A meal plan template can simplify your life, keep you organized and save you money. We offer free digital and printable meal plans in different formats so that you can find the best one to suit your unique needs.
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[Includes a meal plan template, food prep, and shopping list]
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[Bullet Journal Style]
We offer a selection of free printable meal planner templates. Each free meal planning template has a Sunday or Monday start. You can download it as a typeable PDF, Word, Google Docs, or image file. We also have an online meal plan maker with which you can customize your printable. You select the meal plan template and the border to create any customized printable to plan your meals. You can also add text and stickers.
A weekly meal planner template printable will help you organize your meals for the entire week. Many of the templates include a grocery list to prepare your shopping list and ensure you don’t forget to buy anything you will need to prepare your meals. Some templates also include a meal prep section to keep you organized.
The following are weekly meal planning calendar templates but there is also a monthly meal calendar below.
This weekly menu planning template has pretty pastel colors and a grocery list with heart-shaped bullets.
This weekly meal template has three columns for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for seven days of the week, starting on a Sunday or a Monday.
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This is a weekly meal planning template with snacks. It also has a section to track water intake.
This printable meal planner is similar to the one above but it doesn’t have a section for snacks.
This is a weekly meal planner template with a grocery list. It is a week long but you can print more than one copy if you want to track your meals and snacks over a longer period.
This free meal planner template will help you plan meals for the week.
This free printable menu planner has a grocery list and a note section. The note section can be used for meal prep, the name of recipes, or to record your emotional state when you ate for those trying to deal with emotional eating.
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This 7-day meal plan sheet has four sections per day for each meal and a grocery list.
This weekly menu planner plans three meals per day and a grocery list. The titles are in shades of blue and there is a watercolor border at the bottom of the page.
This is a simple meal plan chart with three columns only for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This meal calendar has space for three meals a day for seven days. It has a Sunday or Monday start.
This is a very simple meal calendar with space for three meals a day for seven days. It has a Sunday or Monday start.
This meal prep template has a section for a grocery list and a meal prep list where you can list the things you need to do to prepare your meals.
To create a meal prep calendar, add the meals you will eat each day, and under notes, write the prep work you want to do each day for other meals that week. For example, if two meals require you to cut and fry onions, you can do that for more than one meal and save that step the next time you need fried onions. Use the notes section to remind yourself how you can save time for other meals that week.
When you plan your weekly meals spend a few minutes trying to find ways to save time and prep work.
This meal prep calendar has a section for each meal and one for meal prep. When I am really feeling organized I like to sort my meals according to the prep I will have to do. So, for example, if I have two recipes that will require me to chop onions then I make them on consecutive days so that I save one step. I chop enough for both recipes and refrigerate the second batch. If you are organized enough you can save a lot of work. Once you find a few ideal meal setups, you can repeat them every second week or so. I’ll do anything to save time!
This is a blank menu plan with a section for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack.
This is a simple meal planning template with space for three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and snacks. It is available in black and white or in color (see above).
Which format should you choose?
The editable weekly meal planner template in Word format is useful if you want to make any changes or would like to adapt the template to your needs. The PDF version is typeable, but you can only add text and cannot change the structure or format.
If you prefer to plan your meals on a monthly basis, then this monthly meal planning template is for you! You can also print four or five copies of the weekly version to create a monthly meal plan calendar booklet.
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This meal plan calendar template will organize your meals for an entire month. The advantage of using a monthly menu planner template is that when you see the entire month at a glance you are less likely to repeat meals and ensure more variety.
The monthly meal planning calendar is available with a Sunday start or a Monday start.
Many of our weekly planners include a menu planning section to plan your meals and prepare your grocery list. Here are some sample meal plan templates with a weekly planner. These planners are not dedicated to menu planning but include a meal plan among other elements of the planner.
Instead of creating a meal plan calendar that only includes your meal plan for the week, you can print a planner that includes a section for your daily meal plan. The advantage is that you can keep track of your daily schedule, to-do list, water intake, exercise, etc all on one page.
This daily calendar template has a monthly calendar on the top of the page. Go to monthly calendars to select the month you need.
If you are tracking points, carbs, calories, or any macro, then these diet planner printables are for you. If there is a diet plan template that you need but do not find on this page then please leave a comment below and we will try to create it for you (free of charge).
Yearly intermittent fasting tracker.
Monthly intermittent fasting tracker
Weekly intermittent fasting schedule
Daily intermittent fasting schedule
Daily intermittent fasting planner
Use this template to track your carbs. It’s perfect for the Keto diet or the Francis diet. The Excel spreadsheet will automatically calculate the total number of carbs each day.
Weekly keto meal plan to count carbs.
Cute macro tracker that tracks your meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks), macros (protein, carbs, fat and calories), intermittent fasting, hunger/cravings, hydration, daily weight, emotion chart, sleep quality and sleep time.
The Weight Watchers points spreadsheet will track your points and calculate your daily total.
“WW: food, servings size, points – total points at the bottom
Weight watchers food list with points to count total points per day and a water tracker at the bottom of the page
Track your daily calorie intake with these templates. The Excel spreadsheet will calculate the total number of calories per day.
Track calories: food, serving size, calories per item and total calories per day
Calorie tracker: 3 meals and snacks, food, serving size, calories, total calories per day
If you are trying to lose weight, then in addition to the food planner printables above, you might like to try our free weight loss tracker.
High-calorie, unhealthy, fast food is readily available everywhere. It’s quick and convenient, pretty much wherever you are. Healthy, unprocessed, and real food requires effort on your part. It requires planning and preparation. If you plan your meals when you are already hungry and ready to eat the chances are you will prefer to reach out for something ready-to-eat and unhealthy rather than spend the time preparing a healthy home-cooked meal. That is where meal plans come in handy. They encourage you to plan your meals before you are hungry. That way, you can ensure you have all the required ingredients and that the meal is ready before you lose your patience and are ready to eat pretty much anything. It is much easier to make better food choices when the choices are available when you need them.
Once you have planned your meals, make a grocery list. From experience, don’t shop when you are hungry as you will land up with a lot more groceries that might not have made it into your basket on an empty stomach.
With the DIY meal plan maker, you can choose any free meal plan template and any background. There are hundreds of different options available. Click on the button below to get started.
If you want to print a meal plan PDF format then click on download and select the PDF option.
If you are tired of everyone asking “what’s for dinner” then this weekly dinner menu is the perfect solution for you! It will also make weekly meal planning easier since you will know what you are making for dinner every night.
If you don’t like any of the designs below, then click on the button above to create your own weekly dinner planner with our free meal plan maker.
Whereas the other weekly menu plans above have space for three meals a day, these weekly menu planner templates have space for one meal a day. There are different designs available. Choose the design you like best. You might prefer a cute meal planner printable from the selection above or any of the plainer versions from other sections.
If you are going to use this blank menu template often, then have it laminated. That way you can add your dinners to your weekly menu template over and over without having to print a new copy each week. Simply use any dry-erase marker and add your new weekly menu every time it changes. If you tend to have the same dinners every week then you might be able to use it again without even laminating it.
We offer a free 6-page meal planning template booklet for your digital planner. You can also use it on your computer (it’s typeable).
You can use any of the meal planning template PDFs on this page on your tablet. You can also type on any of the PDFs on your computer. You will need a PDF reader (it is installed on most computers). You don’t need any special software to type on the PDFs.
The free 6-page weekly meal planning template booklet includes a weekly meal planning template, a shopping list, a grocery list, a pantry inventory, and a water tracker.
Creating a weekly menu plan will provide the following benefits:
You will save money on meals when you plan ahead. Cooking at home is always cheaper than eating out. You will usually have leftovers that can be eaten the next day or frozen for another day.
When you plan your meals you will ensure that you have all ingredients ready when you cook. That way you don’t realize halfway through a recipe that you are short of one of the ingredients (does that only happen to me?). It also saves trips to the grocery store when you prepare a weekly meal plan. Once you know what you will be eating all week you can buy enough groceries for all meals that week instead of making more trips to the store. Each trip you make will both waste time and probably result in impulsive buying and unplanned purchases as a result.
From my own personal experience, I’ve noticed a significant difference in my grocery shopping habits when I have a meal plan with a shopping list compared to when I don’t. Without a meal plan, my trips to the supermarket are less structured, leading me to purchase many items that catch my eye, often impulsively. This not only results in spending more money but also in buying foods that I don’t necessarily need. With a meal plan and a corresponding shopping list, every item has a purpose, and I’m able to stick to my budget more effectively. This focused approach helps prevent food waste and ensures that I’m buying exactly what I need for the week ahead.
Save time by doubling up recipes. Whenever a recipe can be frozen, I double it up and freeze the second portion. Making one batch or two usually takes pretty much the same time and often doesn’t cost that much more since not all recipes use all ingredients purchased. This is so handy for those days when I don’t feel like cooking or simply don’t have the time. Some items freeze really well and I often make 6 or 8 portions. For example, my kids love lasagna. When I make it, then I make about 8 trays and freeze 7.
When you plan your meals, you can plan meals that will require similar prep. For example, if you need to fry onions for one recipe, then the next day plan a meal that will also require fried onions. Double the quantity and store half the fried onions in the fridge for the next day. You will then save time and dirty dishes the next day.
If you have days or weeks when you don’t have much time to cook, then plan an easy weekly meal plan for those weeks. Schedule meals that require more prep work on the days you have time and leftovers, frozen meals, or takeouts on the days you don’t have time.
When you’re planning your meal prep, I recommend downloading this free grocery list tool. It organizes your grocery list by supermarket sections, which can significantly streamline your shopping process and save you time once you arrive at the store.
When we plan, we increase our chances of eating healthy meals. When we don’t plan, we often end up eating food that is more accessible and it’s often processed, unhealthy, and fattening.
Based on my personal experience, I’ve found that keeping a written record of everything I eat encourages me to make healthier food choices. Writing it down makes me more mindful of what I consume, steering me towards better eating habits.
Research supports the idea that maintaining a food journal can lead to healthier eating habits. Keeping track of what you eat not only raises awareness of your food choices but also encourages you to consume more fruits, vegetables, and healthier protein sources, while reducing your intake of unhealthy options like processed meats and added sugars (source).
Furthermore, food journaling has been shown to help people identify and manage food-related issues such as intolerances or symptoms from specific foods, making it a valuable tool for improving diet quality overall (source: Cleveland Clinic).
When you plan your meals you can ensure you vary your diet. This makes meals more interesting and well-balanced. When we don’t plan ahead, we often end up making the same meals over and over.
When you create a weekly family meal plan you can be sure your children eat balanced meals throughout the week.
When you plan your meals, you avoid last-minute decisions about what to eat. It’s less stressful when you know dinner is planned or even prepared. You know you have the ingredients and you don’t have to think about what to make.
When you plan your meals, you can ensure you have the necessary ingredients or produce you will need to cook. Choose a weekly meal planner with a grocery list to create a shopping list. When you plan your meals, check you have all the ingredients. If you don’t, add them to your grocery list.
My Personal Experience with Meal Planning
As a busy mom of three, meal planning has become an essential part of my routine. Between juggling work, school schedules, and various activities, I found that without a plan, dinnertime could quickly turn into a stressful scramble. When I don’t use meal planners, I end up making the same meals over and over, which leaves my kids bored, eating less food and more junk. I also end up throwing away ingredients because I buy things that I don’t use, and I find myself eating more junk and less balanced meals.
I use the meal plan templates from this page to map out our meals for the week. I find that having a visual layout of the week ahead not only makes grocery shopping more efficient but also reduces the daily decision-making fatigue. With these templates, I can easily plan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, making sure to include a variety of meals that everyone enjoys. I often use the shopping list feature to jot down all the ingredients I need, so I don’t miss anything when I’m at the store.
Over the years, I’ve added more templates to this collection whenever I noticed something was missing or found ways to make them even more effective. These templates have been a game-changer for me. They allow me to maintain a healthy eating routine for my family, avoid last-minute takeout, and make the most out of our groceries by reducing waste. Meal planning with these templates has truly made our mealtimes smoother and more enjoyable.
Other printables that might interest you:
