Get your hands on my downloadable PDF – my FREE Stress-Free 7 Day Family Meal Plan!

Simply follow it for no-stress week! This meal plan also includes quick & easy recipes (freezer meals too!) PLUS a shopping list, daily meal prep guide, as well as batch cooking and freezing tips.

It’s available here for you to download.

Meal plan schedules are life.

You will get me when you understand the thoughts behind them, and why they work so well.

When it comes to saving time in the kitchen through meal planning, it goes beyond selecting a few recipes and assigning them to specific days. Now, I don’t want you thinking this is a long, complicated process. On the contrary, setting this up enables me to save hours and not cook everyday. If you’re new to this, it may take you a little more time to plan it than I do. But do keep in mind I have been doing this for over a decade day in day out, so yes, the experience definitely helps!

Today I am sharing a sample 7 day meal plan schedule of mine which is perfect for busy families which you can too follow, allowing you to experience how wonderful having a meal plan schedule can be.

What is a meal plan schedule?

A meal plan schedule is a plan that lays out not only what you will be eating on specific days, but includes a plan of what you will be cooking when. When you do this intentionally, you can plan to use overlapping ingredients and meal prep and batch cook as you go along. The idea is to do more in less time, as well as plan to ‘do the doing’ on less busier days…plus avoid food waste.

Why should I set up a meal plan schedule?

Well, the most obvious is to save time. Why cook everyday if you do not need to, or why spend 1 hour cooking a meal if you can spend 30 minutes instead? But, it goes beyond that too.
A meal plan schedule will allow you to be present with your family. Gone are the days when you’re in a mad rush trying to cook dinner when you’d rather be sitting down with your child reading a book. Or the days when you’re just so stressed out because it’s bedtime in 30 minutes and you are nowhere near having dinner ready.
Do you know how stressful it feels to try and stick to your usual schedule when there are extra curricular activities to muddle up your plans? Well, a meal plan schedule will help you to feel in control, because you have a plan that works. I won’t make this longer than I have to, but a meal plan schedule allows you more freedom, less stress, helps you make better food choices, keeps you healthier, and saves you money too.

A typical meal plan schedule

Monday *no cooking day* – pull out a freezer meal: Slow Cooked Big Batch Bolognese
Tuesday – 10 minute dinner: Sheetpan Chicken & Veggies
Wednesday *batch cooking day* – Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry with Rice
Thursday – 10 minute salmon tacos with roasted zucchini and oven chips
Friday – Easy bread pizza
Saturday – *no cooking day* or easy meal like my Easiest Ever Paella
Sunday – out

My cooking plan: tweak this to fit your needs

Monday: freezer meal – Slow Cooked Big Batch Bolognese
No cooking today. Just boil spaghetti and combine with bolognese sauce.
Extra-curriculars are planned + need to catch up after the weekend, so no cooking is planned for Mondays.
If you don’t have this recipe in your freezer yet…
Total time needed: 20 minutes prep + 6 hours slow cooking

Tuesday: Sheetpan Chicken & Veggies
Total time needed: 10 minutes prep time + 45 minutes cooking
This recipe is PERFECT for busy days at home, since it has a short prep time and then it’s hands-off
cooking in the oven.

Wednesday: Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry & Rice
Total time needed: 15 minutes prep + 35 mins cooking. You can easily double this recipe!
My daughter Nina is at a 2 hour class on Wednesdays so I batch cook. You can plan this for a less busy day or else even do it in the evening. My batch cooking never takes me more than 45 minutes and I batch cook 3-5 portions every time for my family of 4.

Thursday: 10 Minute Salmon Tacos
Total time needed: 10 minutes prep + 10 minutes cooking
If I have a busy evening, I will prepare fish for baking before dinnertime and have it ready in the fridge.

Friday: Easy Bread Pizza
Total time needed: 15 minutes prep + 12 minutes cooking
The kids can help make this one too! It’s super simple, and so delicious!

Saturday: if I cook….Easiest Ever Paella
Total time needed: 5 minutes prep + 30 minutes cooking
No cooking or minimal effort meals are for Saturdays at the end of a long week.
On a typical Saturday I would plan to eat a batch cooked meal, or make something like chicken wraps, or eat out or order in. I don’t like to stress on the weekends (or any day of the week I guess 😁)

Sunday
No cooking today! Lunch out of the home it is, or else it’s a picnic or cookout!

A few things to note

1. I batch cook once a week. Putting away 2-4 meals in the freezer every week gives me a lot of days where dinner is ready, and lightens my load.
2. This plan is not set in stone. Sometimes I’ll switch days. Such as Saturday and Sunday.
3. As much as I like to cook, I like to have time for everything else more than I do spending time cooking. If I really want to enjoy a drawn out cooking session, I’ll plan for one on a Friday night or during the weekend.
4. I pick simple any day. That’s a non-negotiable.
5. I’ll take whatever smart shortcuts I can to help me save time. Frozen garlic and onions? Yes please. Repeat sides a few times a week? Heck yes. The secret is how you take your shortcuts. Whilst I will happily use frozen onions for a curry, I’d never use them for a recipe that requires that crunch, such a stir fry. I use convenience foods – but I will always read the label and steer clear of preservatives.

That’s it my dear mama friend. I hope I managed to give you a clear picture of how having a meal plan schedule can work for you.

Get your hands on my downloadable PDF – my FREE 7 Day Stress-Free Family Meal Plan!

I’ve gone ahead and put the plan down in a PDF which you can keep handy so you can follow it if you want to have a no-stress week. This meal plan also includes quick & easy recipes (freezer meals too!) PLUS a shopping list, daily meal prep guide, as well as batch cooking and freezing tips.

It’s available here for you to download.

Enjoy!

Love,

Nakita xxx