A Complete Guide to Meal Planning
Here at The Scramble our goal is to help make feeding your family as simple and stress-free as possible and one of the most effective and efficient things you can do is to meal plan. Once you begin to meal plan you will quickly find that you are saving time and money, while also eating more healthfully and with less stress. To help you to make this a reality, we have put together all of our best resources.
What you’ll find in this guide
- Our favorite meal planning tool
- Tips and tricks to make your meal planning a success
- Resources on meal planning for different scenarios
- Special meal plans
- Frequently asked questions
Meal Planning Made Simple
What’s the easiest way to meal plan? Have us do it for you! Learn all you need to know about our family-friendly, healthy meal plans.
The Scramble’s Meal Planning Service
For over 23 years we have been building meal plans the whole family will love.
Learn More →Tips & Tricks for Meal Planning Success
Want to make the most out of your meal plan? These tips and tricks will ensure a smooth and stress-free week.
Ideas to keep you organized, plan for going to multiple stores, and more.
A round-up of tips for the budget-conscious home cook.
Simple tricks that will slash time, money, and stress.
Life never seems to slow down. Which can make getting dinner on the table every night a challenge. No more! Learn how to make meal planning easy with these simple short cuts that will save your sanity and help you get dinner on the table quickly.
Meal Planning for Different Situations
Going on vacation? Only feeding one or two people? We’ve got you covered!
10 dinner ideas that work well when you’re only feeding one or two people, but still want to build a plan.
When one parent is out of town the need for a well-organized meal plan is even more important. Here’s what to do.
Planning for a week when it will be too hot to cook? These no-cook recipes are here to help.
Tips and tricks for meal planning for a vacation.
Special Meal Plans
From special diets to simple options, these special meal plans may be just what you need!
4 weeks of meal plans all based around a gluten-free diet with grocery lists included.
6 weeks of vegetarian meal plans with grocery lists included.
Got a super busy week coming up? This meal plan will keep you on track with very limited time in the kitchen.
One a tight budget? This meal plan is for you!
One hour of cooking on the weekend will give you 5 meals you can prepare in 30 minutes or less. And the best part: two different meal plans are included!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start meal planning without feeling overwhelmed?
Instead of trying to plan all of your meals for the week, start with planning just two or three dinners or focus on one meal of the day. And before you start experimenting with new recipes, try making a plan based around your tried and true favorites.
How do I avoid getting bored with making the same meals over and over again?
There are two easy ways to avoid getting bored with a meal plan. The first is to come up with a list of 10-15 recipes you like to make and then set up a rotation so that you aren’t eating the same thing week after week. That way, if you get sick of one recipe, you can you swap it out for a new recipe and keep things interesting. The other way is to use a meal planning service like The Scramble that will offer up different meals every single week.
What if I don’t want to cook what I have planned for a night?
One of the great things about a meal plan is that it can be flexible. If you don’t feel like the meal you planned for a specific night, just switch it up with something you’ve got planned for another night.
Is there an easy way to come up with meal ideas week after week?
Using themes like “Meatless Mondays” or “Taco Tuesdays” can help to give you structure without locking you into a specific recipe. You can also use The Scramble’s Recipe Search as an easy source of inspiration.
If you would like more support with meal planning and preparation, sign up for a two-week free trial of our online meal planning service and see how simple planning, easy cooking, and joyful eating can be!