The Planner, gasp, sigh....

Yep, I am one of those people.  I plan ahead for anything I can, because as we all know, with kids something is ALWAYS going to hit you from outta the blue and knock you a week behind on everything...but think about it...

I think the single most time saving thing that we do is spend a couple of hours prepping for the week on Sundays.  Yes, it does rob you a little of your precious weekend and requires some discipline, but it saves much more than time!  I plan all the meals for the week, shop for all the items I will need and spend a couple of hours on any preparations that can happen in advance and voila...

Savings???
I know it's tough to set aside time to make this happen, but just think of all the positives!

Time:

• It keeps me from making multiple trips to the grocery store, driving, walking the aisles, waiting in line...
• No more daily time spent on what to fix...
• Meals are on the table pretty quickly with Sunday prep done...
• I order online mostly, so I can start an order early in the week with things that I think of as time goes on, and then complete the order on Friday morning when the E-vic items come out and it's ready for pick-up before the kids get out of school!
• Some meals are already done and ready for grab and go!

Money:

• Less trips to the store, less impulse items in the cart!  Online shopping, much less impulse items!
• Planning ahead = no dump - You throw away much less food if you plan and buy for those meals and nothing additional! 
• You can shop the ads and use them to start your menu.
• If you sign up for the yearly subscription, the cost is only about $1.92 per week, and you are allowed unlimited orders!  I remember times when the girls were little that I would drive through and only be getting 3 gallons of milk!  

Calories:

• I know that if I hit the store hungry, my cart seems to somehow fill itself with random stuff that I don't need, and probably isn't the best deal!  If the Oreos aren't in the house, you won't eat them!
• When healthy balanced meals are planned and prepared, that's what you consume!
• A lot less crappy food appears in your pantry when you are planing ahead!
• You are more likely to plan healthy options, than to plan for pizza and wings! (But don't think that I don't ALWAYS keep quick fix items for the kids on-hand for emergencies!)
• Keeping prepped foods like fruits and veggies washed/chopped and ready to roll keeps you from grabbing unhealthy snacks for you and your kids!

Convenience

• Having my meals planner, purchased and prepped keeps me from losing my mind when it's time to fix dinner!
• Now there is an app for online shopping!  I can sit in pick-up line and add things to my cart, and pick up my shopping when and where I have a minute!
• I keep an open order going in the app, so that when I think of something we need, I hop in and add it to my cart, so that I don't forget about it between then and the rest of my day!
• Hitting the drive thru at Harris Teeter beats the heck out of taking 3, 6 month olds into the store...unstrapping, finding a cart and another apparatus, re-strapping, etc.
• Time, time, time!  I run short on time everyday!  With online shopping I can fold that load of laundry when I would otherwise be searching!

Sanity Saver - the Menu is there, no one asking what's for dinner!  And... the motivation to cook the planned and purchased meals is much greater, when so much is already done for you during the week!  When the meals are fixed faster, you hear MUCH less whining!

Next up....Menu Planning!