MY WEEKLY MEAL PLAN | Grocery Tips + Food Budget

Meal planning was a tool I used to help me lower the cost of my food budget. Ultimately, it gave me an organized food plan to prepare a grocery list, use food that I already had, and made it convenient to cook at home.

In this video, I break down my meal planning steps and bring you along for creating one of my weekly meal plans.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:54 Food Budget Factors
03:37 A Realistic Food Budget Foundation
05:38 Step 1 Use what you already have
10:34 Step 2 Finding recipes
13:38 Step 3 Creating the meal plan
18:15 Step 4 Create shopping list
21:25 Step 5 Grocery shopping
24:25 Conclusion

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[yvonnejohnson]

I just wanted to share that I paid off a medical bill that my husband had. It is the best feeling. I am so happy.

[lindapedersen-hylka]

This is the first time I've had meal planning explained to me that I totally understand, & I think it's do-able. Thank You

[SaschaDuvall]

Honestly. I’m 35. I’ve been looking for help on my finances foe years but never found anyone whose advise I would take but you!!! You make so much sense! Thank

[nancyuren]

Just found you & love you! We are a family of 3. One is diabetic. I printed a recent menu plan we will start for March. It has the entire month with b-l-d/ & healthy snacks. Our pantry is organized with clear containers from Walmart which we still need labels for. I have a " Kitchen" binder. We have a " shopping list". As you do, we decide for the month any appointments ( I don't cook late). We then decide what type of meals we want to make. ( We have deep freezer & kitchen freezer list also). My recipie binders are Beef, Chicken, Pork/Ham, Seafood ( needs cleaning out big time). I then go to lunches as my brother is diabetic & needs snacks & low carb lunches. We live in Fla. ( 78 today) & no basement. We started " prepping" essentials due to hurricane season. I am 65 & my daughter is 40 with Epilepsy. I am the only driver. So, since my back & hands are all arthritic, & i cannot always walk, we have food on hand. Phew, thank you for reading. ALSO, we started major budgeting & have the envelope system going. Been hard since we rent & are all on SSI. But, with Covid, being home bound, we took the time to majorly " revamp". We have been paying on a debt consolidation for 4 yrs of all my daughters medical bills. She has had 5 brain surgeries, a stroke. All the flying different states, testing, moving 9 times added up. We have 1 1/2 yrs left & we will be DEBT FREE!!!! Our new 2020 Kia Soul will also be pd off. ( Just now at 5, 000 miles in 3 yrs.( no driving). OUR NEXT PLAN: To hopefully buy a home. Renting just leaves too many limitations. HIT THE LIKE BUTTON FOR MIKO~~~~ P.S. I LOVE YOUR HOME!!

[terridenno]

A quick tip to save on printer paper and ink - make your recipes with erasable pens, one color for items you have, another color for things you need to buy. That way you can keep the recipe and reuse it just by erasing your check marks,

[alinasmithdaveishome]

4. Income is driving factor in food budget. You can have two exact same families in location, demographics and diet but if one is earning $250K and other family $25K, then food spend is going to be vastly different, even though they eat the same amt. An older couple will eat less food than a young couple but if old couple is wealthy, they will spend more on their food. I had been wondering for a while why we were spending so much on food since family size didn’t change but then realized incomes did increase over time! I’m glad you mentioned about no such thing as hard number for food budget. Just because one family is spending less on their food than you doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong and it’s important people realize that.

[joanalorenzo]

I do food shopping 3rd world country style. Shop once a month the kitchen staples...Rice beans, meats, and other grains. Also, spices, oil and cleaning household items. In the middle of the month I replenish fruits and veggies and milk. I spend $300 for 3 people and I live in new york.. I usually buy sales and have a deep freezer that's how I save money.

[manondeusjen]

I'm from the Netherlands and taking your advice. I am able to save 25 % of my food budget since the last meal plan video that I saw from you 6 months ago. Next goal is pantry list. That one I still struggle with. But thank you for this video. It helps me focus on that goal!

[arafigueroa]

I am a person that don’t like to write comments good or bad. BUT with you girl. Wow you are a God send. May God prospered you more n more. Thank you for sharing for free all your tips to help other. So appreciated. Thank you. Is been hard for me to be a new mom and the whole concept of been a housewife is so tiring but need it. Grateful for all the info. 💝

[karenmarley]

Love this video! I do use Walmart pick-up sometimes, but Aldi and Lidl have saved me a ton of $$$. If you shop by store, plan meals around their specials for the week. A bonus to going into a store is that you can find marked down meats or produce. Bring a cooler even if it's winter, and designate a bag for produce only. This way, you will know which bags need to be brought into the house first if shopping a larger haul. To stay on track, purchase a tally counter- if an item is $2.63 you would click it three times always rounding up for tax. Love they way you write with those pens 😊

[cricketbeans]

Anyone else’s mind BLOWN 🤯 about changing the serving size on Pinterest?! I had no idea!

[tspacefullstop]

After doing a spreadsheet of 2020...food was the most expensive area. I was floored. There was a time when I couldn't afford a lot on food. Now my circumstances have changed since downsizing and obviously paying less in rent and utilities, I'm not happy with my efforts to cut back. Its too easy to add when shopping online and getting it delivered and thats the only way I shop for food.
I will reduce it in small increments. Thank you for these tips.

[PeachPollux]

YES, opening up this vid with the having totally different food budget factors based on where we live, family size, and dietary restrictions gives me peace of mind. And upon checking the steps in the chapters, I found it similar to what I am already doing, which prompted me to watch the whole video! 💚 This definitely gave me more confidence to continue on the route I'm taking. Thank you

[littlemomplanner]

Thank you for doing this, food spending is definitely one of my biggest budgeting challenges. My main takeaway from this, is to keep the pantry inventory list in the pantry, and then how to keep track of my inventory. I was trying to keep it in my planner and it just never worked because it wasn’t updated. But keeping it in the place I’m using it most is a great tip.

[lindaz]

Great ideas! Consuming less meat will save you a lot of money too! I personally eat mostly vegetarian/vegan nowadays. It helps me to stay healthy and it decreased my food budget significantly.

[tammy]

We hunt and fish, helps us a lot. We don’t buy much meat. This spring we’re getting chickens.
Thank you for all of your tips

[allisgrace]

Just getting ret to start my inventory of my fridge, freezer and pantry....and I stumble upon your smiling face! Yay! Ear buds in! Clipboard with your inventory sheets in hand! Listening as I go.

[dicksisutcliffefolk]

I love how thorough you explain and show your process. Thank you!!

[alycer.]

I love these vlogs. So helpful. I started doing this again. There was a moment there where I was just to tired to cook. But now now you can't stop me and I'm really loving going through my cookbooks📚

[vikingmother]

MIKO: "How many times have you grabbed tomato pastes at the store, and came back home to realize you already had 6 cans??"

YOU GOT ME :D