Simple meal planning tips | minimalist family

Maybe you are feeling how I was - tired of spending time in the kitchen creating new recipes, only to have people (ahem, kids) complain that they didn't like it!
I am the type of person who likes to be efficient with my time. Cooking meals that nobody wanted to eat seemed like a waste of effort. And, in turn, meal prep caused me a lot of STRESS!
So, about five years ago I did something DRASTIC. I brought our meals back to the absolute basics, serving only the things that I was certain the entire family would enjoy.
It started with just a handful of recipes - but have since grown our meal rotation to a full 6 weeks of meal plans.
You can have access to those lists + free printable downloads via this link:
www.arrowhillcottage.com/recipes/
Once I had a handle on the recipes I was cooking, I simplified the process even further by creating shopping lists for each week of meals. I call it my 'reverse shopping list'.
These lists are what I grab when I am getting ready to go to the store. First, I look at what I need for the week - and then I cross off any items that I know I already have at home.
In this way, the shopping process is also scaled back - because I am ONLY shopping for the things I need. No more grabbing a can of tomatoes "I might need", only to come home and find 19 others sitting in my cabinet just waiting to be used. (If this has happened to you, give this video a thumbs up!)
This simplified meal planning and reverse shopping list has saved me time, energy, and money through the years - and today I want to give you the basics of how you can make one for your own family.
It is way easier than you may think!
If you are someone who meal plans, drop me a comment and let me know what works for you!
xo
Angela
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#mealplanning​​​ #simpleliving #minimalistfamily
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[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thanks for watching! Do you meal plan? What tips have worked well for you?

[@ALinn-vr3nl]

Really smart! Thank you.

[@lauralainez1800]

First time I hear a perfect explanation about meals plan 👌

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Awe, thank you! ❤️it works really well for us!

[@joygoncalves4917]

I am ADD and go in circles changing things all the time. This is so special to me because it is straightforward easy and I’m going to try it.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

I hope it works for you! This system has really simplified my life! ❤️

[@heathermoreland6015]

What a great system! I’m going to try it this week for sure, I’d better get to work on it. Thanks again.😊

[@ArrowHillCottage]

I think you will love it! ❤️

[@joygoncalves4917]

Great way to plan without getting bored and have the rotation. I will definitely try this.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Awesome! It definitely is a time saver for us! ❤️

[@marusiaduta3450]

Hello new subscriber here, I liked this video a lot and all the advice you gave is super practical. The stress of cooking for a family is real. Thanks for sharing this

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Wonderful! I’m glad it was helpful! ❤️

[@nancycox3318]

I really appreciate that you shared this plus a reverse grocery list that matches a week of menus. I love this idea!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

It works really well for our busy schedule to have this rotation system in place! ❤️

[@clarissafraser7229]

Very smart. Exactly what I have been looking for. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

You’re welcome! I hope it works well for you!

[@Yahudi7694]

Thank you

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thanks for watching! ❤️

[@joygoncalves4917]

Excellent. I can think this way. It is amazing. Thank you

[@user-dv1xz4vt6g]

Thanks so much for this 😊 I am a new subscriber and am so much enjoying your channel. I have meal planned for many years and since the pandemic have had almost everything home delivered (which I find very helpful as I can include things like toothpaste as well as food…). The game changer for me from this video could be saving the meal plans and shopping lists! I start out afresh every week, have been doing it so long it’s second nature. But saving the lists could save even more time and effort. Thank you (from the UK ) x

[@ArrowHillCottage]

I have found meal planning to save so much time! Thanks for watching today! ❤️

[@rogesa6]

Love this idea! Thank you for sharing.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thanks for watching!

[@NancyCampbell-hb9wp]

I love this!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thank you! ❤️

[@heatherjohnsen4513]

Great idea! Thank you for sharing your process. I usually meal plan but having a rotation with the ingredients listed ready to go to reference will save so much time. :)

[@ArrowHillCottage]

It has alleviated so much stress from my life!

[@denisekirshenbaum7798]

This is a brilliant strategy!! Thank you so much!!!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

I hope you can give it a try! ❤️

[@ScoutFinch88]

I’m a new sub. So funny I saw your list in another video (home tour maybe) and went looking back to see if you did a shopping list video. It caught my eye because it looks just like the one I made mine is more simplified and is set up in the order that we go through each of the stores we shop in i just highlight what we need. My family loves it we all use it and it’s made life so easy. I love your channel you seem very down to earth and live a similar lifestyle like someone I would love to be friends with. I get so much value out of seeing others on KZbin living intentionally it definitely keeps me motivated and makes me feel like I’m not alone. I live in one of the consumer capitals of the country. (Long Island) Thank you for sharing.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Oh that is funny! I think there were others like you who wanted to know more about the meal planning - which is why I ultimately made this video! I like your idea of setting up the list in the order you move through the store. Genius!

[@MinimalistMuslimah]

This is quite the Smart idea! I will try this method to take away mental stress. Thank you x

[@ArrowHillCottage]

I think you will really love it! ❤️

[@Homestead.Healing]

I've never heard of wet erase markers! Wow I need those! My kids have responsibility charts that get smeared and my home binder I love to mark my pages but they smear too, I'm getting wet erase markers!! Thanks for all the great tips! Glad I found you!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

They are so great! ❤️

[@AshleyRJones8]

This was super helpful! I've been considering meal planning and haven't made the plunge yet...time to make my list!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Great! I hope it works for you! I am in the process of reworking my own lists to have a set for spring/summer and another for fall/winter. I am finding myself not wanting to make the soups and hot foods on the rotation this time of the year. Good luck on your list!

[@AshleyRJones8]

@@ArrowHillCottage thanks! I just made my category list and now I'm writing out the ingredients for each meal...half done! I can't wait to use it!

[@user-tj1rf5bf7q]

Very nice!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thank you!

[@goodenoughgirl8102]

I’m currently learning to deal better with my own moody food whims and pickiness. Lol. Sometimes I’m like someone who would consider eating cardboard if it was cheap and easy and filling. Other days I struggle with what I want or trying to pinpoint my “food mood.” Lol. Idk if that just has more to do with past abuse tho. Such as you were just told what to do, how to do it, what to eat, to bite your lip or make do or do without. Just more or less like you get trained to not consider your own wants and needs. So now the struggles are more around learning to sense when I’m hungry even and then also trying to comprehend what I really want or like and then also giving myself permission to actually have what I would prefer (as opposed to any kind of toxic stuff to do with guilt or self deprivation etc). I got around folks who never missed a meal for awhile (loved food, knew what they liked to eat and didn’t want to ever go hungry lol) and it made me realize that half the time, my own hunger didn’t even register on me, much less “what to eat” and then how to prepare it. Making a lot of progress tho now. I’m learning to pay more attention to myself in that area (like be my own mom and say are you hungry? You need to eat and get cracking on some food. What sounds yummy to you today? You can do this, etc. lol) and just roll with it the best I can. I feel strange to have to say things like this but for me it’s currently mostly about not missing a lot of decent, solid meals and not waiting until I’m half starved to actually eat or prep some food. Not avoiding making all the decisions and so on. I do wind up often doing reverse meal planning tho based on what I racked up on clearance and what I have on hand. What I don’t want to ruin and needs to get eaten before it does ruin. Etc. Like I just use “what’s going bad next” very often to help me decide. Frugal Fit Mom was also a blast to watch in this area. Lol. It was actually easier for me when I had my kid Bcuz I had a good “reason” and things just go better when you feed them right. 😅😅 Now it’s just me tho. Empty nest and I just feel lost sometimes. I also think for single folks it r can be more flex and not super planned out.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

When it comes to food, the choices can be overwhelming (in both a good and a bad way!) ❤️ I also love watching frugal fit mom and all her inexpensive recipe ideas!

[@marthaosborne9625]

Genius!!!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Thanks! I know it helps me a lot!!❤️

[@gailwilliams8515]

Thanks for sharing - I will have to give it a go. How do you get on with seasonal food - do you change your recipes to suit the season?

[@ArrowHillCottage]

The main seasonal things that I switch out would be the vegetables and fruit that are served. A person could totally do a series of 3-4 weeks for spring/summer and another 3-4 for fall/winter and then just have a tighter rotation. 🙂

[@sherrigrubbs1116]

Love this idea but I couldn't find your lists via your link!

[@ArrowHillCottage]

sorry to hear that! You can try to access the blog posts via this direct link: www.arrowhillcottage.com/recipes/

[@clboymom9467]

I have catered to the kids tastes for 10 years now. I’m done. My husband and I are so sick of eating stuff the kids like 😂. I’m getting tough and they can eat it or go hungry.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Ha ha! You’ve got this! ❤️

[@natashasiminoski]

Hi from Ontario Canada! Are those lists still available for download? The link is not directing me correctly. I love this idea for my family of 5! I am finding all your videos so helpful at this time in my life, keep them coming :)

[@ArrowHillCottage]

yes, they should still be working! I hope this is a good solution for your family! You will need to scroll down to the bottom of the posts in order to access the PDF files. If you want one post that links to ALL of the printable content, you can click here: www.arrowhillcottage.com/week-4-whole30-inspired-recipes-for-families/

[@natashasiminoski]

@@ArrowHillCottage yes, this link worked for me! Thank you so much

[@ALinn-vr3nl]

She uses a wet erase marker.

[@ArrowHillCottage]

Yes! That is very important! ❤️