our list on the next page.
7
How Much Can You Save?
Check your cupboard before you go shopping and make
a list of what you will need for the meals you have
planned. Then try to buy only what is your list. Plan to
save money by using coupons. Use these SALE PRICES
that were compiled in Bellingham, WA at Win-co and
Cash and Carry on September 10, 2013.
miscellaneous size price
sloppy joe mix 15 oz .98
salsa 16oz 3.29
spaghetti sauce 32oz 0.99
enchilada sauce 15 oz 1.39
bear creek soup sv 8 3.49
cream soups 8 oz 1.50
top ramen sm pk 0.39
chow mein 1 lb 1.49
chicken broth 50oz 2.98
Better 'N Bullion 16 oz 6.49
salad dressing 16 oz 3.29
Air whipping cr. 24 OZ 1.79
Carbohydrates size price
bread/buns loaf/8 .98
Fr. bread loaf 1.49
garlic Fr. bread loaf 2.49
potatoes 15lb 3.49
yams / sweet p 2lb 2.38
rice bulk 1lb 0.53
potato flakes 90 oz. 9.00
Knorr rice sides 3pks 3.00
tater tots 5 lbs. 5.49
tortillas burrito 10 pk. 1.80
biscuits lg. Tube 1.78
crackers 2.50
noodles/pasta 1 lb 0.99
Dessert
cream filling lg bx 1.19
graham cr crust 8" 1.18
Krusteaz cr mx 4 cr 2.00
cake mix reg 0.99
Knox gelatin 32 pk 8.62
angel food cake 1 bx 2.39
Fruit size price
grapes lb 1.78
oranges lb 1.28
apples lb 0.98
apple sauce 48oz 1.98
Protein size price
pork steak lb. 2.28
pork ribs lb. 2.59
ham lb. 1.48
petite sirloin lb. 5.68
chuck roast 4lb 14.00
rump roast 4lb 14.00
lean hamburger 2lb 7.00
link sausage 1lb 3.01
polish hot dogs 3lb 6.00
legumes
dry beans lb. 1.19
pinto, garb, red 15oz. 0.91
Black Beans 15 oz. 0.99
Refried “ 8 oz. 0.88
Dairy
cheese 2lb 5.87
cottage cheese 1pt 1.90
Milk fresh gal 2.98
Powdered milk 25oz 6.29
Sour cream 16oz 1.78
Greek yogurt 8 oz 0.89
veggies size price
assorted frozen 2lb 2.00
assorted cans 14oz 0.68
tomato diced 14oz 0.88
tomato diced 28oz 1.29
tomato sauce 8oz 0.43
tomato sauce 15oz 0.88
tomato sauce 29oz 1.48
tomato paste 6oz 0.57
tomatoes- fresh lb. 0.98
scallions lb. 0.98
green pepper ea. 0.49
cucumber ea. 0.99
cauliflower lb. 0.99
8
Shopping List
Fresh Fruit: pineapple
orange apple grapes
melon :
Canned Food:
Refried beans blk beans
Tomatoes
Grain flour
Bread
Cereal oats tortilla
Pasta
*Legumes: lentil Peas
Dry Beans: soy pinto
Navy red adzuko
*condiment: mayonnaise
virgin olive oil
apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar lemon
Soup: organic mix
*base broth
better than Bullion
canned sauce
Creamed:
Fresh Vegetables
* Leafy greens kale
chard spinach Romaine
* Cruciferous: cabbage
Cauliflower
Onions
*Nightshades: peppers
tomatoes
*Root Veggies: carrot
potatoes yams beets
Frozen Food : mix corn
green beans peas
Protein: Meat
Poultry
Fish
Eggs
*Dairy: Milk cheese
yogurt butter
Miscellaneous:
*Sweetener sugar honey
Spice mix
Shopping List
Fresh Fruit: pineapple
orange apple grapes
melon :
Canned Food:
Refried beans blk beans
Tomatoes
Grain flour
Bread
Cereal oats tortlla
Pasta
*Legumes: lentil Peas
Dry Beans: soy pinto
Navy red adzuko
*condiment: mayonnaise
virgin olive oil
apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar lemon
Soup: organic mix
*base broth
better than Bullion
canned sauce
Creamed:
Fresh Vegetables
* Leafy greens kale
chard spinach Romaine
* Cruciferous: cabbage
Cauliflower
Onions
*Nightshades: peppers
tomatoes
*Root Veggies: carrot
potatoes yams beets
Frozen Food : mix corn
green beans peas
Protein: Meat
Poultry
Fish
Eggs
*Dairy: Milk cheese
yogurt butter
Miscellaneous:
*Sweetener sugar honey
Spice mix
9
The Next Step: PLAN THE MEALS
Step 1Step 1Step 1. list your family’s favorite healthy entre es or side dishes. Include the recipe source if needed.
Suggestion: make copies of the blank forms.
entrée or side dish recipe source comments
Step 2.Step 2.Step 2. Make copies and add more entrees and side dishes. You now have ideas for assembling your meals.
Step 3.Step 3.Step 3. Enlarge the weekly (or monthly) planning sheet (page 11) to 11X17 and fold it.
Step 4.Step 4.Step 4. After you have filled in the weekly or monthly plan, look it over be sure you have included:
● lots of colorful vegetables and fruit ● leafy greens, simple soup. water or herb tea ● some meals that use planned-overs ( page 12)
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Rem
emb
er:
√ P
lan
wit
h f
amily
√
Co
ok
on
ce f
or
seve
ral m
eals
√
Use
a v
arie
ty o
f fo
od
s
√ U
se f
oo
d f
rom
yo
ur
pan
try
√
Bu
y in
bu
lk
Su
nd
ay
Mo
nd
ay
T
ues
day
Wed
nes
day
Th
urs
day
Frid
ay
Sat
urd
ay
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To b
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Mea
l Pla
nn
er
On
e w
ee
k o
mo
nth
11
106
Cook once for three meals Worksheet Save time and energy by cooking more than you need and use the planned-overs for other
meals. Here is an example of how to use the worksheet or you can attach a recipe card
Ingredients: 2 whole chickens poultry seasoning 3 potatoes, 2 yams, 2 sweet onions 3# washed salad mix 2 # frozen peas 30 oz can pineapple pieces 1 pint cottage cheese
Directions: ● Rinse & pat chicken dry Rub with seasoning. Preheat oven to 400˚ Place chicken in a shallow pan and cook for 30 minutes, reduce heat to 300˚, baste and cook for another 30 min ‘till they reach 170˚ internal temperature. Cut off 1/2 of 1 breast or 1 thigh per person and serve with meal.
Steam 8 oz of the peas and serve
Cut other veggies, toss in olive oil and roast at 325˚ for 30 min and serve half of them
Serve 1# salad mix with vin-aigrette dressing.
● Serve 1/2 pineapple and cottage cheese Planned-overs ● pull chicken. Place in 2 labeled bags and refrigerate or freeze for future meals ● Boil bones & scraps for soup ● Bag what’s left including liq-uids for meals 2 & 3
Meal 1 Roasted Chicken Roasted chicken thighs & 1/2 breasts Steamed peas Roasted root vegetables Garden salad Pineapple and cottage cheese
Ingredients: 1 1/2 # pulled chicken Planned-over vegetables Sautéed onions & celery 10 oz can of cream of celery soup, 1/4 C milk, poultry seasoning. 1C master biscuit mix 1# planned-over salad mix #10 can fruit cocktail
Directions: ● Thaw out the chicken if frozen dice the vegetables Place all ingredients except bis-cuit dough into slow cooker or casserole dish Slow cook or bake until ingredi-ents reach 165 degrees F Mix biscuit dough, roll out and place over the mixture. Cook for another 15 minutes or until biscuit are browned. ● serve 6oz Fruit cocktail over lettuce per plate ● serve Garden salad with cukes and avocado
Meal 2 Chicken Pot Pie
Slow cooked Chicken Pot Pie Green salad with chopped veg-gies and nuts of your choice Fruit cocktail
Ingredients: 1# planned-over chicken 1 # planned-over salad mix, olive oil Shoyu, green onions, brown sugar, sesame seeds. 1 pk Top Ramen noodles Planned-over Chicken stock 1 egg 2 C uncooked Oriental rice 3 oranges green tea 2C planned-over cottage cheese
Directions: ● Download Recipe at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asian-Chicken-Salad/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 ● Heat 6 C chicken stock to boil Add 1/4 C chopped green on-ions, Whisk egg & drizzle into water. ● Add 1t Chinese 5 spice to wa-ter and cook rice as usual. Stir fry with green onions and Shoyu ● Place cottage cheese on a bed of lettuce, cover with peeled sliced oranges and paprika
Meal 3 Asian Chicken Salad Asian Chicken Salad Egg drop Soup Oriental rice Sliced oranges on a bed of cottage cheese
12
Meal #2 Stroganoff (any non-egg pasta) Cheesy broccoli & cauliflower Green salad Peach upside down cake
Meal #1 Pork Sirloin Roast gravy over Rice Steamed vegetables Green Salad Peaches over cottage cheese
Cook once for three meals Worksheet Save time and energy by cooking more than you need and use the planed-overs for other recipes or you can attach a recipe card
Overview: Purchase a pork loin (8 lbs @ $2/lb ) from a restaurant supplier. Cut in 2 lb roasts, freeze one roast and oven- bake the other three, one for the main meal and two for later meals. Extra veggies, pasta and peaches are also used as planned-overs. Staple items are not included in price or ingredient list. Cost for 3
meals: Pork $11.10, rice $2, veggies $4, peaches $5, C .Cheese, $3, salad $4. Pasta $2, soup $1, cake $1.30 Total $32.10
Ingredients: 3 roasts 2# mixed veggies #10 can peaches ¼ C flour 1 pint cottage cheese 1 # Romaine salad mix 6C rice
Directions for Meal #1 ●Pork: Preheat oven to 400° F Coat 3 roasts with pork rub Brown the pork in hot oil Place in roasting pan Cook for 30 min and reduce heat to 300° Cook until meat reaches 155° Slice 1 roast, cool and refrigerate other roasts ●Make 4 C gravy ●Cook rice for 2 meals ●Thaw & steam 1 # veggies ●Serve 1/2 cottage cheese and
peaches
Ingredients: 1 1/2# cooked pork roast 1 can cream mushroom soup 1 C sour cream 1 1/2# pasta 2# cauliflower-broccoli mix 1 C cheese of choice 2 C peaches white cake mix 3-5 # Romaine salad mix
Directions for Meal #2 ●Stroganoff: Slice pork roast combine soup, sour cream and pork in a sauce pan Bring to a slight boil then simmer until pork is 160˚ Cook noodles al dente Combine with sauce with 1/2 of the noodles & serve ●Thaw & steam 1# veggies mix with grated cheese ●Make cake batter and pour over drained peaches ●Serve salad with dressing Save peach liquid and other juices for gelatin in meal #3
Meal #3 Sweet & Sour stir fry Fried Rice Egg Drop soup Asian pasta salad Peach gelatin
Ingredients: 1 1/2 # cooked pork roast Hoisin sauce Veggie mix with planned over broccoli/cauliflower—divided Reserved peach juice 2 pks. Natural gelatin (Knorr) 3T canola oil 1 beaten egg
Directions for Meal #3 ●Slice roast thinly into 2” strips Marinate in hoisin sauce Thaw & chop 1 1/2 # veggies Heat wok, add oil and stir fry pork, and veggies Add sauce and bring mix to 165 ●Finely chop remaining veggies. Divide for soup and salads. Combine noodles, veggies and favorite salad dressing. Cool and serve. ●Bring 6 C water to a boil Add 3T bullion, vegetables and simmer until veggies are tender crisp. Dribble egg into soup and serve. Combine juice and gelatin as per directions
13
Cook once for three meals Worksheet Save time and energy by cooking more than you need and use the planned-overs for other
meals. Here is simplified plan used when you repeat meals and need no recipe.
Meal 1 Chicken strips Oven-baked chicken strips Stuffed green peppers Raisin baked apples Kale almond salad
Ingredients: 10# frozen chicken breasts-divided Sleeve of saltines 2 eggs 5 large green peppers-divided 6 C brown rice-divided 10 apples raisins butter almonds 1 bunch of kale-washed & dried Assorted planned-over nuts, seeds, veggies to add with kale. Salad dressing
Directions:
as usual for Baked chicken strips
Rice stuffed green peppers Granola baked apples Kale veggie/nut salad Reserve rice,, 2 peppers and 4 apples for meals 2 & 3
Meal 2 Enchiladas Chicken enchiladas Spanish rice Refried beans Coleslaw churros
Meal 3 Taco Soup Taco soup Cabbage rolls Corn on the cob Apple fritters
Ingredients: 2 C shredded cheese 3 c planned-over pulled chicken 15 oz can refried beans 30 oz can pureed tomatoes divided 12 corn tortillas 1 reserved chopped green pepper 2 C planned-over cooked rice 1 head cabbage (6 leaves reserved) Flour, egg, water, baking powder, canola oil, p sugar
Directions:
as usual for enchiladas and sauce
Stir-fried rice, Cole slaw Churros Reserve 1/2 # pulled chicken, cabbage, rice, 1 green pepper and tortilla chips for meal 3
Ingredients: 1 C shredded cheese 8C chicken broth 2C pulled chicken 1 each pepper, carrot, and onion chopped 14 oz tortilla chips 6 cabbage leaves, 3 C planned-over rice 2C planned-over tomato puree 6 ears corn on cob Flour apple, egg vanilla, bake pow-der, cooking oil, jam
Directions:
as usual for taco soup,
cabbage rolls, apple fritters. Corn on the cob
14
Cook once for three meals Worksheet Save time and energy by cooking more than you need and use the planned-overs for other
meals. Here is template to copy for personal use and you can attach a recipe card
Meal 1
Ingredients:
Directions: ●
Meal 2 Meal 3
Ingredients:
Directions: ●
Ingredients:
Directions: ●
15
Review Important Ideas and What’s Next?
1. Why would your family want to make a meal plan? Save money Save energy Make a shopping list save time 2. Your meal plan should make use of food in your pantry. True False not sure makes no difference 3. Provide for snacks in your meal plan. True False not sure makes no difference 4. Always take your family shopping. True false Not sure makes no difference 5. Older family members can help with these duties: Prepping cooking serving start a conversation clean-up 6. What ideas did you find important enough to share with your family? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 7. Decide how your family will schedule responsibilities.
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8. Name 4 comfort foods to be used during the month.
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9. Name 3 leafy greens to be used in each week’s meals;
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10. Name the cookbook or website you will use for recipes this month;
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If you want to share new ideas, vent, talk about your experience, or make sug-
gestions, simply log onto the family Meals Project Forum and register.
16
Important Closing Comments This booklet was all about meal planning with a theme of “Saving time, energy and money.” We will eventually pub-
lish another with a theme of “Planning meals to maximize nutritional value.”
“Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
There is no “right or wrong” when it
comes to meal planning. Every family has
different needs. However, there are better
choices that can be made. For example,
potato chips with onion dip and cola is a
great comfort food when watching televi-
sion or playing a game. Nutritionally the
chips and dips are salty, fatty, and the cola
is full of empty calories. However, these
snacks have a comforting taste and tex-
ture.
There are better choices. Low salt corn
tortilla chips with salsa and lemonade are
also comforting, tasty and have a pleasing
texture. But a better choice may be a veg-
gie tray with humus dip and water.
But a better nutritional choice for me may
be a poorer choice for someone with a
serious medical condition or allergies that
flares up when eating raw vegetables or
beans. Nutrition is a complicated topic
and my daughter would say “It depends”
when discussing food choices. If in doubt, talk
with a doctor.
Here is what one of our FMP nutritionists suggests if you have no special dietary needs:
Plan on starting your meal with a tasty low-salt soup and leafy-green salad.
Serve a variety of colorful vegetables with few chopped seeds, almonds or walnuts.
Roasting, steaming, slow cooking and sautéing are good cooking methods
“Let water be your choice of beverage .”
The food groups as suggested by the USDA My Plate Project. Eat lots of
different veggies with small portions of dairy, dessert, protein, and
whole grains . (Picture author or origination unknown)
17
Closing Comments
