Cooking tasty, easy meals for your family doesn't need lots of time or money. Better still, you’re likely to have plenty left for the next day or two. If you have freezer space, you can always pop leftovers in there for those days when there’s just no time to cook a meal from scratch.
Take a look at our top tips for meal planning.
Top tips to try at home
Tip #1: Check the cupboards
Tip #1: Check the cupboards
Tip #2: Dry food
Tip #2: Dry food
Tip #3: Download a meal planner
Tip #3: Download a meal planner
Tip #4: Plan on the same day every week
Tip #4: Plan on the same day every week
Tip #5: Balance the plan
Tip #5: Balance the plan
Tip #6: Frozen helps you plan
Tip #6: Frozen helps you plan
Tip #7: Store cupboard essentials
Tip #7: Store cupboard essentials
Tip #8: The freezer is your friend
Tip #8: The freezer is your friend
Tip #9: Keep your veggie peelings for stock
Tip #9: Keep your veggie peelings for stock
Tip #10: Using herbs and spices
Tip #10: Using herbs and spices
Tip #11: Plan around your family
Tip #11: Plan around your family
Tip #12: Batch cooking
Tip #12: Batch cooking
Tip #13: Shop online
Tip #13: Shop online
Tip #14: Plan to prepare
Tip #14: Plan to prepare
Tip #15: Flexible foods
Tip #15: Flexible foods
Top tips from parents
“I like to use a slow cooker to prepare a lot of these recipes as it’s an easy way to cook a big family dinner without spending hours in the kitchen. I will also batch freeze a lot of my meals that I can use at a later time during the week."
- Lucy, mum from Dundee
“Menu planning is a great way for everyone to get involved and have a say in what they want to eat. It reduces the possibility of the kids being fussy at the dinner table and it makes planning a whole lot easier."
- Vicki, mum from Perth
“Work out what you’re going to eat that week before you go the supermarket then check the dates on the things you buy to make sure they’ll last until needed. Plus, any meal that can be made in one pot tastes better in my opinion!”
- Neil, dad from Aberdeen