One of the most helpful tips for a busy family life is to plan your meals for the week. On Fridays, the meal planning starts around grocery sales in my local neighborhood. In general, we tend to have a few themes to make meal planning easier.

Mondays: Pasta

Tuesdays: Chicken

Wednesday: Take-out or frozen prepared foods – hey, it’s hump day for both working parents

Thursdays: slow cooker meals, set it and forget it!

Fridays: Pizza

We generally leave weekends less planned for parties, eating with others, or simply special cravings or local dining.

However, grocery shopping usually occurs once a week, and I prep several items right after returning from the store to make meal planning easier. I’ll chop onions, garlic, and cilantro into containers. Fruits and veggies get chopped and put into the fridge for easy snacking and school lunches.

Happy meal planning!