Why Do People Like Meal Planning?

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THANKS PATRONS
Jakub Koziol
Byron Marsh
Thanks to Megayn Ray for assisting in the editing!
Thanks to Blinkist for sponsoring this video and for all the pun opportunities.

[@caliaguilar4]

'Can you say Taco Tuesday?'' ''No'' We love a queen who knows her limits

[@viviantompkins7925]

Carla Aguilar Jerez 😂😂😂

[@zain4019]

THERE ARE NO LIMITS

[@pauldee1577]

Good boundary setting. Skills for life.

[@alcyonae]

Ada is SO CUTE! She kept repeating “look at that” so I was thrown off when she refused to attempt “Taco Tuesday”.

[@celloface2239]

That was quite possibly the best sponsorship segment I've ever seen.

[@rebekahwood62]

Cello Face I didn’t even skip through it 😁

[@Benwilli1]

Put me down for 30

[@isaochy4197]

Nerd city is the bets I’ve seen

[@Saintcause]

Happy about good sponsorships. Boring dystopia.

[@leat1684]

Absolutely

[@AndroidInHumansClothing]

that cardboard 1 mil. subs award thingy was so cute

[@rebeccahudy]

I hope it stays there forever! It's adorable!

[@kdk05d]

“Sandwiches!” “No.” Also how my meal negotiations go. Relatable.

[@crose174]

Just meal plan 4 days a week. Leaves room for leftovers and spontaneity, less work/stress.

[@dexterne]

We plan a leftover night and a takeout night each week. If we slip on a day, we still have all the stuff for that meal to shift to another day. Don't be a slave to the plan!

[@src4409]

Yes, I always cook enough food at one time to feed our family of 6 for at least 2 nights.

[@cowieson]

This is exactly what I do! I actually use a meal subscription service for those 4 meals too, to minimise trips to buy ingredients etc. Allows me flexibility to be spontaneous (and I can just have pre-frozen meals if I end up not making use of the spontaneity!)

[@crose174]

@@cowieson nice! Wish I could use a meal subscription, but I have a family of 7, so probably wouldn't be super practical. 🙃

[@cowieson]

@@crose174 Oh jeez, that sounds like a handful yeah! It's been great for my situation - I live alone, so previously I had issues with food waste (it can be hard to buy just the right amount for 1 person!) as well as variety. It's more expensive on paper per-meal, but I've found I actually spend less each week now as I'm not picking up other stuff (read: junk food) at the shop. Win win!

[@themaddiemads]

It honestly sounds like you did a great job, you just need to cut yourself some slack. Beating yourself up for ordering a pizza cause being a mom is a really hard job (and you were renovating two rooms by yourself), should never come with blame.

[@srhrth]

Now I’m thinking it’s time for CRAIG COOKS ALL THE FOODS for a week

[@ValeriePallaoro]

Very much so. And more accolades for the wife ... more, more, more

[@meganpitt]

🙌 🙌 🙌

[@raigs9484]

Lol that'd be good

[@andreannelapointeaubert]

Two tips that keep me sane while meal planning: 1) Leave out Friday, Saturday, Sunday and plan for these later on in the week when weekend plans become clearer 2) Plan some "nothing's gonna go bad if I skip this day" meals with pantry staples, frozen veggies, etc. so you can push it back to the next week if some exciting change of plans comes up :)

[@wakemewhenitsover2010]

Frozen veggies are da 💣

[@jeffbloke2157]

also most people that do meal planning (including myself and wife), prep decent size quantities of things that will keep for a week or two, augment with a few things cooked to order on occasions when time and energy permit, but you have the big stuff already cooked and ready to go. combine that with _simplify_ - most of those planned meals looked quite complex vs minimizing time vs. reward, but that has a lot to do with bulk cooking.

[@wakemewhenitsover2010]

@@jeffbloke2157 I literally just finished steaming potatoes to toss into and onto things, and have simple salads prepped in Chinese takeout containers ready to go for the first part of next week. I can toss in reheated potatoes, heated frozen veggies, a can of good tuna, a pan seared piece of fish , etc etc etc , and use the prepped salads as a side dish or a base. I haven’t done this in a while but I’m already thrilled thinking of how I can mostly coast for the next few days. Keeping it simple helps. As does sipping wine while prepping :)

[@MissJen27]

Idea: friends are in town and you want to go out to eat? Cook that meal you were going to make and freeze it. So when you don’t want to cook one night, you have something frozen.

[@diannt9583]

Of course, some meals don't freeze well.

[@GoogelyeyesSaysHej]

Or whenever you make a tomato based pasta sauce, a chilli, a curry or something make duble or triple and freeze just the sauce! All you have to do is thaw the stew or sauce and cook rice/couscous/pasta

[@Marie-Manatee]

Or invite them in and tell them to buy extra ingredients!

[@Museofmemory]

Or just cook it the next night

[@Test-eb9bj]

Diann T Well, 99% survive well in the fridge. Oven or microwave to finally solve the „problem“.

[@BlablaShowen]

''Can you say taco tuesday?'' ''No'' xD That was adorable

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

I bet he’s gonna be great at rejecting peer pressure later, lol! Although I was still shellshocked that it was Taco Tuesday instead of Soupy Tuesday. 😭

[@FabMab]

6:18 lol so adorable♥️

[@jakealden3070]

Viktor GE it reminded me of Consuela from Family Guy😂

[@salty_slug]

she knows what she can and can't do XD

[@rooryan]

Alden Jake no.... no.

[@louisgentilucci1188]

Pitfall of marrying Craig: he records everything and can win arguments with your own words.

[@tomrogue13]

Note to self: don't marry Craig

[@gail7384]

I feel like Chyna’s room renovation needs more love. That was freakin’ awesome!! ❤️💕

[@thatjillgirl]

For more spontaneity and freedom, I highly recommend picking out several meals and buying all the ingredients for them at the grocery store, but then just making them when you feel like it instead of assigning them to specific days. This is what I do, and it gives me more of a sense of options and flexibility than having a pre-planned menu for the week. I'll try to just think the day before what I want to make for dinner (in case it requires thawing something overnight or whatever), and I typically wind up making things based somewhat on the order in which things are going bad. It's a little easier on my brain that way than having a more regimented plan.

[@gearsandsteam1]

I do the same thing and its very nice. At the end of each week I'll decide a few dishes to make and make sure I have leftover/eating out nights. It makes grocery shopping easier too

[@marciesullivan3492]

I love this idea and we do a variation... I do assign them a day but I am not strict with the day I make it. I am always moving the meals around depending on what time I have... but if my brain is mush and I can’t make a decision I have the meal planned for that day and don’t need to think about it. 😂

[@StacyForest738]

That's what we do and if the weather is predicted cold, I know that will probably be soup night, etc. I also allow for a few nights to go out, so out of 7 days in a week, I buy groceries for four dinners.

[@focusdopis]

Yes exactly. The thing about good planning means that it results in flexibility and options. Sometimes nonplanners don't realize that because they assume they need to stick to the plan no matter what. I'm super flexible and also love to plan plan plan. I also love to change my plans. I usually feel prepared for anything

[@ffxiprincess411]

That's what we do at our house as well. I plan two weeks of meals, buy the ingredients, and then we decide daily what to cook. Bigger meals on weekends then leftovers and quick meals during the week. We do pop to the store on the weekend between weeks to get milk and fresh fruits/veggies for the next weeks meals.

[@TaraWagner]

How to make it work: plan leftovers/eating out nights, batch cook and freeze, make several menus and reuse them, keep a Pinterest board of fave recipes so you can find them fast, and most importantly...give yourself grace and patience!

[@Marzkep]

I agree with this. Also, don't forget to add in the simple things. Grilled cheese and soup meals are a must to round out the days you try new recipes!

[@bookwyrmneducator]

This! Came to share this. Also plan for when you will be sick or really busy by having simple meals easy to grab in the freezer and pantry. I swear without meal planning being a SAHM and FT college student would be 1000x harder without it.

[@LifeLostSoul]

So I thought this entire video was supposed to be meal prep and not meal planning, until the end. I honestly didn't know meal planning was a thing, besides school lunch menus. I understand the idea of meal prep because it like just make more so less work latter but I don't understand how meal planning wouldn't just feel like a job...

[@isabellelee2658]

And sometimes put the roast back in the fridge and go out anyway.

[@Marzkep]

@@LifeLostSoul Oh, it's definitely a job and it does take work. I have a "master list" of meals that are always good for rotation. When we try a new meal we like I can add it to the list. Every Sunday morning I sit down (with last week's meals in hand) and pick 7 new meals for the next week. Write down what it takes to make each and I'm off to the store. It's a job. It takes time. (sometimes it's the last thing I want to do). It DOES make the whole week easier though.

[@melaniekania2179]

I kinda get “the office” vibes from you two sitting and talking at the camera 😄

[@zain4019]

Melanie Kania That’s what’s reminded me of!

[@canadiancaro]

after having renovated the office ;)

[@NinjaCupcakeAttack]

I honestly cannot imagine not meal planning. I've never had enough money to just have a bunch of groceries in for no reason/not know exactly what I need to buy for the week.

[@smay745]

“I’m very smart.” My GOD, I love her. 😊

[@keepXonXrockin]

My meal "planning" extends to buying groceries that are on offer and cooking different batches of food from them and freezing them all. I'll have 15-20 dinners (like 4-5 different recipes) in the freezer that way. But I don't plan which day I'll have what dish, I decide day by day. Some of my containers hold two servings, so that's the same dish on two days in a row. If I don't need to cook but there's certain vegetables on offer, I'll chop and freeze them to use in cooking later. Edit: Guess I'm more of a prepper than a planner. A chaotic prepper.

[@raraavis7782]

keeponrockin Yeah, I do pretty much the same! Works perfectly fine, if it’s just one person. But if I had a whole family to feed, I would probably do proper mealplanning. I also don’t like having much pre-cooked food in the refrigerator. Just tempts me, to eat an extra meal in the evening. I don’t usually do that, if it’s frozen stuff. It’s just not as tempting, than seeing it, when I look into the fridge.

[@keepXonXrockin]

@@raraavis7782 I second that about preferring freezing over refrigerating for that reason, I'm the same - the possibility of having seconds is too tempting if it's in the fridge. Also the family thing - I did not consider that. You'd need a properly big chest type freezer to prep & freeze for two adults and a child.

[@Junitunes]

I call it food hoarding.... I'm a food hoarder.

[@GoogelyeyesSaysHej]

Saaame, chaotic prepper is the way to go! Having some frozen minced veg protien or falafel is the way to go so that if your left unprepared you can always make a simple taco, wrap or salad

[@kellywelz5398]

I LOVE leftovers. I probably eat more leftovers than I do fresh-cooked meals. I love it because if I made something I like, I don't mind eating it for (one meal a day) all week, and also because I can just pop it in the microwave or whatever and I didn't have to spend all that time cooking a brand new meal. I could see if you have a large family or get bored of food easily, this would be tricky.

[@nancynguyen2263]

Chyna is so thoughtful! Really loved how excited she was working on the surprise.

[@MissGrace4]

“Can you say Taco Tuesday?” “No, no.” The cute. 😭

[@terrinhay]

Something that leveled up my meal planning was ordering groceries online at THE SAME TIME as meal planning! It's about 30 minutes on a Sunday night now. SO easy, and then I pick up the groceries the next day!

[@glenjamindle]

I have mine delivered for $4.99

[@deefee701]

Thanks. Such a great idea!

[@KyanneSummer]

Since covid happened I have gone to the supermarket maybe 5 times the last 2 years. I looooooove online supermarket shopping. I even bought a chef’s knife and lovely soft bed pillows from the market

[@greylandrum9164]

She did awesome on that office! I love it.

[@rebeccahudy]

I laughed way too hard at the "I don't want to eat cat" part. I have no idea why, but it was the funniest thing I've heard all week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you

[@navry01]

Oh, he might eat some, just not called "cat" :P

[@icecatti]

The Chyna takeover portion of this video was definitely my favorite part. I didn't know how badly I wanted to see that happen!

[@pricklybiscuit]

Ok the most impressive part about this video to me is that he remembered that clip from 6 months ago How. I forget if I have my glasses on all the time even when wearing them

[@ryanplatt5148]

Fuck, where did I put my glasses

[@mmtruooao8377]

Probably just a lot of solid file organization tbh

[@StartSelectProgress]

That's the next video on planning stuff six months in advance

[@julies5400]

1. Chyna looks like she knows how to cook and Craig you were loving those meals! 2. Ada is adorable! 3. But let’s watch Tv and order pizza 🍕

[@lainemurphy116]

1) The best idea for planning a planning session (meal planning or other) is to give yourself two different times to do it, so if something comes up, you still have another slot to get it done. If nothing comes up, you have free time for hobbies - or a bubble bath! 2) My second suggestion for meal planning is to pick seven (or six if you plan on leftovers or takeout) and then not deciding which one to eat until that morning or the night before. But you have shopped for and bought all of the ingredients and have them all on post-it notes on your calendar so you can just pick which one you want and put it on the day. This is coming from a not born-organized person who got organized later in life.

[@careykurtz2559]

Maybe plan for a "leftovers" night every week, to take care of any excess and reduce waste? This can also be a "free night" for when you want to go out or don't feel like cooking. That way there is still freedom, but order for the most part. Another idea would be to have a list of recipes to make for the week, but not have things tied to certain nights, so that you can move things around as needed. (Barring the need to prepare/marinade/thaw anything beforehand.)

[@CyclingM1867]

My friend and her hubby have seven children, and they've planned their meals right from when they first got married. It helped them keep organised in the chaos. haha But like you suggested, they had a day set aside for leftovers once a week - Wednesdays, their busiest day - and they left Saturdays as their free day to do whatever. Meal planning can work really well, and it helps to have flexibility, like you said. :)

[@kaitiemarie9572]

"Pizza, Cake!" Why do I like that so much?

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

My dad’s going to have a particularly good day when I bring this to his attention, lol.

[@neilmoggy]

Because its pizza AND cake... Yum!

[@ryanjackson4888]

I love the dynamic of you two going through life together. It makes everything seem much more wholesome and less like a 'fad diet challenge'. Also, meal prepping video when??

[@gavinathling]

I just wish the chores seemed more like a team effort...

[@skaerup]

We created seasonal 6-week meal plans, this year, with meals planned out for most of the week, but 1-2 days each week open for spontaneity and leftovers - so far we are loving it!

[@JaimeeL901]

Damn - those tacos actually looked exactly like the recipe photo.

[@zmartin87]

dude...you're integrating the sponsored adds so smoothly, can tell you have spent time thinking of how you can add your comedic twist to the adds. Flawless!!

[@Illyriamars]

I would love to see you do a similar video aimed specifically at keeping a well-stocked pantry. I am a very big fan of having a few staples-only meals in my back pocket with ingredients I can keep stocked at all times (lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, broth, condiments, and aromatics). I try to plan 1-2 big meals each week with lots of fresh ingredients, and the rest of the time, I either go out to eat with friends or cook one of my Staple Meals. That way, I don't feel bad about letting produce go to waste and still feel the freedom to go do whatever I want, but also I have the option to stay in and cook with whatever's in my pantry.

[@leahclaire5470]

SUCH a good idea.

[@ogkitty7558]

Might I suggest, to make it a little easier.... 1) One new recipe per week, max. 2) When picking recipes, use categories.... a pasta night, and Instant Pot / slow cooker night, a soup night..... etc. 3) Have a few frozen / quick meals onhand for when cooking doesnt work out. 4) Dont be dogmatic. Planned potroasts will last an extra day in the fridge! I keep my recipes in a binder, take them out for the week, (use them for grocery list), and pick usually that day or the night before what the next dinner will likely be.

[@NicoleWatts]

Interesting video that really captures the struggles with doing something so "simple". Here is a list of the things that I tried and actually still use as needed because I had to fight through these same things a few years ago. Background: I generally plan meals every week now, but I get bored with the same things like Chyna, and will pretty much always choose to eat out if I am already hungry and I hate shopping. And I totally relate to the freedom to choose thing. • Planning half weeks when things are hectic and I can’t trust myself a week out. • Planning 5 days a week instead of all the days. • Committing to at least one day early in the week, say Monday to go as planned and kinda making that one happen. Let’s you forgive yourself when the week goes to %^&. • Keeping at least half the meals super simple and only trying new recipes 1 or 2x a week. • Getting planning down to ~10 min (5 min picking from a big list of 25 or so staples, then 5 min picking something new) Prioritize this or it won’t stick. • Less than half of the meals I use need to be eaten that week because they use salmon or something that spoils quickly. • Backup meal always in the pantry of something stupid simple (bratwurst, chicken, spaghetti, salad) so that I can eat in without if I don’t feel like what’s available. • Sometimes my meal plans just say steak, baked potato, veggie - then I buy what looks good so I still feel like I have freedom. Sometimes I say stir fry - meat, veggies and just buy what looks good for that. Helped a ton from feeling trapped. • Freedom related - know that you can change in the store if something looks better. Chicken tacos become shrimp tacos. Etc. • Writing down whatever I really wanted to eat so that I can have it next week. Think of it not as limiting you for that day but allowing you to pre plan your meal plans. 😊 • Advanced super saver of awesomeness -TIME REDUCTION- Chaining meal ingredients in a week so the prep overlaps. Example of cooking extra chicken if I make Tikka Masala and holding it for salad two days later. Or chopping some onions and bell peppers for salsa later in the week when I make stir fry. Or boiling extra eggs for egg salad sandwiches when I am boiling pasta water anyways. Making biscuits that get used for sandwiches. • Advanced 2 - MENTAL LOAD REDUCTION - Separating groceries into staples that you buy when you are out (pasta, cereal, eggs, spices, onions, potatoes, frozen stir fry veggies) and stuff you need for that meal (meats, dairy, unique spices) Then you trust yourself to always have those things and you only have to mentally manage the ones that spoil. • Advanced 3 - DEALING WITH CHANGE - If I just don’t want what we have, learning to make something else from the same ingredients using different staples. A taco night can become salad night by adding lettuce. Steak and a baked potato and broccoli can become stir fry and save the potatoes for later. Shrimp tacos can become shrimp scampi if butter and noodles and lemon are part of your staples. Beans and pasta can be made for multiple meals at a time. Etc. Good luck!

[@FranciscaPires]

Also, a tip from a lazy person who cooks for 3/4 people most days: make huge batches of soup without potato (because of the starchy flavour), freeze part of it, eat another part and save some to use a seasoning for other recipies. I do this a lot to hide veggies in the food xD tastes good and makes my grandma eat veggies 👌👌 Also, carrot or tomato soup are the easiest to use like this but can be done with others.

[@heather-linbrannon8352]

Such good tips!

[@searose6192]

How on Earth do you meal plan in 10 minutes!!??! .? It takes me well over two hours and that is without interruptions. Do you have an unlimited budget or something? So you don’t have to consider efficiency of ingredient use? Or maybe no dietary restrictions? Or do you maybe just eat the same 10 things all the time? I am so envious ...meal planning is a miserable slog for me.

[@FranciscaPires]

@@searose6192 well, i usually "meal plan" by purchasing mostly just staples that i know can be used for both simple and complex receipies and then add a couple of specific ingredients to the shopping list. I make each recipe based on what i have in the fridge. So going for many season veggies is the main thing to keep things interesting

[@NicoleWatts]

@@searose6192 I am so sorry that it is such a slog. It used to be much worse for me, then I realized that the length of time that I was taking was preventing me from actually doing the meal planning. At the risk of another "too long" comment. This is what I do. 1) Get out a piece of paper and a pen, sit with roommate. 2) Write down Wednesday through Tuesday (I tend to shop on Tuesdays after dinner, so that is the overlap day, I also write the plan on Monday.. mostly) 3) Cross out any days you know you have plans and write "out" 4) Start just picking meals that you know: "salmon and veggies (and carb side)", "steak... salad or grilled?". Do this for at least 4 or 5 days. If you don't have this list start out by making this a few days before. You can and will add to it with new stuff over time. 5) Write down all the staples or lunch prep you need since this is also the grocery list. You might have to get up and scan through the cabinets to check the rice, etc. 6) Reorder for food spoilage and business. a) Look over your list and think about work / school activities that might make it hard to accomplish. For example, if I have a late work meeting or a happy hour, I'm going to plan sometime like salmon and broccoli and rice that takes about 15 min to cook over anything that takes 30+ min because I know I won't cook if I'm tired. b) Put things that spoil quickly at the front of the week like shrimp, salmon, certain veggies, etc because you aren't dumb. :) 7) For the remaining day, go research some interesting food ideas to try a new recipe. I don't have an unlimited budget, just flexible planning. If I use zucchini in the early part of the week, guess what's going in the stir fry later on? or in a salad? or getting eaten twice? I also don't eat the same 10 meals, I probably have about 30 that I rotate through plus 2-4 new meals a month. I don't really have any dietary restrictions most of the time, but my roommate last year was pretty picky. And I use the same method when I was eating keto for a few months. It tends to be flexible for that. What got the time down for me was having a mental list of items to choose from. And being flexible with those items for certain things. I do tend to eat simple food though and flavor up with spices or oils rather than super unique ingredients. Good luck!

[@TaraWagner]

I had no idea people DIDN’T meal plan. I thought it was just a thing everyone did. 😱😂 (Chyna, I love your curls!)

[@pretendperfection]

Oh darlin. I hope you don’t think that about everything that seems routine in your life. People are so much more complicated than that. I for example, have an eating disorder where food overwhelms me and I have a revulsion to food at certain times. I can’t barely even think about food and often eat because I’m forced to or haven’t in so long I have to

[@bartacus3521]

Most people I know don't plan for themselves (but WILL about their kids). Myself, I'm having ketchup potato chips for supper tonight, and will wash that down with some whiskey. Potatoes are totally a vegetable!

[@TaraWagner]

Bartacus that’s about what I’d be eating if I were to go to the grocery store without a list! 😂

[@katymcdonald5481]

I don’t meal plan because I have a natural aversion to rules, I find that the more restrictive other parts of my life are the less I can have routines in my personal life because it feels suffocating. Might sound silly but it’s how my brain works 😂

[@shaunigothictv1003]

Hi everyone. I have a new feature on my smartphone called "greentooth" (the successor to bluetooth) which allows people convert actual food into digital algorithms just by scanning the camera up and down the food. You can then send the copied food in a digital format - like an sms text message - and if the recipient has "greentooth" installed on their phone, they can then re-materialise the food at their end of the data connection with a simple click. So this enables you to send food over a data connection to someone who is hungry. Look up Samsung "greentooth". Its called wireless food and its going to be implemented on the next generation of up and coming iphones. Search Apple wireless food.

[@pegy6384]

When I started meal planning, I wrote out a huge list of all the types of meals that I liked to eat. That gave me a month of options, so then for a shopping trip, I'd pick out 6 or 7 meals from that list, and get everything I needed in one fell swoop. I really hate going shopping, so it makes me much happier to only go once a week. At one point, I had it down to only shopping every other week, which was even better, but it does make for a massive cart that is hard to push around the store.

[@kazbutler]

Peg Y I also doubled up recipes that could be frozen (e.g. soup) so I already had a meal organised for the next week! If you can do that for two recipes a week, every fourth week doesn’t require shopping or planning, just defrosting and reheating!

[@paperheartzz]

“... you’re amazing. I love you.” “Is that it?” 😂 real.

[@emessar]

I watched this while eating a bowl of peanutbutter pretzel bites as my dinner.

[@cupfulofeathers]

I'm glad you two found a month long experiment that worked well for you! My family calls my mom the Queen of Leftovers. She can reconstitute yesterday's casserole and make it stretch from one serving into three, just by adding a few more ingredients. She's always been a meal-planner and generally plans meals around how she can use the leftovers, including making big batches and flash-freezing them for later.

[@Test-eb9bj]

Sarah Smith To do that is an art! Great way to save money and to do something for the environment.

[@FranciscaPires]

I thought most people did that but i guess i have a mom like yours ❤️ you can always turn leftovers into different recepies, improvisation is key 👌✨

[@Shelf_Improvement]

What kinds of entrees does she cook?

[@guitarwally1]

Ada is getting so old! Man, I remember the video of you guys getting married... BTW, the black painted closet does look amazing

[@lindsayrioux]

My favourite thing about meal planning is it stops me from having to make decisions for the rest of the week. My husband and I get stuck in the "what do you want to eat?" "I dunno, what do you want?" almost every day if we don't meal plan, and now that's all just squished right into one afternoon while we figure out all our stuff before grocery day. And we're also not buying random things and spending money we don't have.

[@MasalaMan]

How I got spontaneity back into my meal plans was I started not being be too specific with my meals. Might sound kinda obvious but instead of saying for example instead 'black bean and chicken soup with fried bread sticks.' I would just say beans, bread, chicken and veg. Then on the day I'd come up with a new recipe for these ingredients or just did the meals I did before. So sometimes it's a stew, a soup, all minced, or all cooked and eaten separately. You maintain most of the benefits of meal planning but then also allow yourself to not be so structured and try different things. Oh and if you're suddenly going out to eat, you don't have to worry about not cooking a meal you planned out ages ago...because their was no meal planned out, just what major foods/ingredients you'd use.

[@AWanderingEye]

I do this in winter months, use instantpot and do enough to fill 1/2 gal mason jar the following: a type of beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes and some type of rice. If I want spaghetti it gets boiled that day. Having the main ingredient precooked speeds up cooking. Not having anything spiced means I can use same batch of potatoes to make home fries, potato soup, mashed potatoes or add as ingredient to a stew or casserole. So I don't plan, I prep, I guess!

[@wakemewhenitsover2010]

@@AWanderingEyeThis is definitely more my speed - have all the basics ready to toss into the “whatever I feel like whipping up in 15 mins”

[@narlycharley]

Meal prepping Sunday is a holy day.

[@evercuriousmichelle]

Yes! I’ll cook a 4 serving dish and pack it up as my week’s worth of lunches. I don’t get bored easily but it really helps me eat slightly healthier!

[@kristenlocus292]

Of course soon as I got through all my "watch later" videos, here ya come with quality content *swoons* also props to Chyna for doing all the work herself! If you have more clips of what went into it, I would love to see it as I am a 52 year old lady on the inside and love watching home things

[@twistedlister]

“My Morning Poutine” missed opportunity ...

[@matinacats5817]

Omg. Everybody here gave you good advice, I just came to say you represent my couple goals!! Hope you're always blessed with eachother

[@SH3RIFF187]

Wow nearly at 1 million. I remember when you first started off. I subbed with the first ‘Explosion Wednesday’. You have come a long way. Well done!

[@freedomfirst1922]

You guys are so relatable! Those puns alone should get you to 1 million subscribers already! Love it:)

[@Xeroxed96]

long time watcher. really loved this video. i seriously love everything about your videos, but what i love most is YOU AND CHYNA.

[@Jeca6280]

Great that you will continue. Meal planning has been a game changer for me, because I don’t have a lot of time in the day... and it’s much easier and saving time when I don’t have to think about the next meal on every day, but already know what’s next and already have the ingredients with me, because it made shopping easier... knowing what I will need and getting it all at once.

[@TianaGratia]

I love meal planning. I’ve been doing it for over a year. I always plan a leftovers night and leave room for me to change my mind. I see it more as a weekly (or two weekly because shopping less due to COVID) menu, that I can pick from them a strict daily food list. Anyway, everyone is different and it works for me :) but don’t feel chained to your meal plan and don’t let anyone tell you that you have to meal plan :)

[@Smart44Lady]

You would love this cookbook! I DO!!! “Cook Once, Eat All Week” by Cassy Joy Garcia. Sooooo goooood🥰 I’ve been cooking out of it for 6 months and loved the food. Sooooo easy. Economical big time🤩

[@jessicaboyd9148]

Rainbow Lover I love that cookbook too! It’s awesome.

[@kcardon]

Yes! I'm on my 3rd week of this cookbook and pretty much all of the recipes have been hits with the whole family, picky kids included!

[@chrisbingel3820]

When we started meal planning, we did 5 or 6 meals a week. We almost immediately ran into what you described of wasting meals. We’ve settled on 3 meals per week and having some staples in the fridge/freezer that we can work off of. It’s been great.

[@zoe0abundant]

The keys to meal planning are making space for flexibility (easy freezer stuff, push your plan one day for unexpected company) and then be realistic about your schedule/energy levels. You don't want to plan elaborate meals on a week you have big diy projects/husband out of town. Plan really simple stuff. It still ends up being cheaper and healthier than eating out. Know what you are WILLING to do, not what you want yourself to do.

[@qwerty_and_azerty]

12:50 Guru Pathik from Avatar: The Last Airbender would be so proud of you!

[@manoffewinterests]

I scrolled down for this comment. Thank you.

[@qwerty_and_azerty]

Bill Swenson you’re very welcome!

[@Billie-Mcii]

I hoped this comment was here

[@MediOkraLife]

I never knew. Just found this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaCTd5xmiMd8iac and must try it.

[@StraveTube]

Pickles?

[@KCallaAK]

You have the BEST wife!!! LOOK at all she did for you for the office and bathroom! She's a keeper! Don't eat her onion/banana soup though.... ;)

[@LowAss720]

Dude, Im so pumped your vids are getting great views. Im not a steady viewer but I binge everytime I see 1 of your vids to catch up.

[@jessicaa3601]

Hi! New to the channel - meal planning caught my eye. I plan every single week but remember to be flexible! We plan for one night out each week (just in case). I also shop at home first! Only takes me 30 mins per week to plan - also started keeping recipes in a binder organized by meat so I don’t have to search to find something we all love to eat. Then I can find a recipe I want to try for the week! Definitely give it another go and give yourself plenty of grace! Beautiful family! ☺️

[@SJWickmere]

Chyna, you are a freaking rockstar!! The office looks awesome 😊 I struggle with meal planning... I try to do 3 to 4 days ahead, and I always make big batches so there will definitely be leftovers for lunches/later in the week.

[@darrellhart8129]

I've had chicken in my freezer since early December. I'll get around to it sometime in 2022 probably.

[@Tea_Tales_Travels]

Did you ever get round to eating it? 😅

[@darrellhart8129]

@@Tea_Tales_Travels Ha, I don't even remember typing that. But I can say that all chicken has been consumed and restocked many times over in the last year.

[@frugephoto2191]

Thank you guys so much for putting so much time and effort into your videos. I'm surprised that it took me this long to find your channel. Will definitely be recommending this to all of my friends.

[@JustinMcNeil]

This is probably my favorite video of yours I've watched. Your family interactions are adorable

[@lynnyackley4262]

That looked like Oh She Glows Spicey Lentil Soup- which is delicious and does not require lots of chopping- find it on Pinterest!! Yum!!

[@louisemaaree]

THIS IS SO CONVENIENT!! I’m moving out of home this year for university and I’ve just planned 8 weeks of meals ☺️

[@emilyokechukwu3209]

Such a fun couple! Love how you support each other! Such a nice surprise for him!

[@birthekalipp5209]

you guys are so sweet and honest with each other. what a beautiful relationship!

[@rencosbjd]

I like meal prep that is just getting a few basic materials ready to use, and maybe some snacks, to be used flexibly through the week

[@DeanGroovy]

"Everybody got a plan until they get punched in the face!" - Mike Tyson

[@rebeccahshanks]

I meal planned for a whole year, put the meals in the calendar to make grocery shopping easier, and used the plan for 5+ years. Easy to change if you feel like it once you get into the routine. I always make one day a left-overs night and use extra food for lunches.

[@pnkpunx14]

I love your videos so much! I can't wait until you reach 1 million, you deserve it!

[@jennifergropper4018]

Hello, maybe it makes it easier when you choose one day to plan, lets say: monday and every Tuesday you going to the supermarket. That is what i do now. I know sunday is my planning day and Tuesdays is my shopping day. And keep the old menu plans/grocery list then you can repeat it again in few weeks and save time because you have the week already done ;-) Good luck with your planning

[@cynthiachazen3420]

PS We call breakfast for dinner “Winnie The Pooh Night.” Kids love that. It's all in the marketing 😜

[@patemmack7205]

My Mom always wrote the main dish for each day of the week on an envelope, then any ingredients that needed to be purchased on the other side. Coupons went inside the envelope, for the grocery shopping. I have followed this method at times, but my husband and son like to be included in the daily choices. So I roughly plan several options,plus some standby alternatives in the freezer (frozen meatballs, etc.). Then each night, we all sit down and I give 2 or 3 options, that I can make with what we have on hand. One day a week we end up going out for pizza or chili. A few of the favorites are either crock pot meals or something that I can prep before I leave for work, and husband puts in the oven at a scheduled time so it is ready soon after I get home. When Chyna was complaining about all the chopping, it reminded me of the most productive three hours I ever spent. I took a knife skills class at a local cooking store. A professional chef demonstrated, then everyone got to practice using the provided high quality knives. The chef gave helpful guidance and we could purchase anything in the store for a good discount. So chopping is so much easier now, and I was able to declutter a lot of special purpose gadgets that I no longer need.

[@LucasSkylarScott]

Love your content. Inspired. Fantastic. I’m slowly edging my wife into more of my stuff and I keep showing her your videos and it’s helping her get more comfortable on camera!

[@IanDeRanieri]

I’m just glad I’m not the only one who pronounces tahini like a Jawa.

[@hernancoronel]

At 13:55 you should’ve just said: “we will plan to order pizza and order it!” :-) Great video, thank you!

[@saramckee3394]

I’m glad you did this video. My hubby and I have been talking about doing this and sadly attempted it a few times. It is a little stressful and a struggle sometimes. Especially when one of us is a little pickier than the other.

[@vanessanicholson9260]

Again I say, kudos to always getting me to watch your humorous add segment. Thanks!

[@Random_Peasant]

Most important thing, keep a list of foods so you can just pick some! Trying to come up with things/remembering what you usually eat is a big speed bump

[@heychelseab]

"Gooodbyeee soupy Tuesdayyy." That's what we'll say on Wednesday.

[@amys3168]

I have the same need for variety that Chyna has. Stir fry has saved me through several bouts of not liking our normal recipes. It essentially is a glorified rice bowl. I’ve seen some great ideas for adding flexibility into the meal planning here, but I thought I’d add my take. We found planning 3-4 nights worked best. We have teenagers, so the other nights became catch-as-catch-can, leftover, sands, and eating out. Eventually, one of those nights will become one of the planned meals we didn’t get around to making earlier in the week. I would love to see you touch base with this again. Good luck!

[@erindoyle73]

I think the key is to meal plan for a month of different meals and then duplicate it the next month removing those meals that weren't a smashing success and adding new ones. Month after month, it works and simplifies the process.

[@justincosplay]

that intermittent fasting really showing its results!!

[@loverlei79]

#adulting is learning how ingredients interact with eachother, so you have your "staples" then a small amount of "special" ingredients. That way you know what you have and what you need without having to calendar your meals like you're a robot.

[@JQ_Unity]

That's what I do. I just buy things I know will work together and can make multiple different meals.

[@hannahg5479]

I second this! Doing "recipes" every night will get exhausting fast-- and you'll spend more money getting ingredients that are specific to certain recipes and the whole process will take longer. Good for once or twice a week, but you need several simple meals you can make on autopilot.

[@laurafideua4181]

Awesome video, as usual :) I have a blackboard in the kitchen labeled for two weeks. One is for the current week. In the other one I write ideas on the go (a new recipe I found, or a suggestion from a family member) so on the last day I only have to fill the gaps. If there is any change to the plan (eating out, or having leftovers) I simply roll all the meals one day. Today's meal will be cooked tomorrow, tomorrow's will be cooked the next day and so on.

[@karenzimba3430]

Meal planning has been the best change I have made about dinner preparing. I surf the freezer for what I have and then decide what to make or buy. I am in LOVE with online/pickup grocery shopping. No more grabbing off the shelf because it looks good. I try to make a second different meal out of the leftovers so no one gets bored, aka me. I do write in leftovers on days and the occasional dinner out because a Momma needs her break.

[@christinelavallee57]

Also another tip - repeat some recipes every week. Meal-planning doesn’t have to mean new, complicated recipes every time.

[@chickenmonger123]

I love the insights in to your guys banter. Let’s me know you guys are real, and not some facsimile for views. Also, good vid.

[@afroceltduck]

Craig has facsimiles, not sure about Chyna.

[@kravm16]

Just discovered you via TFD and really like your personality and the dynamic b/w you and your wife. Great content.

[@theadventuresofzoomandbettie]

I LOVED the placeholder for the 1mil subscribers too. So sweet.

[@SixofQueens]

I do 90% of my meal prep for the week in about 3 hours (this includes going to the store) on the last day that I work, and I absolutely endorse it. I leave the weekend for more off the cuff kind of things like salmon fillets, pork loin roasts, cheese boards and such, but during the week it's a set plan of main meals (a baked vegetable dish over white, brown, red and wild rice, seasoned differently every week, from italian to curry to creole to chili to dill, tarragon and marjoram with either low sodium shredded chicken and queso fresco or ham and parm) with an assortment of salads with marinated chicken breasts that either feature fruit or are wholley savory with the recommended serving size of dressing. I have very little food waste and only have to heat meals in the microwave (which I take into account while cooking so that everything isn't mooshy when I actually eat it). I basically never have to worry about food by following this. Edit: I live alone, so it's easier to make radical changes to my diet. Also, I have gone over my diet with my doctor (yes, I do have one) and he has not only been ecstatic on the premise but on the results as well (14 point reduction in cholesterol in 3 months, with exercise because of course, with decrease in LDL and increase in HDL), so this comes with actual medical endorsement.

[@oOAngeloAmorimOo]

How about you both try a "couting calories for a month" challenge? it's very good and gets fun once you learn it, plus you get to loose weigh a lot easier. I feel it's a great monthly challenge that matches your video styles and one that has a lot of benefits.

[@SpeakOut17]

i'm finding it so hard to calorie count, especially for homemade food :/ like for soup when its a mixture of beans and veggies and stock and oil how do you count that hahah

[@oOAngeloAmorimOo]

@@SpeakOut17 yes I guess I thought of it as "easy" because I'm not a very good cook, and tend to eat mostly veggies, one or two types, and meat, where I would weight them separately. But when making complex recipes you should weight the ingredients first, figure out the calories of the entire thing and the weight of the entire recipe, and if you eat a third of it all, you probably ate about a third of the calories. Sometimes it's difficult though, for getting the most out of it you probably have to stay away from complex recipes and just eat simple, making stuff you know you can measure. But you start to get good at it, the important thing is not to eyeball it

[@SpeakOut17]

@@oOAngeloAmorimOo thank you so much for the tips!! :))

[@rebukey]

With other videos I always skip the advertisements, but not with yours. You make them so fun I don’t want to miss them.

[@freshsage6809]

I love love love meal planning. But what works for me [and probably what was a little stressful for you] is that my meal planning is mainly bulk cooking of some "tried and tested" recipes + occassionally throwing in some surprising new meals [instead of ALL the recipes being new]. Plus... by bulk cooking some basics [like cooking up a massive batch of mince - and you can then turn that into spag bowl, mince and rice, taco's, mince wraps... the options are endless!]. Also - another hack - is to have some "back up" items for when you don't feel like cooking - spotted you were doing pizza - make an extra base or two, prepped + then you can pop them in the freezer for a day when you just can't be asked! All you need to do is haul them out, defrost them + cook! Win!

[@NoName-yc4ts]

I’m super impressed by the puns!

[@amandaprice2600]

Chyna, try Cook Once, Eat All Week by Cassie Joy Garcia. Love it! LOVE! IT!

[@NEENEEx5]

This is for real! It saves money, encourages healthy eating AND perhaps using ingredients you may not use regularly. The OTHER best thing is, 3 basic foods make up 3 meals for the week with leftovers for a lunch. I’ve tried ALL KINDS of meal planning and this is the only sustainable one I’ve found. It involves proper kitchen prep but NOT hours and hours. Amanda is right - you won’t be sorry you tried this👍🏻. Maybe you could even swap meals with the folks🤷🏻‍♀️

[@DaTux91]

My girlfriend and I started doing this several weeks/months ago. Maybe 2 months, maybe less, maybe more. I'm not so good with judging time. Anyway, we like it a lot. We decided to always plan the coming week's meals on Sunday over or just after breakfast. Some of the things I think we learned are: 1) Plan only 5-6 days, depending on the week, because we sometimes have some leftovers and sometimes want to go out or eat at either of our family's. 2) Don't plan never-before-tried recipes on every day. Just one, maybe two, per week. The meal planning works best with things you know how to make. New recipes are fun, but you don't want to trade the time you've won by not going grocery shopping for time cooking every day. The weekend is a great time for trying new recipes for us. 3) I like to think we've become better judges of portions, so the number of times we have leftovers has decreased over time. 3) Plan, but remain flexible: on Wednesday you don't have to eat the meal you originally planned on Wednesday, you can eat the one from Thursday or Friday. 4) Stick with it. We do still want to order food on some days, but it really pays off to resist the temptation. Last night, for example, we were both quite tired from the week, my girlfriend really tired. So she wanted to order food. I asked if she was sure, because I was still feeling up for cooking. She insisted, arguing that we forgot to take the meat for this meal out of the fridge anyway. So we tried ordering sushi, but the place was so crowded that they weren't taking any new orders. That kind of acted as a sign, I guess. And my girlfriend had by then had some crackers and ice cream so she wasn't as hangry anymore :P So I got the meat out of the fridge, let it defrost in the microwave on the lowest setting while I started cooking and it turned out delicious, if I do say so myself. And as good as the sushi would have been, we were both very happy that we had our planned meal. It was yummy and it meant not having to throw anything away, so this is a zero waste week as well. #achievements 5) Make sure people know about it, so you can plan dinner with friends or with family at least a week in advance. This is a tough one for me personally, because I like being spontaneous about these things, I have been my whole life. But it is honestly possible and the calendar on my phone is there for a reason. It doesn't mean we don't still go out for drinks with friends spontaneously. Even dinner is possible very occasionally, that's why we only plan the 5 or 6 meals per week. Structure in life has always seemed to me like the Dark Side, but I have to admit it does make things a lot more manageable when you start to settle down and live life. Spontaneity and chaos still definitely have a place in my life, it's just become a little more of a controlled chaos, or like a temporally confined chaos. Chaos is mainly for when I need creativity for my job or when I am or we are out alone or with friends, having fun. And I think it works.

[@beastlyidiots9232]

One of the best epeisodes you've done. A very open and honest look into how we change our minds to accomodate our needs and desires. Chyna really shines.