Video:How to Use a Weekly Meal Planner

SHARE ON                

Transcript:How to Use a Weekly Meal Planner

Hi, I'm Devita Jacobs for About.com, and I'd like to show you how to use a weekly meal planner.

How Weekly Meal Planners Work

Weekly meal planners help you save time and money by planning both the menu and the grocery list at the same time. Meal planners need not be complicated and can be created by simply outlining your meal plans for the week. Weekly meal planners are in calendar format using the seven days of the week. Each day of the week has a column for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Enter the complete meal you intend to eat for each time of day, including all sides.

Save Money With a Weekly Meal Planner

If you are working under a budget, repeat menu items by finding ways to make the same food in a different way. For example, one day you can eat French toast and the next, regular toast. When you extract your grocery list from the menu choices, having repeat items on your menu means buying less food each week. Because you buy only what you need, less food is wasted. Strike through days you have meals planned elsewhere such as on the night of an important banquet or when your company sponsors lunch. There is no limit to how much or how little you can add to your weekly meal planner. If you're planning meals for one and aren't accustomed to eating lunch, simply leave the space on your planner blank.

And that is how you use a weekly meal planner. Thanks for watching. For more information, visit us on the web at About.com.