140 HAWAII PARENT May/June 2025 Gathering Your Meal Planning Supplies The first step is to gather supplies. You’ll need a weekly or monthly calendar, either in a planner, on a whiteboard, or through a mealplanning app. A cookbook or collection of your favorite recipes can also be handy. If you prefer digital tools, you can save recipes on Pinterest or use apps like Plan To Eat to keep track of meals. Some families sync their meal plans with grocery delivery services to make shopping easier. Choosing Recipes and Organizing Meal Categories Once you have your tools, start gathering recipes. A successful meal plan includes a mix of tried-and-true family favorites and new recipes for variety. Keeping a rotating list of go-to meals prevents meal planning from feeling repetitive while ensuring you always have reliable options. To make meal planning even easier, try organizing meals into categories: • Theme Nights – Taco Tuesday, Soup Sunday • Protein-Based – Beef Mondays, Chicken Wednesdays • Cuisine Rotation – Italian, Mexican, Asian-inspired Writing these categories down and listing multiple meal options under each can simplify planning for weeks ahead. Easy Side Dishes to Simplify Cooking Pairing meals with simple, no-fuss sides can make dinner planning even easier. "A successful meal plan includes a mix of tried-and-true family favorites and new recipes for variety." Sticking to the list, saves both time and money.
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