This is part 2 in a series about meal planning. If you missed the first one, check it out ! Yesterday we learned the 4 secrets to meal planning, and today we have the “how to” - including a free meal plan and grocery list.

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Hi! I’m Bridget Shoquist of just b, I’m back again to finish what we started yesterday. Here’s exactly how to plan your whole MONTH!

List the Meals for the Month: List out 5 dinners, 3 lunches, 3 breakfasts, 3 snacks

I’ve included a link to a free example month at the bottom of this post. What works for me is to focus more on the dinner menu and keep the rest simple. You can always use dinner as leftovers for lunch or extra meat as a salad topper. I find my recipes on Pinterest, cook books, family and friends, or recipes.com.

Create Your Grocery List:

The grocery list is an essential tool to buy only what is on the list so you don’t start to browse and spend extra money on unneeded things.

Start with dinners of weeks 1 and 3. This way, you can kind of see a pattern and continue to use the same ingredients. When finished, move to lunch and breakfasts of weeks 1 and 3.

Repeat with weeks 2 and 4.

**IMPORTANT NOTE** It’s ok to change recipes to keep the ingredients similar! If one calls for red potatoes and another Yukon potatoes, I’m going to pick one. Don’t be married to a recipe or you will make yourself lose your mind. As one of my favorite human beings, Bill Murry says, “IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!” Don’t get too tangled up in getting the EXACT ingredients. Dive in and get it done so you can go dominate your next task of the day.

Keep both weeks on one master list making sure to keep the weeks separated. You can do this on paper or electronically. I do a little of both, but I like to have the list saved electronically so I don’t lose it as easily and can pull it up quickly a few months from now (TO USE IT AGAIN). There are also many apps you can download to help manage the list!

Abbreviate meals in the “meal list template” and put into the grocery list next to each item so you know exactly what ingredient goes with what meal. This gives you an idea of how much of each item you may need.

Section the list into grocery categories to make it easier for shopping.

Cooking:

When the stars have aligned and you can pull off the “F YES” plan (F YES is usually what I yell when I pull off a very constructed plan), this is what it would look like…

· Write down EVERY meal you will have on each day for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner

· Cook all meals on Sunday

· Put the meals in portion-appropriate dishes to take and eat such as lunches if taking them to go

· Take yourself to the spa because you are “F YES” AMAZING!

**This doesn’t happen for me very often as I don’t get a full day to do these things with the age of my kids at this point. But I dream about it and it’s lovely.

What I do in my reality…

I give a head’s up to my husband that I’m going to need 2-3 UNINTERRUPTED hours and cook as many meals as I can – usually 3 dinners and fixings for lunch. While I’m prepping for those meals, I’ll continue to chop up as many veggies as possible so I can throw them on salads for lunch and/or use them in a meal later in the week when I’m doing round 2 of cooking. Remember secret number 4? EASY MEALS! Here is where it comes in handy for the potentially busier mid-week and/or for the “F NO” days when you need simplicity the most (I think “F NO” needs no explanation).

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do the “F YES” plan. But still go to the spa because you are still AMAZING.

With my personality type, I don’t do well with writing out my whole week of every meal for each day. I like the freedom of bulk cooking so I can choose what I want when I want. That’s right folks! Not everyone can live on the completely detailed down to the 15 minutes every day and THAT IS OK!! Everyone functions differently. For those of you that are a “lazy” type A as I call myself or the type B…I am here for you! A great tip from a gal I know by the name of Michelle Lynchard is to schedule-in your bulk cooking in your planner every week. This gets everyone on the same page, including yourself! If you’re like me, it gives that positive pressure I need to complete my task (lazy type A, remember?). Don’t feel guilty to make this a priority as this will set you up for success in everything else in your life.

If you have kids, schedule a play date out of the house or work with your spouse to have NO INTERRUPTIONS to do bulk cooking. And if you are the luckiest in the land with friends close by, do it with friends! EVERYTHING is better with friends!

But let’s be real – desires and reality don’t always gel. “F NO” days will happen.

You know the deal; sick kids, you’re sick, you’ve been gone on a trip, tough work week, etc…WE ARE HUMAN!

If you don’t get the uninterrupted prep time…

· Those working outside the home - use the easy day! Get up a little earlier in the morning and use the instant pot or slow cooker to have it ready when you get home. Another option is to use the example of my favorite simple meal; boil some cheese tortellini.

· Those working part time or at home - prep the meals in the morning or afternoon. If you are really on the ball just make the whole thing right then and warm it up later. I’ve noticed cooking in the morning or afternoon has saved me so much energy for the evening.

I can’t stress enough - Work smart, not hard! Last time I checked a semi-healthy canned soup and toast is still a meal.

And guess what…you’re not going to “mom hell” if you order out occasionally *GASP* I give you permission to be easy on yourself especially during those tough days.

Because you know what, sometimes in the grand scheme of life food on the table, is food on the table. During those hard days, “IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!”

Thanks for reading, I truly hope this helps gain control of your life and you DOMINATE!

Because you have made it through my meal planning boot camp, I’d like to give you all a free month plan and the grocery list that goes with it.

The plan includes:

5 Dinners

3 Breakfast, 3 Lunch and 3 Snack options

All recipes are on my Pinterest board.

Spread the authenticity to the mom life and just be…

b.

Meal Planning Part 2 - How to!