Guide

How to make a weekly meal plan

To make a weekly meal plan, check what you already have, choose dinners first, plan to use leftovers, write the shopping list from the plan and leave one night free. It takes about fifteen minutes once a week.

Updated 21 October 2026. Sources named on the page.

Six steps in fifteen minutes
Dinners first, then the rest
A shopping list that comes from the plan
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Step one: look at what you have

Open the fridge, freezer and pantry before you plan. Meals that use what is already there save money and stop food being thrown out.

Step two: choose dinners first

Write five or six dinners for the week. Dinner is the meal that most often falls apart. Breakfast and lunch can be a short list of things you repeat.

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Step three: plan to reuse

Cook once, eat twice: a roast becomes sandwiches, a big pot of mince becomes tacos the next night. Mark which meals make leftovers and where they go.

Step four: write the shopping list from the plan

Go meal by meal and write only what you need. Group the list by aisle. The grocery list printable has boxes for that.

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Step five: leave a gap

Leave one night free for leftovers, a takeaway or a change of plan. A plan with no slack gets abandoned the first time something moves.

Step six: look at kcal and kJ if you want to

If you are tracking, the Daily Journal food planner shows kcal and kJ side by side and adds up the day. If not, a plan on paper is enough.

Questions

How do I make a weekly meal plan?

Check what you have, pick dinners, plan leftovers, write the list and leave one night free.

How long does meal planning take?

About fifteen minutes once a week.

How many meals should I plan?

Dinners for five or six nights is a good start. Add lunches later if it helps.

Is there a free meal planner?

Yes. The meal planner printable is free, and the Daily Journal food planner is free to start.

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