Never thought I’d be unboxing my own red carpet Never thought I’d be unboxing my own red carpet backdrop 😭💕 Planning this party has been a labor of love and it’s almost time! The countdown to the @leisurelash launch party has officially begun 🎉 Happy Friday yall!! #LashAtYourLeisure #LaunchParty #SipAndSee #Mompreneur #SmallBiz
Coffee at home will always be the vibe ✨☕️ # Coffee at home will always be the vibe ✨☕️ #GiantEaglePartner #icedcoffee #butfirstcoffee #momlife #sahm
Passenger Princess since 2012 👑🫶🏽 #marrie Passenger Princess since 2012 👑🫶🏽 #marriedlife #momlife #happywife #husbandandwife #highschoolsweethearts
saturday 📸🫶🏽🌮 saturday 📸🫶🏽🌮
This is the easiest slow cooker meal I’ve ever m This is the easiest slow cooker meal I’ve ever made. Only 3 ingredients!!!#GiantEaglePartner I’m a huge fan of Briannas salad dressings so I was excited to try this Sriracha Honey Ginger marinade, and it did not disappoint. It has the right amount of heat and a ton of flavor. RUN, don’t walk to @marketdistrict and save this recipe for later 🔥😋🙌🏽 #recipes #dinner #momlife #kidfriendly
I’ve been on the hunt for new snacks to introduc I’ve been on the hunt for new snacks to introduce to Savannah and these Once Upon A Farm breakfast bars are absolutely perfect! #GiantEaglePartner They’re soft-baked and easy for her to eat, so I’ll be stocking up on more from @marketdistrict ❤️
I finally gave myself the break I’ve been needin I finally gave myself the break I’ve been needing, and it was EVERYTHING 🙌🏽 I love my family, I really do. But every mom needs a night where no one touches her, asks for a snack, or wakes her up at 3am. After waiting a long time for a 24-hour momcation like this, it felt so good to take care of no one but me. 💆🏾‍♀️✨ #momlife #sahmlife #selfcare #momof5 #weekendfun
If you’ve been waiting for permission to book th If you’ve been waiting for permission to book the night away, here it is! We seriously need to normalize moms getting a break. No guilt. No explanation. Just rest, joy, and room service 🛎️🙌🏽✨ #selfcare #momlife #motherhood #sahm #momsofig @hilton
Hiding the evidence like it’s my job 😂 #momli Hiding the evidence like it’s my job 😂 #momlife #momhumor #motherhood #momof5 #thisismotherhood
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Making A Menu
  • Cooking At Home
  • Home & Kitchen
  • Mom Life
  • About Danielle
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Download Printables
  • Get In Touch
  • Nav Social Icons

Danielle Skeaton

In The Kitchen: Making Dinner Simple

By: Danielle Skeaton

How to Stop Eating Out and Start Meal Planning

Tired of wondering what your family will eat for dinner every night? That was exactly how I felt a few years ago.

We were blowing all of our money eating takeout because I was so disorganized and stressed about meals. Literally deciding on dinner on the spot almost every night.

It made me hate cooking. Plus, our grocery bill was so out of control I hated to even think about how it much we were spending each month on food.

So I knew that if I was going to stick to a food budget, I needed to get ALL of our meals under control.

I used these simple meal planning tips, in the beginning, to cut our grocery bill in HALF, stay on a budget, and finally stop overspending.

1. Plan around your schedule.

Before you sit down to start meal planning, it’s a good idea to pull out your calendar and check your schedule so that you can plan your meals around your life.

Do you have an evening appointment coming up or kids’ little league practices twice a week?

You’re simply looking for long or busy days that may mess up your meal plan. Maybe you’ll need to meal prep ahead or eat leftovers. Use your schedule to guide what you put on your menu.

After you’ve reviewed your schedule, you can move on to Step #2.

2. Choose meals you already eat.

For some reason, most beginners start meal planning by spending hours on Pinterest to find new recipes to try. Big mistake.

Filling up your weekly menu with meals you’ve never made before isn’t going to keep you motivated to stay in your kitchen (and away from the drive-thru) if you’re not used to cooking.

Trust me on this. Going from eating fast-food 3-4 times a week to actually being in the kitchen and cooking 3-4 times a week is HARD. So you don’t need to go full throttle and become a home chef overnight.

The best thing you can do in the beginning is to eat meals you’re already making for the next few weeks until you get used to meal planning.

So grab a pen and paper write down as many easy meals you can have for dinner (even if you only know how to make sloppy joe and spaghetti—we all have to start somewhere!) and add 5-7 of your ideas to your menu.

Related: How to Simplify Dinner Planning With A Rotating Menu

3. Limit your side dishes.

There’s no need to prepare a feast for dinner every night. If you keep your sides simple, you’ll save a lot of time in the kitchen and money on your grocery bill.

I like to serve one or two with dinner every night. Some of our favorite super-simple side dishes include:

  • Baked Beans
  • Fresh or Frozen Veggies
  • Steamed Rice
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Salad
  • Dinner Rolls
  • Cornbread
  • French Fries

Now, it’s your turn to come up with your own (or use mine!). Then you can pair your side dish ideas with the simple dinner ideas that you’ve chosen for your menu from Step #2.

4. Put your breakfast and lunch on autopilot.

Now that we got dinner out the way, you’re probably wondering what we should do about breakfast and lunch! And to be honest, it is SO much easier just to put your breakfast and lunch on autopilot when you’re a beginner at this.

What I mean is, you want to plan to eat the same things until you get used to meal planning for a few weeks.

For instance, you can choose to eat ready-to-go meals like cereal and bagels or make eggs & toast for breakfast. And for lunch, you can plan to eat leftovers from the night before or pack sandwiches and fresh fruit.

So choose 2 to 3 options for easy breakfast and lunch meals for now—that way you can completely focus all of your energy on planning for dinner each week and avoid getting overwhelmed.

5. Make a grocery list.

Now that you know what meals your family is going to eat, it’s time to turn your menu into a grocery list. It’s a good idea to make a grocery list and meal plan at the same time so you’ll know what you need to buy from the store.

And as you’re making your grocery list, don’t forget to check your pantry, freezer, and fridge to make sure you’re not buying items you already have.

Take it from me, doing this now will save you a TON of time, money, and frustration trying to figure out if you have ketchup or not at home when you’re all the way at the store.

That wasn’t so bad, was it?!

I hope you see just how easy meal planning can actually be each week! When you stick to planning meals your family already loves, there’s no need to drive yourself crazy trying to find new recipes to serve every night—you can actually do this one meal at a time!

I also recommend that you schedule any meals requiring fresh ingredients (like produce or herbs) earlier in the week—so they don’t go bad before you get a chance to eat them—and plan to eat leftovers towards the middle or end of the week.

The only thing left to do now is to go shopping for your groceries! Choose one day to buy all of your groceries so you’re not spending more time (and money) shopping than you have to.

And I do NOT suggest meal planning and grocery shopping on the same day. It’s way easier if you can keep these days separate until you find your routine!

More Meal Planning Tips:

  • How to Simplify Dinner Planning With A Rotating Menu
  • Sick of Taco Tuesday? Here Are 30 Theme Dinner Ideas You Need To Know About
  • How to Plan Family Meals On A Budget

Share & Save On Pinterest!

28 shares
  • Share
  • Email

In: Making A Menu Topic: Productivity & Routines

🍴Ready to Make Dinnertime Easier?

Our weekly Weeknight Warriors Newsletter is filled with recipes, tips, and more to help you plan, cook, and simplify dinner—one meal at a time!

You’ll Also Love

7 Things I Do Every Sunday That Makes My Week Better
Do These Chores Every Night to Make Your Mornings Easier
Sick of Taco Tuesday? Here Are 30 Theme Dinner Ideas You Need To Know About

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

25 Fun Things To Do At Home As A Family

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! I’m Danielle Skeaton, the mama behind this blog, just trying to make dinner easier for all of us. From simple meal planning tips to easy weeknight recipes, I’m here to help you ditch the drive-thru and bring stress-free meals to your table! Read My Story
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • YouTube

Browse by Topic

  • Making A Menu
  • Cooking At Home
  • Home & Kitchen
  • Mom Life
  • Shop My Favorites

🍴Join my Weeknight Warriors Community!

Get easy dinner ideas, recipes, and more—straight to your inbox!

search the blog

Amazon Affiliate

WE ARE A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

instagram

Follow @danielleskeaton

Never thought I’d be unboxing my own red carpet Never thought I’d be unboxing my own red carpet backdrop 😭💕 Planning this party has been a labor of love and it’s almost time! The countdown to the @leisurelash launch party has officially begun 🎉 Happy Friday yall!! #LashAtYourLeisure #LaunchParty #SipAndSee #Mompreneur #SmallBiz
Coffee at home will always be the vibe ✨☕️ # Coffee at home will always be the vibe ✨☕️ #GiantEaglePartner #icedcoffee #butfirstcoffee #momlife #sahm
Passenger Princess since 2012 👑🫶🏽 #marrie Passenger Princess since 2012 👑🫶🏽 #marriedlife #momlife #happywife #husbandandwife #highschoolsweethearts
saturday 📸🫶🏽🌮 saturday 📸🫶🏽🌮
This is the easiest slow cooker meal I’ve ever m This is the easiest slow cooker meal I’ve ever made. Only 3 ingredients!!!#GiantEaglePartner I’m a huge fan of Briannas salad dressings so I was excited to try this Sriracha Honey Ginger marinade, and it did not disappoint. It has the right amount of heat and a ton of flavor. RUN, don’t walk to @marketdistrict and save this recipe for later 🔥😋🙌🏽 #recipes #dinner #momlife #kidfriendly
I’ve been on the hunt for new snacks to introduc I’ve been on the hunt for new snacks to introduce to Savannah and these Once Upon A Farm breakfast bars are absolutely perfect! #GiantEaglePartner They’re soft-baked and easy for her to eat, so I’ll be stocking up on more from @marketdistrict ❤️
I finally gave myself the break I’ve been needin I finally gave myself the break I’ve been needing, and it was EVERYTHING 🙌🏽 I love my family, I really do. But every mom needs a night where no one touches her, asks for a snack, or wakes her up at 3am. After waiting a long time for a 24-hour momcation like this, it felt so good to take care of no one but me. 💆🏾‍♀️✨ #momlife #sahmlife #selfcare #momof5 #weekendfun
If you’ve been waiting for permission to book th If you’ve been waiting for permission to book the night away, here it is! We seriously need to normalize moms getting a break. No guilt. No explanation. Just rest, joy, and room service 🛎️🙌🏽✨ #selfcare #momlife #motherhood #sahm #momsofig @hilton
Hiding the evidence like it’s my job 😂 #momli Hiding the evidence like it’s my job 😂 #momlife #momhumor #motherhood #momof5 #thisismotherhood
To the mama struggling to love her body after havi To the mama struggling to love her body after having her babies. To the mama who carried a baby she never got to hold. To the mama who puts everyone else first. To the mama fighting silent battles only she and God know about. To the mama staring at her cluttered home. To the mama who wonders if she’s doing enough. You are amazing. You are beautiful. You are deeply loved. Happy Mother’s Day 💕💐

Footer

On The Blog

  • Making A Menu
  • Cooking At Home
  • Home & Kitchen
  • Mom Life
  • Shop My Favorites

Ready to make dinnertime easier?

Info

  • About Me
  • Get In Touch
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2025 Danielle Skeaton · Theme by 17th Avenue

[elementor-template id=”34752″]

[elementor-template id=”34728″]

[elementor-template id=”34692″]

[elementor-template id=”34217″]

[INSERT_ELEMENTOR id=”28325″]

[INSERT_ELEMENTOR id=”28113″]

 

Loading Comments...