Here is one example of how to meal plan for your week

                         
                                  You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces,
                                                     just good food from fresh ingredients
                                                                            Julia Child

Meal planning for evening meals and keeping everyone happy in the family can be frustrating.  You probably already know what your families likes and dislikes  concerning  meals that you prepare.   Often when we are rushed or haven't planned in advance you may choose quick unhealthy options or stop at the supermarket 3-4 times during your week picking up things you need.  You may be preparing different meals to keep everyone happy which can be a huge time waster,  or you may be throwing out food that doesn't get eaten.   Meal planning for your week may save you time and money,  it may help you to eat healthy nutritious  home cooked meals and make you feel more organised.  So here is one way you might like to try to meal plan in order to  cater for your families tastes and lifestyle.

When you have a moment to plan, put the jug on, make yourself a cup of tea and start by looking through your favourite recipe books or, online for suitable recipes for your family.    Ask the rest of the family to contribute their ideas to if they are old enough.  Pick out healthy home cooked unprocessed meals that everyone is happy with.   So if they want burgers or pizza find a healthy home made recipe option, if you eat vegetarian look for vegetarian options.    Start to make a collection of around 20 recipes under different evening meal categories such as:

Roast meals,  
Pasta dishes,
Stir fries,  
Curries,  
Pies,
Soups,  
Mexican dishes,
Home made burgers,  
Home made Pizzas,  
Quick meal options 15 minutes or less,
Favourite salads, 
Favourite vegetables etc...  

Write down the meal, cook book and page number, or  website as a future reference to find it quickly when you  need it.   Store this list somewhere you can access it easily when you come to do your planning for the week.   

If you can find  20 recipes, this will allow for around 4 weeks meal planning with a variety of different options you change around over the weeks.    When you go to plan out your week,  split up the types of meals you offer from the  categories, like,  pasta night,  Mexican night, etc.  Plan which nights need to be quick easy options and who will be there for dinner.   Select your meals based on the above then list the ingredients onto your shopping list from the recipes you have selected, to ensure when you go shopping you will get everything  you need to cook for the week.

Include side vegetables or salad ingredients  that you know everyone likes.  Leave salads disassembled  when you prepare them so that family members can make it themselves, choosing from the options on the plate that they like, or, keep family favourite frozen vegetables in the freezer as quick side options.

Double a couple of recipes for the week,  the extra can be frozen as quick meal options for the following weeks when you don't have time to prepare meals.

If you are cooking roast meats buy larger sizes in order to use extra meat for lunches during the week.  

If you have kids 3years +  ask them to contribute to choosing one favourite meal for the week or giving them a choice of 3 meals they can choose from.   Ask question like,  what would you like as your favourite pasta meal this week, spaghetti, mac cheese or lasagna?  What soup flavour would you like,  pumpkin or Chicken?  What vegetables would you like to have with your roast this week peas or beans?  If you where to try one new vegetable this week what would you choose?   Giving them choices and not to many options helps them to feel involved and in control of their eating.

Get others in the family involved in cooking one or more nights during the week,  if possible.  Anybody can cook if they are able to read a recipe.

Here is an example of an evening meal plan for the week.

                                                                    Dinner Meal Plan     

                       Meal                                   Sides/Veges             Evening Activities             Recipe Book Pg no
Monday         Stir Fry                                Quinoa/Rice             After school activities    
Tuesday        Pasta dish                          Vege/Salad              Dad cooking /Mum out                                                                                                
Wednesday  Mexican dish (double)      Vege/Salad
Thursday      Prepared meal in freezer                                    School meeting/defrost meal
Friday           Curry (double)                      Quinoa/Rice           
Saturday      Pizza                                      Vege/Salad            Molly staying over
                                                                                                      kids help make their own
Sunday        Roast Meal (double)             Vege/Salad           Dad & kids cookings
   

      Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1000 percent
                                                                     return on energy!
                                                                           Brian Tracy