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Meal planning seems like a great idea. After all, you will get all your meals for the week at one time. However, it can be challenging if you have never did it before. These common meal planning mistakes and simple ways to fix them will help you out. You'll be amazed by how easily these mistakes can be fixed!

Seven Meal Planning Mistakes And Solutions Every Beginner Needs To Know About Include:

1. Not giving yourself sufficient time for planning.
Trying to pack the planning, shopping, and prep in as quickly as possible and not giving yourself enough time will make this process seem totally frustrating

The solution: Give yourself plenty of time for meal planning, especially if you're just getting started. I recommend setting aside two to three hours each week for meal planning.
2. Not picking the right recipes for your needs.
Pick recipes that don't fit that criteria and you're likely to end up unsatisfied, frustrated, and hungry.

The solution: Pick recipes for the kind of meals you actually need. Before you even go searching for recipes, write down a list of what you want the recipe to do for you.
3. Being overly ambitious and unrealistic.
It's great that you feel so inspired and enthusiastic about meal planning, but making a plan that's overly ambitious and one that doesn't quite match your schedule or needs won't be sustainable in the long run.

The solution: Start by defining your goals and assessing your schedule to see what feels most realistic to you, then make a plan that feels sustainable.

4. Not stocking your pantry.
Not keeping a small stash of versatile staples on hand misses the benefit of making meal planning a bit easier.

The solution: Strategically stocking your pantry with the basic ingredients you use over and over again — think olive oil, stock, rice, and canned goods — will make meal planning a lot easier.
5. Not scouting the kitchen for food that needs to be used up.
Don't forget to shop your kitchen and take advantage of the leftovers ingredients you already have.

The solution: Before selecting recipes and heading to the store, scout the fridge and pantry for foods that need to be used up, then find a way to work them into your plan.
6. Not writing down or saving your recipes.
Organization is key for meal planning success. Not writing down your recipes for the week  or when you plan to make them makes it easy to fall off track.

The solution: Remember your meal plan and stay organized by jotting down the recipes you plan to make each week.
7. Forgetting to take inventory of ingredients before grocery shopping.
After selecting your recipes for the week, don't forget to see what ingredients you already have on hand in the pantry, freezer, and fridge.

The solution: Before finalizing the shopping list and heading to the store, always double check recipe ingredient lists with what's already in the pantry and fridge. It will help you use up foods you already have and prevent overbuying.

Happy Planning!

These common mistakes beginners make and the simple ways to fix them just might make meal planning much easier and more enjoyable for you! Have you made any of these mistakes when meal planning before?

Let Us Know Your Thoughts!

For even more meal planning mistakes and ways you can fix them, you can visit:

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