One of the best ways to waste less time, food, and money is to make your own meal plan! By planning your weekly menu ahead of time, you can make good home cooking easier, tastier, and more fun than ever. Whether you’re a meal planning pro or just getting started, use these time-saving tips to help make a habit that can last all year. 

Pro Tips

• Start your weekly menu planning by seeing what’s on sale and newly in season for inspiration.
• Then check to see what you already have on hand in your fridge, pantry, and freezer.
• Pick out a few recipes based on the ingredients you have or plan to purchase, taking into account prep time you’ll have available each day.
• For added flexibility, mark one or two meals later in the week as “Fridge Clean Out.” If you don’t have any leftovers to use up, you can use a frozen meal you’ve made ahead of time.
• Write your shopping list based on your menu and current inventory.
• Add items that aren’t on the menu (shampoo, snacks, etc.) to your shopping list throughout the week so you don’t forget.
• Before you head out, double-check to see if you’re low on essentials (like coffee!).
• Tear off the shopping list and head to your local Nugget Market!

Make meal planning even easier with our custom Magnetic Menu Planning Pad! This handy tool includes 52 tear-off sheets, one for every week of the year, perforated down the middle so you can keep your menu on display while taking your shopping list with you on your next trip to Nugget Market. Scan the QR code to see what's on sale, then start planning your next culinary masterpiece.

Prefer to print? You can also find a free, downloadable PDF of our Menu Planner at the bottom of our Weekly Meal Planning Featured Recipes. Happy cooking!

Article originally published in January of 2023 and updated in January of 2026.