Now that you’ve been meal planning, how do you take your meal plan to the next level?
Our family has been meal planning for years now to cut down our food waste, make mealtime more manageable, and save money.
But after years of planning meals, sometimes things can get a little routine and mundane.
While routine can make meal planning easier, it can also make it annoying. Doing the same thing over and over again with the same recipes. It can get old quickly.
That’s why I’ll share with you some themed meal planning ideas so your meal plan doesn’t get boring.
And with freezer cooking meals, you can plan in advance, and have fun with your types of meals.
Plus, when you make this DIY menu planner, you can plan simply and quickly.
If you’re looking for new and innovative ways to take your meal plan to the next level, then you have got to try these tips!
Meal Planning Services
Whether you are looking to slash your grocery budget, or just put together meals in less time, meal planning services can be a great way to revamp your meal plan.
Meal planning services are a great way to get some new ideas into your meal planning, without worrying about what’s for dinner.
I found a meal planning service from a fellow blogger, Sarah Robinson of SideTrackedSarah, that I love. She does all the meal planning for you and provides the shopping lists also. All you have to do is buy the ingredients and have a crockpot ready to go. I love crockpot meals because they are just so easy!
BONUS DOWNLOAD
Want to plan your weekly meals with less hassle?
Download these FREE Meal Plan Templates and you'll get your meals and shopping list organized in just minutes.
It’s a great way to take your meal plan to the next level without all the hassle and digging for new recipes.
Create An Atmosphere
One of the most appealing parts of restaurants is the atmosphere. If you’ve ever been inside a Mexican restaurant, then you probably know what I’m talking about.
There is Spanish music playing, the decor usually reminds you of something you’d find out of Mexico, and everything is made to draw you in.
You can create that same atmosphere right at home with these themed meal planning ideas! Put on some music and even dress up a little. You’d be surprised how quickly you can dress up a simple meal with some music, a simple tablescape, and some simple decor.
When I’m putting together my meal plan, I make sure to include at least one meal that will allow us to do this.
It’s one way to take your meal plan to the next level and to have a little fun during dinner too.
Here are some more themed meal planning ideas:
- Dinner and a movie (cartoon movie and dinner based on the movie like Spaghetti and Lady and the Tramp)
- Treasure Island and pirate decor
- BBQ and country music or a good old western movie
- Asian Dinner with paper lanterns
Try Freezer Cooking
Freezer cooking meals take a little more work when it comes to planning, but the potential savings is such a payoff.
You will not only spend less time in the kitchen preparing dinner each night, but you will save money by not eating out, and there is less clean up too!
When putting together your meal plan, try and add one or two freezer-friendly meals to the list. This is how you take your meal plan to the next level by planning ahead especially for busy nights.
During your meal prep, go ahead and make these meals, and freeze them for the busiest nights.
Just think of all the foods that you can freeze!
You can freeze easy things to save you time like:
- Hamburger
- Rice
- Quinoa
Plus, there are many freezer meals you can make ahead to make dinner a snap!
Follow A Pre-Planned Meal Plan
If you don’t want to spend the money on a meal planning service, you can still follow a pre-planned meal plan!
Here is a great 30-day meal plan list from Today you can check out.
There are a ton of sites out there that offer 30 days of easy and cheap meals you can make for your family.
It’s a great way to cut down on your meal planning time, and even try some new recipes!
This helps to take your meal plan to the next level especially if you want to eat a certain way, but don’t know where to start.
Swap Meal Plans With A Friend
Do you know someone who meal plans too? Try planning each other’s meals for one week!
This is a great way to get some fresh perspective, you’ll get to try something new every single day, and you’ll take your meal plan to the next level!
If you are in a meal planning rut, this can be a great way to get out of it without reinventing the wheel.
You can even go shopping together and help pick out the grocery items.
Use A Meal Planning App
Meal planning apps can be great for planning your meals right from your phone!
Cook Smarts is more than just a meal planning app; it’s the entire meal planning service!
Cook Smarts helps its users plan out meals for the week, help you learn to cook, try new recipes, and eat healthier food.
The best part? This service is only $6 per month!
BONUS DOWNLOAD
Want to plan your weekly meals with less hassle?
Download these FREE Meal Plan Templates and you'll get your meals and shopping list organized in just minutes.
You can even build your shopping list right in the app! It’s free to use and is a great way to have everything you need all in one place!
It’s an easy way to take your meal plan to the next level.
Create A Menu Planner
This DIY menu planner can make meal planning a breeze.
Start by creating a jar of all the recipes your family loves to make. These can be on scrap pieces of paper, cardstock, or whatever you want.
You can take this a step further by labeling them by sides, main dishes, desserts, etc. When it comes time to meal plan, draw a card out of the jar and add it to your meal plan!
You can create your own menu planner with step by step instructions here.
There are so many things you can do to take your meal plan to the next level
That’s why these themed meal planning ideas help meal plan doesn’t get boring.
And with freezer cooking meals, you can plan in advance, and have fun with your types of meals.
Plus, when you make this DIY menu planner, you can meal plan simply and quickly.
Whether you’re looking to make it even easier, or just add a little more fun to your boring dinners, you can take your meal plan to the next level!
YOUR TURN: Do you have a friend that you could swap meal plans with? Let me know in the comments below!
