Planning your meals for the week ahead is a great way to save time and money. It’ll also help you to cook healthier meals for your family and say goodbye to last-minute meal ideas which, let’s face it, can be recipes for disaster!

Another benefit of meal planning is that it can help you achieve your fitness goals. We share heaps more info on this over on THE BOD app and in the new Training & Nutrition programs. 

If you’re looking for inspiration on what to cook, you’re in the right place. I love spending time in the kitchen and, as a busy mum, planning my meals in advance has saved me soooo much time and energy! I love to cook quick, simple and flavour-filled food which is why my everyday recipe books have been a lifesaver. Some of my favourite foods to prepare for the week include:

• Rhubarb & Raspberry Morning Loaf
• Broccoli and Cheese Bites
• Chicken Korma
• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I’ve also put together some no-fail meal planning ideas for you to try…

• Set aside time to meal plan
• Maybe it’s on a Friday evening before your grocery shop on Saturday, or first thing when you wake up. Choose a time and day that works for you and you can stick to. 

• Decide on recipes
• Know who you’re cooking for throughout the week - maybe it’s just you and the kids, or perhaps you have friends and family visiting. Plan meals around ingredients or pantry staples that you already have so to eliminate food waste. And find recipes that you enjoy - this is so important! If you’re stuck for recipe ideas, I recommend investing in a recipe book packed with healthy family-friendly meals that can be prepared easily. 

• Use a weekly planner 
• Check your calendar for any events or activities that you have coming up that week and plan your meals around that. Then write down your meals in your planner and keep it somewhere visible, like stuck to the kitchen fridge, so you can easily refer to it (this also stops the nagging what’s for dinner? question from the kids!) Another tip is to laminate your meal planner so you can easily wipe it clean and start again each week!

• Use up leftovers
• Don’t forget to factor leftovers into your meal plan. If you cook up a big chilli one night, use up leftovers for lunch the next day. 

If you haven’t figured already, I’m a huge fan of meal planning. It truly is such a time-saver and once you start you’ll never look back. 

If you’re wanting to do a big meal prep for the week ahead but unsure where to start I recommend giving my Meal Prep Like A Boss e-book a try. From grocery shopping and budgets to sample meal plans, this is a game-changer and I’ve had so many women tell me how they now love to meal prep!

I’d love to know what meals you’re planning for the week ahead? Leave me a comment below or reach out to me on my socials.

Sophie x