5 Tips for Making a Meal Plan You'll Stick To

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FeelInvigorated #CollectiveBias

Fall is right upon us which means it time for the start of a new school year, little league and all of the classic fall-related activities that we know and love! Next to Christmastime, this is our busiest time of year and one of the most crucial times for an effective meal plan. If I don't plan our meals we will end up having take-out way too many times during the week - which ends up being more expensive and not always as healthy as a home-cooked meal. To avoid unwanted spending {and eating} I set aside time every other week {or sometimes monthly} to create a meal plan. I've had many failed plans that I've learned from and am now pretty darn good at making realistic, successful meal plans. To help you successfully plan your family's upcoming meals I wanted to share 5 Tips for Making a Meal Plan You'll Stick To!

1. Clear Your Mind - Step outside and take a deep breath! Clearing the mind of things not related to meal planning will help set realistic meal goals. I've been guilty of not putting my full focus into meal plans and it ending up in almost a full week of take-out.

2. Don't be Hungry {or Full} - I think we've all heard this in regards to grocery shopping, but it also applies to meal planning. Only speaking from experience here! This could have an end result of over or under meal planning. {leftovers are ok, still hungry kids are not...}

3. Avoid Food Smells - Whether it be stepping outside or opening a window for fresh air, get away from any food smells. They could sway the meal plan into something unrealistic. My favorite place to make my meal plan is outside with a candle lit. I recently tried out the new Glade® Blue Odyssey™ Large Candle {which has scents of marine and citrus} and it was the perfect accompaniment to my meal planning ritual. They are new at Walmart and right now if you purchase 2 at the same time you'll receive a $5 virtual gift card!

4. Create {or buy} a Monthly Planner - I prefer to use a physical planner instead of a computer - but certainly use what is best for you. I purchased a planner at Walmart for under $15 {which I will save by not having to resort to last minute take-out food!}. Using a monthly planner for meal planning has helped me to create shopping lists, plan meals which use the same ingredients and to keep track of "family-approved" recipes.

5. Make a Weekly Menu Board - I use this one for accountability. If my family is expecting cheeseburgers on Thursday, I better be making cheeseburgers on Thursday! Plus, it's fun to see my kiddos {and husband's} excitement about upcoming meals. Having a weekly menu board has done wonders to help me stick to my meal plans.

I found my Glade® Blue Odyssey™ Large Candle at Walmart near the air fresheners in the cleaning aisle. There is an awesome selection of Glade® candles, check it out during your next Walmart shopping trip!

Glade Blue Odyssey Candle