When it comes to organization a great place to start is in the kitchen. It’s one of the places, when organized, that can have a tremendous effect on many areas of your life. Having a plan for your meals will save you time and money. Also, it will mostly likely increase your awareness of what you’re eating so you’ll eat better which will give you more energy. You’ll also reap the reward of not having as much waste in the refrigerator so you won’t have to spend the time cleaning out food that should’ve been eaten and you won’t have the guilt that goes along with wasting so much. Over the course of the next month I’ll be discussing the benefits of meal planning along with guiding you through how to get your meal plan started. By the end of this series you’ll have menu templates along with some healthy, cost effective recipes to get started. This week I want to prepare you to start the meal planning process and give you the reasons why it will improve your life so much. I’ll guarantee you that once you have a method in place for your meal planning you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Does meal planning take a little extra time and effort on the front end? Of course! Anything worth doing takes effort and time up front but what you need to be convinced of is the benefits after having the plan established. Benefit #1: Time – You’ll have more of it. There will be no extra trips to the store. You won’t be searching around for possible ingredients (you’ll know they’re there). You won’t waste time cleaning out the refrigerator of forgotten food. There will be less dishes so less time spent washing them and putting them away. Also, (the clincher for me) your mind will have time to think on better things than what’s for dinner! Benefit #2: Money – YOU’LL HAVE MORE OF IT! Again, no extra trips to the store. This not only cuts down on gas but it will save on impulse purchasing! Also, you will have less wasted food (noticing an overlap?). You’ll see clearly how to make meals that have similar ingredients. You’ll be planning your meals around sale items to maximize your dollar. Benefit #3: Better Eating Habits (possible weight loss and/or gained energy). With a plan you’ll take notice of the things that you are feeding your family and yourself, most will be more likely to want to prepare “real food” dishes. If you’re taking the time to be organized in planning the meals you’ll want the meals to be worth this effort so buying processed, preservative loaded frozen or boxed meals will not be happening. You’ll be more likely to buy fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits to serve with the meals. Even snacking will become a healthier thing (without the guilt). Benefit #4: Family Time will be regained. Without the stress of trying to figure out what to have and how to make it in time you’ll be relaxed and able to sit and enjoy the meal WITH your family. You’ll finally (or once again) be able to participate in conversation and take interest in the people that share the dinner table with you. Isn’t this what it’s really all about? Next week: Where to start? The weekly meal plan.