Happy Saturday! 
I’m just about to head out to the Farmer’s Market and Grocery Store to get my weekly groceries, and I thought I’d share my meal and grocery planning routine with you.
It’s a really easy system – but it keeps me very organized! Planning meals ahead of time helps me both to make sure we have lots of variety in our meals and to save money as well, by creating a clear grocery list.
I use SpringPad to store recipes that I find online. It’s super easy to search by ingredient, or just browse through!
Once I’ve decided what to make for dinner for the week, I post it in my Google Calendar. I have a separate calendar, called Meals that Grant and I can both make changes on. It’s super easy to move meals around, and I set myself a reminder if there is something I need to thaw the day before. This week is pretty light on the cooking - we’re making homemade pizza and chicken parmesan (look for the recipes later on this week!). The other nights, we’re thawing some Vegetarian Chili, On Our Own (I have class Monday nights! 
) and going out for dinner for Grant’s birthday.
I don’t plan my breakfasts and lunches ahead of time – breakfast is almost always an oatmeal variation, and lunch is often leftovers! That said, since we’re On Our Own, and going out for dinner two nights this week, I do have to get some extra supplies for lunches
I also use Google Tasks to create a grocery list. Throughout the week if I think of something we need, I add it to the list, and then once I’ve planned out our meals, I add the rest along too.
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An update on Operation Get Up Early: I was way too ambitious! While I didn’t make it to 6 am yet, I am hovering around 7-7:30, which is still much better than 8:30-9! However, even getting up 1 hour earlier has given me enough time to start the day off with purpose, which was the entire goal of Operation Get Up Early! It will take longer than I thought to be a true early riser though!
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Do you meal plan ahead of time? How far ahead of time? How do you stay organized?
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I do the same thing! I use Google Calendar tasks for my grocery list. I have a list that I change or update weekly. So many things I buy are repeated each week so it’s nice not having to go back and type them in. I also put in our meals using Google Calendar.
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Wow you are so much more organized than me, I’m impressed!
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I feel lost if I don’t plan out my meals. Basically on Thurs or Fri, I look through my kitchen first to see what I already have on hand and then look different cookbooks of mine to see what I can incorporate or what is something new I can try then put a list together for wknd shopping. I then look at my supermarket specials online, see if anything is on sale and if I have any coupons that could double and help save me money. I absolutely love your idea about Google Calendar though! And I am the same, it’s basically planning dinner b.c I bring leftovers to work 90% of the time.
And I so jealous of you with your sleep schedule. I wake up at 545A/6A for work and days where I get to sleep in until 630A is sleeping in for me
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I’m a big meal planner. I keep an updated list of what I have in stock and make meals that I can use mostly what I have and then just buy a few ingredients. WE have to stock the basics about once every few months.
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Thanks for all the great tips- you’re so organized! Have a great Sunday!
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I seem to eat a lot of the same things from week to week….so it’s not that challenging to shop!!
I do write a list though:)
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Thanks for the great tips! I am going to try and use Springpad now. I also tend to eat the same things all week, but am always interested in finding out new ideas. I am always striving to eat Cleaner every day.
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