The amount of planning a teacher does is mind-blowing! The sad part, though, is that we often don’t do the same level of planning for our personal lives, most likely because we are just plain tired! Can you relate? But a little planning for dinnertime can make life a whole lot easier at the end of a long day. And. . . it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. If you’re ready to ditch the dinnertime overwhelm and embrace a simple, streamlined system you’ll actually stick with, you’re in the right place!

My Why Behind Meal Planning

Meal planning came about for me after too many nights of frustration. We all have “ideas” for dinners, but I never actually got into the routine of planning them out for the week. Dinnertime was a “what sounds good tonight” kind of routine that was more stressful than helpful. After I would get home from work, totally exhausted, I’d stare at the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. Then, I’d promptly give up and just end up ordering takeout. And honestly. . . there were many nights that the mere thought of this ritual sent me through the drive-thru on the way home instead.

This was the absolute worst because it only left me feeling bad about what I ate and about spending extra money. And the mom guilt. . . we won’t even go there! Have you ever been stuck in this spot?! It’s not a fun place to be!

Time for a Change

Enough finally became enough for me, and I decided to change this. I knew my answer was meal planning like I had never done before. This time had to be different if it was going to stick! In the past, I would scour my Pinterest recipe boards and try all the creative meals I had saved over the years. The problem? This was not sustainable for me. I was too tired to be creative in the kitchen, and inevitably, I usually forgot an important ingredient or two when I went grocery shopping. These recipes were great for a fun weekend meal when I felt like being a little gourmet, but not so much for a weeknight during the school year. So what was the answer?

My Simple Meal Planning Solution

One summer, when I was feeling rested and had the brain power to tackle a new life habit, I decided to set my mind to sustainable meal planning for a busy teacher. Finally, I came up with a simple, actually doable solution for “school year me”. You know, the one who’s tired, busy, and needs a delicious dinner on the table in a hurry!

This simple plan allowed me to plan on autopilot and alleviate decision fatigue for this task. Are you ready for it? Daily dinner categories! I sat down, chose a category for each day based on what we like to eat, and then made a “master list” of easy, low-prep dinner ideas that were doable for a weeknight dinner.

You guys. . . LIFECHANGING! I know that might sound dramatic, but really! Meal planning is one of the best ways I have found to ensure I am taking care of myself and my family and to minimize stress. Just like I sit down each week to plan for my classroom, I started planning for myself.

Weekly Meal Planning Categories

Ready to see my system in action? Here are the daily dinner categories we use in my house.

Monday: Family Favorites

There’s nothing better than kicking off the week with a favorite. These meals are usually quick and easy, but might take a little more time or energy than something I plan later in the week. After all, it is only Monday, so my energy and outlook are usually still strong! Some of my favorites? Easy Korean Beef Bowls, Crack Chicken Tenders, and Down Home Porkchops! Mmmmmm, I’m getting hungry just thinking about them. And. . . what’s better than family favorites for dinner? Leftovers for an easy lunch during the week!

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday

You can’t go wrong with Taco Tuesday. We love tacos around here and would eat them more than once a week. Tacos are also very versatile, and I sometimes tweak Taco Tuesday into Taco Salad Tuesday, Burrito Tuesday, or Enchilada Tuesday. Same ingredients, just with a twist. Tacos come in so many varieties! You can use shredded chicken, shredded beef, ground beef, fish or shrimp, tofu, and even veggies! What I love about taco night is that I can easily get a head start on another meal. I will often cook extra of our taco protein so that I can use it in another recipe later in the week.

Wednesday: Crockpot Meals 

Who doesn’t love a good crockpot meal to take the burden of cooking dinner off your shoulders? For many years, I wasn’t successful with crockpot meals. I came home to an overdone dinner, or I had to leave school at lunch to turn it on. Then I found a crockpot with a delayed start feature! It made all the difference in the world. I would load everything in the crockpot and set it to start at the right time so that it was ready at dinner time. Total game changer!!!

I like to make large crockpot meals that I can either use for lunches during the week, or I use the leftovers to build my freezer stock for those weeks I REALLY don’t want to cook! There’s nothing better than a ready-to-go meal after Open House or Parent Conferences. I love that my efforts double up for the week. Some of my favorites are barbecue chicken or pulled pork, pot roast, and stew. I love all the recipes I’ve used from The Pioneer Woman and Food 52.

Thursday: Pasta 

Pasta night is always a winner. It’s easy to make and a crowd pleaser. Although traditional spaghetti is a staple in my house, I also love to mix it up. Changing out the pasta shape, protein, and/or sauce can make a very similar meal feel really different. If you have picky kids, throw some butter and cheese on the noodles, and I am sure you will have some happy campers! I love that I can add salad and garlic bread if I am feeling fancy!

I also love that pasta night is little more than boiling water. By Thursday, my energy is diminishing, so it’s great to keep things easy. Oh, and remember that hack about cooking extra protein on Tuesday? I will often use it here. And. . . if I’m feeling a little extra, I will even make our pasta sauce in the crockpot so it is ready to serve. Talk about an easy dinner – this is it!

Friday: Pizza Friday

Pizza Friday was actually from my childhood. My mom used to either make homemade pizzas (my favorite was the one she made out of a loaf of French bread), buy a ready-made made to bake at home, or order a pizza! It was such a special treat to end the week! I love doing this in my own routine because it is so easy, and feels like a great way to gather around the table or pair with a movie at the end of the week. 

More Meal Planning Tips

No matter what you choose for your daily dinner categories, just be sure to think about “mid-week, mid-school year you”, not fully rested, summer you. Trust me, this is key to making this system actually work! Now, here’s a couple more tips to make this easier than ever.

1. Pick a Consistent Day to Meal Plan

Choose a day that works for you and stick with it. Make sure you do it before you need to go to the grocery store and allow yourself a little extra time to do a quick “shop” of your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Once you have a plan in place, you can add anything you need to your grocery list so there are no last-minute grocery runs during the week. This saves money and helps you be consistent.

2. Plan Around Your Schedule

I always make sure I look at my upcoming week when I am planning. Having the categories already helps a lot, but life happens. If I have a super busy day, I will move the crockpot meal to that day or pull a made-ahead meal out of the freezer instead. Taking a look at the upcoming week helps to ensure I do not add more stress to a task that is supposed to help me.

3. Double Up and Repurpose

I briefly mentioned this earlier, but if I am cooking something I can use twice, I do it! It is so much easier to cook all the chicken at once and then use it for two meals! Sometimes this double up strategy helps with another meal that week, and other times it helps me stock my freezer with a ready-to-go meal for the future. By planning the week ahead of time, you can really simplify and save yourself time.

4. Keep a Master List for Easier Meal Prepping

Don’t spend your meal planning time trying to think of recipes. Instead, keep a master list so that all you have to do is reference it and plan. I like to print my recipes and keep them in a binder along with a master list of all the meal options divided by day. Even those meals that don’t need a recipe go on the master list. When I sit down to plan, I have all our options and any recipes I need right at my fingertips.

When we try a new recipe, I don’t add it to the list until we have had it once, and it has gotten a thumbs up from everyone involved. No need to complicate your life with recipes no one liked!

How to Save Time Grocery Shopping When Meal Planning

After a long week, the last thing I want to do is grocery shop. Actually, even when I am rested and relaxed in the summer, I still hate to grocery shop. It is a task I just don’t enjoy. And. . . the grocery store on the weekend is the last place I want to be. I have found a few tips for saving time and money when it comes to grocery shopping.

• Utilize online ordering and pick up. So many stores now offer free pickup or delivery. Some require a membership, and some don’t. But for me, the cost of the membership outweighs the number of hours I would spend in the grocery store in a year, even if I only value my time at minimum wage. But my time, and yours, is worth a lot more than that!
• Create a master grocery list. I have a note in my phone that is my master grocery list. You know, the those things you tend to buy every time you are at the store. I reference this list when I am ordering groceries to make sure I got everything. I also use the grocery store website or app features to save our most commonly bought items so I can order quickly.
• Stick to your meal plan! A big reason I love shopping online is that I only buy what I need. No more pesky marketing ploys that get me to buy things I don’t need. And. . . no more impulse buys because I’m shopping while hungry. My grocery bill actually went down when I started ordering online.

Give Meal Planning a Try!

So what do you think, friend? Totally doable, right?! I promise, meal planning can be fun, and it will give you so much of your time and energy back. It may seem a little daunting at first, but so did lesson planning when we all started teaching, so don’t let that steer you away!

To help you get started, I’ve got a freebie that you don’t want to miss! I’m sharing 3 of my favorite recipes that are not only easy but also delicious! Enter your email below, and I’ll send them to you so you can try them out.

There’s a little something for everyone in this free recipe collection, so you won’t want to miss out. Have fun giving this a try in your life and remember. . . Having a plan is often a total lifesaver, both in the classroom and at home!

Want a Few More Bites?

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few other “bite-sized” blogs to help you save time!

• Time Saving Tips for Teachers
• School Day Brain Breaks to Help Teachers Decompress
• 5 Teacher Self Care Habits That Make a Big Impact

Save These Meal Planning Tips

Pin this blog post to Pinterest to revisit when you are ready to implement your weekly meal plan!