Each week when I find out what\u2019s going to be in our produce delivery, I begin a meal plan. It\u2019s a simple chart of recipe ideas. I start with a list of what\u2019s in this week\u2019s basket as well as what I have on hand. Then I start searching recipe sites, cookbooks, magazines and blogs for new ideas, especially for items I haven\u2019t cooked with often and would hate to waste. There are so many excellent resources at our fingertips!<\/p>\n
Meal planning is a great way we found to trim our budget (and our waistlines).\u00a0My goal each week is to use everything in our delivery and only purchase the staples at the grocery store. This is where the budget savings comes in.\u00a0I don\u2019t always stick to cooking the exact meal on the exact day it\u2019s scheduled, but having a plan helps me utilize every piece of my basket to its fullest potential.<\/p>\n
Also, it helps me think ahead and make sure I\u2019m getting fresh, organic fruits and vegetables in my family\u2019s diet. Sometimes it\u2019s easier to get caught up in our all-too-busy lifestyles and run for take-out or quick fix foods (which are often overly processed and not good for us).\u00a0When our meals are planned (including our snacks), we find ourselves snacking on extra pieces of fruit or vegetables instead of sweets, thus avoiding empty calories.<\/p>\n