Week 1 - Planning Goals

Okay, so you may be wondering what planning has to do with eating better. After all, you could plan to eat nothing but Twinkies and Diet Coke for a week. (Good luck with that.)

So, here's what I see as the big goals for planning your meals:

1 - No more impulse buys. By planning you can shop with a list. If you control what you buy, you control what you spend. You'll save money.

2 - You can stop throwing away money by letting food get soupy in the fridge. You'll save money.

3 - You'll eat out less. I love eating out, believe me. But I have realized that I would rather eat out with friends, as a treat, or for a special occasion. There have been times when I've been tired and couldn't stand the thought of going to a store, wandering the aisles hungry, trying to figure out what to eat, and then, hours later cooking it. Then I would pick up take-out, not as a treat, but as an act of despair. If you meal plan, when you get home at the end of a hard day, you will know exactly what you're supposed to be eating that night and have everything on hand to make it. You'll save money (and feel less frazzled).

4 - So, I'm not going to pretend that every change I suggest on that blog is going to be cheap. Some really quality foods that are healthier, better for the environment, and tastier, are also more expensive. By figuring out how to keep from wasting food or impulse buying, you will learn how to save money. By saving money you will be able to spend a little more on quality ingredients in the future.