Gather your recipes
Save your best recipes, and whether it’s online or writing them down, keep them organized. Know where you go for grilled, crockpot or brunch dishes so you don’t have to waste time digging through a pile of old recipes.
Plan your meals weekly and make a grocery list
Although this sounds obvious, writing down your weekly meal plan and separating each meal into items you need to add to your grocery list, will help you be organized and not feel overwhelmed.
Double (or triple!) recipes
You want to make BIG meals so that you can store the extras for leftovers. Double or triple each recipe when you make them, so you can cook once and eat on it for a few days.
Create your own frozen meals
Store bought frozen meals are typically loaded with salt and food preservatives, so you want to make your own frozen meals. Soups are especially great to make big batches and freeze the leftovers to eat at a later date.
Pack your lunch the night before
You will not only eat healthier but save money. While you are preparing or cleaning up dinner the night before, pack your lunch for the next day. This will help you not feel rushed in the morning, all you have to do is grab the bag from the fridge and go. Keep it simple and make sure to pack healthy snacks. I always suggest having fruit, greek yogurt and almonds on hand in case you get hungry.
Find a schedule that works for you
Setting aside on Sunday and Wednesday evening for cooking helps me stay organized. I know ahead of time that these days I will be doing cooking, chopping and prepping. By setting aside specific days I am able to plan the rest of my week without worrying about what I am going to cook each night.
Keep cooking
Practice makes perfect.. and the more the cook the easier cooking will come. If you get stressed one week, or aren’t able to plan every meal and ingredient out, don’t worry! Keep cooking, and keep doing your best to plan ahead, it takes practice. Once you finish up one week of meal planning, save your grocery lists and notes from the week so you can repeat that week in a month or two and your life will keep getting easier!