My summer meal plan for next week!

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I used to be SO efficient with meal planning, especially before I had Edie. Each week I’d print out a meal planner and pin it up in the kitchen so that I could see exactly what I had planned to cook… then I slowly stopped doing that.

Meal planning properly can really help to cut back the weekly spend and food wastage so I am trying really hard to get back to it. I don’t think it’s especially tough during summer so I thought I’d share with you our meal plan for the next week.

Monday – Shredded chicken fajitas – 2 chicken breasts slow cooked in mexican spices and shredded.

Tuesday – Flan (I made this summer flan a few weeks ago and it went down a storm!) & salad

Wednesday – Slow cooker spaghetti Bolognese (my mother’s recipe)

Thursday – Tomousska (I first made this when I wanted to make Moussaka and I didn’t have any aubergine, here is the recipe)

Friday – Homemade pizza using my favourite pizza dough recipe

Saturday – Adult’s have a take out but the boys will be having fish parcels

Sunday – Dare I attempt a Sunday Dinner? I haven’t had one for ages so I think the answer is yes!! Our’s usually has roasted chicken (or sometimes beef), mashed potatoes, mashed carrot and swede, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, yorkshire puddings (hello, we’re in yorkshire – plain rude not to) and red cabbage.

So working out my meal cost for the week (I do the bulk of my shopping at Aldi and then grab extras/luxuries from Asda) I will spend roughly £32.50 on meals (including using things like the ham for flan for sandwiches/lunch boxes and adding in breakfast cereal etc), £30-35 on luxuries/snacks (chocolate/crisps/wine..) and £25 on a takeout. That makes our (max) spend for the week £90 for a family of 6 for food… how does that compare to you, do you think that’s reasonable?

What is on your meal planner next week or do you wing it?

H x

P.s – I’m not including the cleaning or laundry products in this and we are by no means thrifty on those or food, but I do think that by planning we can save quite a bit.

62 Comments

  1. Avatar June 17, 2016 / 9:17 am

    Fab meal plan H! I love the sound of slow cooking the chicken in fajita spices rather than just whacking it in the frying pan. I bet it makes it extra tasty – I will give it a try! Thanks for sharing with us on #fortheloveofBLOG

    • Harriet June 20, 2016 / 6:31 am

      Thanks Fi – it is SO much nicer than any other way, it’s deeeeelish! H x

  2. Avatar
    Kerry Norris
    June 16, 2016 / 10:18 pm

    I think that’s so reasonable. I have to start meal planning as we waste so food. Love the idea of a sinner flan. I always shop in Aldi now x

    • Harriet June 20, 2016 / 6:32 am

      We waste a lot too when I don’t make a plan!

  3. Avatar June 15, 2016 / 1:57 pm

    This looks super helpful but I can imagine it’s hard to feed a family, especially without a meal plan. I struggle to do a meal plan for me as it is, and I’m just one person! x

  4. Avatar June 15, 2016 / 11:39 am

    I dont meal plan myself but i understand the benefits. Whenever i see others plans I always want to start trying it myself!

  5. Avatar June 15, 2016 / 2:11 am

    Thats absolutely brilliant, great value meal plan in my opinion. We spend that on our groceries for the house and theres just the two of us. I love the idea of the tomatosakka! xxx

  6. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 7:08 pm

    I started meal planning a few weeks ago and it’s been great as I don’t over buy. Plus I don’t get to 4pm and think what am I going to do for dinner anymore X

  7. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 2:44 pm

    hat a fab meal plan Harriet.. it really shows that you can eat good food on a budget

  8. Avatar
    nicol
    June 14, 2016 / 2:32 pm

    ooo i do like the sound of this! and £90 is good for a family of 6! i think my parents spends more than that and were a family of 6 too. big appetites i guess haha

  9. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 12:44 pm

    Never heard of Tomousska before so am checking your recipe out! It’s great you have such a varied meal plan each week. I’m a fail of a cook so it’s just pasta pasta pasta for me at the moment!

  10. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 9:22 am

    I need to start meal planning I think I would save a fortune too. I spend over £100 for a week and we are only a family of four. I think you are doing really well to keep to £90 for a family of 6:)

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:39 am

      Thanks Lisa – we don’t do it all the time but this is a prime example of how much planning can really help!

  11. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 8:58 am

    I’m not a huge fan of Aubergines so I’m loving the sound of the Tomousska!

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:39 am

      Super tasty, give it a go!

  12. Avatar June 14, 2016 / 6:30 am

    Great meals and sure the family will love it. I’ll go for the Shredded chicken fajitas; sounds very yummy.

  13. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 10:31 pm

    This sounds like a good meal plan. I need to try making a flan this year. They’re not so common here!

  14. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 9:47 pm

    I really enjoy meal planning. I usually start on Fridays and plan for meals for the week ahead. I don’t put days against the recipes as usually like to choose what I want to cook from the menu the day before. Sunday roast is a must on Sunday’s :-). Chicken is my favourite.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:45 am

      I wish I was that organised… I used to be!

  15. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 8:51 pm

    I wing it but when I move hopefully I will be spending less money on food because it is not a good habit of mine.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:45 am

      Thanks Ana! Good luck 🙂

  16. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 8:23 pm

    Our go to weekly meals are not too dissimilar to yours but in addition is definitely chilli con carne, chicken stroganoff, if I have time I love to do lasagne but I find it’s quite a big job as I am a from scratch kind of lasagne maker haha!!! We have painted one of our kitchen walls with chalkboard paint to do our meal plan on the wall every week ? #fortheloveofBLOG xx

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:46 am

      We love all of them!

  17. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 6:38 pm

    wow! this is great! I am the worst shopper ever – I daily shop which is the worst thing I could do, I spend about £60 a day, which is ridiculous! I’m going to try this next week. #fortheblogofBLOG

  18. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 6:31 pm

    Hands up I don’t meal plan it is probably something I should do, but I never seem to remember to actually do it. Good luck with sticking to your budget.

  19. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 4:52 pm

    I plan my meals for one person. I love chicken fajitas and spaghetti bolognaise – they are on this week’s meal plan 🙂

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:47 am

      I love fajitas too!

  20. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 4:23 pm

    I really need to start meal planning, I usually just wing it. I usually decide what to have for dinner at about 7pm!

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:47 am

      Haha I’m like that!

  21. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 3:23 pm

    Can I come round on friday? ha ha! I need to start meal planning x

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:48 am

      The door is open Hannah 🙂

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:51 am

      Give it a go – I don’t do it all the time but it is useful when I do!

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:51 am

      They are so good aren’t they?!

  22. Avatar June 13, 2016 / 9:31 am

    The summer flan sounds just absolutely divine, definitely one to try for me x

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:52 am

      Thanks lovely – they are perfect for inspo!

  23. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 10:43 pm

    I don’t meal plan but it’s something I really need to do now as we’ve just lost our working tax credits, argggg.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:53 am

      Oh no!! Start planning lovely!

  24. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 10:13 pm

    That sounds like a really low amount for the amount of people, well done if you stick to this. Some yummy meals this week x

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:54 am

      Thanks Rhian! It works well!

  25. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 9:55 pm

    That is excellent budgeting, making meal plans really help to stop those impulse buys.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:54 am

      It so does, I feel like if I stick to it I really cut costs 🙂

  26. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 9:54 pm

    Your meals sounds lovely, I can not meal plan to save my life. I have no idea how much I spend a week, as I tend to buy extra some weeks and some meals I freeze half down for another day, so some weeks I just buy the basics.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:55 am

      Haha don’t work it out!

  27. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 9:44 pm

    I have meant to go weekly meal plans since January! And still haven’t – I have to say I wing it, and end up spending too much. Good luck – your meal plan looks great. Kaz x

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:55 am

      I do usually wing it… or spend time planning then deviate!

  28. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 9:41 pm

    A great plan. I really need to get back into planning meals for the week.

  29. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 7:16 pm

    I am hugely keen on a meal plan, and I plan according to what I need for commissions, We tend to have our main meal at lunchtime too, as that is when it is light.

    I do shop from Ocado as they are the best supermarket at not giving an substitutions, and we spend about £50 a week for food, toiletries and cleaning products. So I think your £100 is spot on.

  30. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 7:14 pm

    I have no idea what I spend weekly on food but might try and work it out and see if i can cut it down a little.

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:56 am

      Haha it’s scary when you first work it out!

  31. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 5:03 pm

    This is great! I like to save money and to buy only what I need… A meal plan makes you organized and have all under control 🙂

  32. Avatar June 12, 2016 / 12:58 pm

    I have not done proper meal planning for a while now and since it’s just me I can afford to be lazy now and again

    • Harriet June 14, 2016 / 10:57 am

      I am lazy too often haha!

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