If you love the idea of meal planning but you’re not sure where to get started, determining how you’ll make these time-saving plans is a great first step. The main decision to make about the actual planning itself is whether you’ll use a digital or paper planner, or even a good ol’ list stuck to your refrigerator.

I’ll be honest with you up front: I think digital is the way to go. I’m used to using online organisers and I find they’re the best solution for the way I think and work.

However, I recognise that meal planning on paper also has its merits. This really is a question of personal preference, so I’ve outlined below what you should consider when you’re choosing between the options.

Where Paper Shines

1. It’s easy to customise.

You can develop a system for organising that works for you with paper. With an app, the hard part of setting up the system is done for you, but you won’t have as much control over it. There are lots of useful meal planning templates you can print online to use or look at for inspiration.

2. It can be adapted on the fly.

If you find your system didn’t work as well as you’d like or you think of ways to improve it, you can easily adjust your paper plans to suit your needs. Apps tend to be one-size-fits-all solutions that aren’t as easy to customise.

3. It’s relaxing.

Many people find the tactile experience of writing on paper to be relaxing, and it gives you a break from so much screen time. If you’re the artsy type, you might enjoy getting creative with your lettering and colour codes.

4. It’s easier to stay on task

You are less likely to get distracted while meal planning with pencil and paper. You can sit down in a quiet place with a cup of tea and really focus on the task at hand. With digital, you might be bombarded by messages and reminders that pull you away from your planning and make it take a lot longer than it should. That ism unless you’re using your phone to browse for recipes online while you’re planning (which is one thing I do not recommend!

Digital’s Advantages

1. You can set reminders.

Digital planning has the market cornered when it comes to reminders. For example, if I’m using frozen chicken to make Friday’s dinner, my phone can send me an alert to thaw it on Thursday night. Paper just can’t compete on this one.

2. You can sync it up with your other plans.

I use Google Calendar for this so I can meal plan around my schedule. All my appointments and other commitments are already in the calendar, so if I see that I’ll be home late one day, I can plan on a meal I’ve batch cooked and frozen, for example.

3. You won’t lose it.

You never have to worry about losing your meal plan if it’s in an app or file format that syncs to the cloud. If your meal plan is written on paper and it accidentally gets thrown away or ruined, you might be left wondering what you were supposed to eat every day!

4. It’s pretty easy to repeat previous meal plans.

If Sunday night crept up way too fast and you don’t have time to come up with a meal plan for the week ahead, you can simply copy one you’ve used before for truly effortless meal planning! You can also search for keywords if you have a particular ingredient you want to use up.

5. You’ll always have it close at hand.

If you find yourself stuck in a waiting room for hours on end, you could whip out your phone and start meal planning for next week. If you make an unexpected trip to the store, you could get a jump start on your shopping. On the other hand, if your meal plan is on a piece of paper in your kitchen, there’s not much you can do with it when you’re elsewhere.

6. It’s ideal for families on the go

It’s not the first time I’ve been caught up somewhere, and my husband has taken over. A peek at our Google calendar will tell him we’re having pasta, and so he can get the water boiled already. There are days when I’ve had to change a meal plan last minute, and paper cannot beat the flexibility of dragging and dropping recipes from one day to another until you find a plan that works. Sometimes, switching Tuesday and Wednesday just won’t do, because you might not have the luxury of time the next day and there’s no way you’re making risotto for dinner.

If you’re still on the fence, don’t let this stop you from diving into the wonderful world of meal planning. I suggest you start with digital planning and see how it goes – you can always switch to paper later!

Meal planning is one of the topics we will be covering in our upcoming free online challenge called ‘5 days to quicker meals’. Registrations open next week! Keep an eye out, because spots are limited and I can assure you, it is not to be missed!
If you’re subscribed, you’ll get an email when it’s go time.

Love,

Nakita xxx