Save Money
If you plan your menu in advance, you will have a more accurate idea of what ingredients you will need. When you go to the supermarket, you can head straight for the things that you need instead of purchasing ingredients that you won't use. Check your pantry before you go out to see what you already have. Veteran cooks plan their menus around the ingredients already in the house, especially perishable items, so they're used up first and reduce waste.
Improve Your Health
If you make dinner at the last minute, you might be pressured to satisfy yourself with anything you have on hand. Frozen dinners or boxed items, such as macaroni and cheese, can be very tempting. But these options are less healthy and higher in fat and sodium than versions you can make from scratch. By planning your menu in advance and buying the right ingredients, you are more likely to end up with nutritionally balanced meals.
Help Your Kids
Planning can teach your children the importance of being organized and responsible. If they see you taking care of your responsibilities in an organized fashion, it will be more natural for them to do the same. Their performance on homework and household chores may even improve. And if they join the menu planning, they will be more excited about the upcoming dinners and more likely to eat them.
Save Time
It might seem like planning a menu will take more time, but over the course of a week it will save you time. If you make a plan on Sunday for the rest of the week, then every day you simply have to check your list to know what to make. This can reduce stress and anxiety over what to make for dinner and will allow you to get started right away as dinnertime approaches.
