Recommendations From Meal Planning on a Budget

Recipe & Weekly Menu

Pinterest is my preferred way to store recipes.
Paprika is a free recipe-storing app with an intuitive user interface, easy navigation, and smart grocery lists.
Pepperplate is a similar free app that’s not as intuitive but is great for the iPad, if that’s your preferred device.
Download the free meal planning bundle and you’ll get my free printable menu
This is a dry erase menu board similar to what I use.
Facebook pages to follow for awesome cooking videos:

Grocery Shopping

List Ease keeps track of your pantry based on your weekly shopping lists.
AllRecipes ingredient substitution guide.
The Balance’s list of best websites for coupons.

Meal Prepping & Storing Essentials

Check out my list of Meal Planning Essentials Here!
The Aroma 3-in-1 Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker, and Steamer is an invaluable asset! The Instant Pot is a step up with 7 features including pressure cooking.
Refrigerator bin for storing raw/marinating meats.
3-Tier hanging produce baskets to keep counter-stored produce out of the way.

Videos

Other Resources

List of things you can compost.
My first book and Amazon Best Seller, The No-Spend Challenge Guide
My Guide to Mystery Shopping

My Favorite Meal Planning Service

If you simply can’t find the time or downright dread figuring out all this yourself Cook Smarts is the only service I recommend. Cook Smart’s was founded to help people do everything I covered in the book. Every week the service:

Creates a menu based on your diet
Generates a shopping list
Includes weekend meal prep guide
Provides relevant how-to cooking videos
Customizable portioning

Everyone gets three free weeks so it’s worth trying out at some point in your meal planning journey (trust me, I wrote a book on this stuff and even I need a little help now and then.)

Meal Planning Infographics

Click the links to pin or save (right click and select “Save As”) some awesomely helpful infographics. These are great to print and keep on hand as a reference. Visit my Infographics Pinterest board for more!