In todays video I am going to give you a look at my 'pen & paper' meal planning folder ! If you don't know I was doing my printables on my Chrome Book as digital edits. Whilst that was quick and easy I have just found that doing on good old print outs is more my thing. I love being able to look at all sheets at once If I wish and it is much easier to flip between to do the best meal planning I can do :)
So this fortnight I have plenty in my freezer from my 'Australia . . . H U G E . . . 70 Dinners Bulk Cooking For 4+ Months' video so I'm continuing on using meals from there as well as adding in some new purchases where I can.
My general rule for setting a grocery budget is $70 per adult (persons aged 14yrs+ because we all know that teenagers eat as much as adults at this point!) and $50 per child (under 14yrs) in the household is the main grocery shop budget for a fortnight. I feel no matter where you are living in Australia - city, country or coastal states - it's a fair $ goal for your budget. For us that is $240 for the main shop in the first week - BUT personally I am trying to hit $200 if I can. I wont feel too bad though just as long as I'm under my $240.
I then have a flat $70 for the top up shop in the second week of the fortnight. I base that off what ever I set per adult. So in total that is $310 for the fortnight for my family of 4.
Keeping all this mind my budget for my main shop is $240. I’m currently estimating that I will spend around $239. So be sure to watch the matching grocery haul to see if I stay under budget !
Some tools I used to do my meal planning were:
(VIP's use the shop code found on the private Facebook Group to download FREE)
- 7pk Monthly Meal Planner + Shop Your Pantry Meal Ideas + 40 Dinner Theme Night Idea's + Blank Family Favorite Meals Sheet - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- A Easy Grocery Calculator - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- 2pk Grocery List Budget + Grocery & Meal Planning Wish List - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- Lunch Box Meal Planner - INSTANT DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE
- Daily Meal Planner For The Busy - INSTANT DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE
Print out these using the VIP shop code found on the Facebook Group!
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So that is where I'm at this week. Be sure to check out the matching grocery haul vlog if you want to see what I got and how I went with staying within my budget.