Intentional Meal Planning: Prep Work

I'm having so much fun going through this series with you all! I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. Now that your budget is in place, so let's move on to preparation. Prep work is everything you do to get ready to meal plan. For me, that's pantry staples, a planner, and a list. You might add in something else like a menu board or coupons, so be sure to find what works best for you.

Pantry Staples

A well stocked pantry is a gift. It means you have food within reach and can start your cooking from a baseline. Once you have a pantry in place, it makes grocery shopping and cooking so much easier! But getting to that point can be expensive and tricky. When we moved last summer, I had to leave behind the majority of my pantry, and it took several months to restock.

Only you can choose your specific staples list, but here is mine:

Pantry

Over the years we have used a kitchen cabinet, a shelf in the basement, or an actual pantry closet to store these supplies. Use whatever space you have a choose your supplies accordingly!
Baking Supplies: flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch (I bake a lot!)
Herbs & Spices: salt, kosher salt, black & red pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, rosemary, seasoning blends, taco seasoning packets, ranch seasoning packets
Prepackaged Foods: boxed rice mixes, mac & cheese, pasta (long noodles, shaped noodles, orzo), parmesan cheese
Canned Goods: diced tomatoes, black beans, garbanzo beans, chicken broth (mine actually comes in a box)
Sauces: tomato sauce, salsa, BBQ sauce, marinades, dijon mustard, simmer sauces, oil-based salad dressing, peanut butter
Packaged foods: tortilla chips, pretzels, baby food pouches, protein bars, popcorn
We also buy rice in a 30lb bag and store it in a giant bucket.

This is my pantry shelf where I store my non-perishables. Most of these items are from Aldi and the syrup is from Brandless.

Refrigerator

Sauces: ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, soy sauce, salad dressing (one creamy, one vinegar based), syrup
Dairy: milk, almond milk, eggs, sour cream, heavy cream, shredded cheese, butter
Other: jelly, lemon juice

Freezer

Veggies: chopped onions, 3 pepper & onion blend, stir fry blend, corn
Meat: chicken breast, chicken thighs, ground beef
Other: cookie dough balls, bananas, frozen fruit for smoothies, more butter

A few tips to keep your pantry up-to-date:

• * Make a list of everything you need, but don't currently have. Add a few items to your weekly grocery list until your pantry is complete. When an item goes on sale, buy multiple packages if you have extra storage space.
• * Use a site like Brandless to buy pantry basics at reasonable prices. We love their pure maple syrup, tahini, and baby food pouches.
• * Herbs and spices can be expensive, but quality makes a huge difference. I use Penzeys Spices for about 80% of my pantry. I keep a running list on my phone of spices I want or run out of, and then about once a quarter I run to our Penzey's store. I've also considered using companies like Brandless to order bulk spices, but haven't tried it yet.
• * Decant your baking supplies into jars. I use mason jars for smaller items and plastic storage containers for the larger ones. Make sure to use clear plastic or glass so it's easy to see what supplies are running low. This also makes it significantly easier to store!
• * As soon as you use the last of a pantry staple, grab your list and write it down for the coming week. It can be hard to remember at first, but you'll find this easier than trying to remember on grocery day or run to the store at the last minute.

Now that you have your pantry, let's move to planning meals each week. 

I typically sit down at our kitchen table on Saturday mornings with a cup of coffee and grab my planner, list, recipe books, and phone. It takes me about 30 minutes a week, and when I'm done I have a plan for the next seven days plus my completed grocery list.

Meal Planner

Meal planners come in all shapes and sizes. Some friends of mine use a menu board (this one is magnetic!) or a simple sticky note, while others have a specific planner just for meals. This year, I've been using Emily Ley's Simplified Planner that includes a box on each day to write in your dinner option. I'm planning to switch to a May Designs planner when my Simplified one ends in July and will write in our dinner selection on each day's log. May Designs also offers a specific menu planner. I'd suggest checking Target or Amazon to see what they have to offer, or ask your friends what they use.

The point here is not so much what you use as writing it down. I typically grab my calendar (on my phone or in my planner) and think through our week and what might be good to eat when. I also take into account things like the weather or visitors. I'll serve a crock pot dish if we'll be at the doctor all afternoon or a soup if it's a cold, rainy day.

As a note, I do not plan breakfasts, lunches, or snacks. I know some people do find that helpful, so find out what's best for you. I offer a small array of options for breakfast and lunch that my kids choose between. I don't eat breakfast, and Ben grabs something at work. For lunch, I eat leftovers, PBJ, or a salad with chicken. Ben takes leftovers to work on days he doesn't have a lunch meeting.

Find my planner and list pad at Simplified!

Grocery List

Here again, the idea isn't so much to have a cute list as it is to just make a list. For many years, I grabbed a $1 magnetic list pad from the Target Dollar Spot. When I ordered my planner last year, I ordered a list pad from Simplified as well. I like the idea of categories, but don't like the way it's broken up. (I usually fill a couple sections and have one or two mostly empty.) So all that to say, grab any sheet of paper pr pad you like and make a list!

Up next? Recipes! I'll share my favorite recipe books plus a few of our tried and true staple recipes that use items from my pantry.