Meal Planning for the Holidays
- weekly meal plan
- + fast recipes kids will love
- + savings at your grocery store
- + organized grocery list
- = stress-free mom
The holidays can be a stressful time. It's easy to over extend yourself in both time and money. Meal planning can prevent you from spending too much money, time, and energy in the kitchen. Use the following suggestions to sanely navigate the holidays.
Decide what food you need to purchase from Halloween to New Years
Make a list of what you'll be preparing for both meals and gifts. If you have that list, you can keep an eye open for coupons and discounts in your weekly circular for those items. For example, if you make holiday cookies using Reese's mini peanut butter cups, buy them on sale after Halloween (read: right now)! It's also good to stock up on staples like flour and sugar for holiday when you find them on sale.
Gather recipes for leftovers
Be economical and don't let leftovers go to waste. Find recipes that will make the most of what you have remaining. When you know what you want to make with leftovers, take an inventory of what items you have on hand. Add the ingredients that you need to make the dish on your master grocery list. For Thanksgiving, try Turkey and Citrus Salad or Black Friday Turkey Salad. Another idea is to make turkey soup and freeze it.
Clean out the refrigerator and freezer
You'll be doing a lot of cooking over the holidays, so you'll need enough room to store what you prepare.
Prepping
Do what you can days in advance. Set the table, make place cards, and select serving dishes. Desserts can be made ahead, as well as anything you serve chilled. Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and parsnips can be prepped and stored in cool water.
