How to make meal planning easy as a SAHM

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Hey mama!

Am I the only one who really dislikes meal planning?

There are so many methods out there, and most of them didn’t work for me. Honestly, just figuring out dinner is already a battle—especially since cooking is not something I enjoy. 😅

But I found a system I love! It’s super simple and does the work for me once I’ve taken a little time to set it up.

Tools I Use for Meal Planning

• Crockpot – My bestie in the kitchen. I use it for everything.
• Pinterest & Social Media – I search things like “easy crockpot meals” or “quick dinners” and save what looks good.
• ClickUp System – I created a digital meal bank with all my family’s favorite meals and new ideas.
• Vegetable Cutter – Just as essential as my crockpot. Anything that saves time is a win!
• Air Fryer – If you know you know, who doesn’t love a meal cooked by the air fryer?

Click here to check shop my favorite kitchen appliances

How I Use My Crockpot

I use my crockpot for just about everything: lasagna, chicken tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, you name it.

The beauty of it is I can throw ingredients in, walk away, and have dinner ready by evening. No standing over a stove. No fighting my kids just to cook. I can prep it in the morning or early afternoon and be done for the day.

Even better? I warm up I warm up leftovers in the same pot, and the inner lining goes straight into the dishwasher. Less mess, less stress.

How I Use Pinterest + Social Media

Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram are my go-tos for meal inspiration. There are so many food content creators who list out ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and video demos.

• I save recipes to a dedicated Pinterest board.
• On TikTok and IG, I save them to collections by category.

It’s super efficient. I don’t have to come up with meals from scratch—someone has already figured it out!

Honestly, 95% of the meals I make for my family come from one of these platforms. Use these tools, mama. You don’t have to do this alone.

How I Use My ClickUp Meal Bank

ClickUp is technically a project management tool, but I use it to keep my home in order—and it’s free.

I made a meal list where I store:

• Recipe name
• Ingredients
• Instructions

This way, I’m not asking my husband “What do you want to eat?” and scrambling to gather ingredients while trying to place my Walmart order. 😩

When I meal plan, I just move recipes into a section labeled “This Week’s Menu.” I already know what ingredients are needed, so I just copy them to my grocery list and move on.

Buy the Meal Plan Template Here inside of my Home Management System

Grocery Shopping Made Easy

I grocery shop twice a month and plan for 6–7 meals per shopping trip. Here’s how I stretch them:

• Most meals last 2–3 days
• I double the recipe if needed
• We mix in leftovers and an occasional takeout night

Between leftovers and well-planned meals, I’m not cooking every day—and that’s the goal.

Why You Need a Vegetable Cutter

If your meals require chopping veggies, do yourself a favor and grab a vegetable cutter. It saves so much time.

Or go for the pre-cut veggies at the store. No shame! Potatoes, onions, peppers—get them chopped fast and move on with your life. You can even use a veggie cutter for potatoes and other sides. Total game changer.

I’ll link my Amazon storefront with my favorite kitchen gadgets that help me keep it simple in the kitchen. Click here to view my favorite kitchen gadgets:

This is how I meal plan—and honestly? I love it now.

My husband even asks me to add meals to the rotation, and it feels so good to make our favorite meals without stress.

Want More Home Systems?

If you liked the peek inside my meal bank, check out my post on how to run your home like a business. It’ll help you run your house with less chaos and more clarity.

Buy the Home Management System Template Here

And if you found this post helpful, listen to the free private podcast ! I share tools, systems, and tips that help me balance life, biz, and everything in between as a SAHM 👇🏽