Meal Planning

Meal planning is about deciding what meals you are going to prepare, making a grocery list, buying the items you need, and cooking.

Planning meals using Canada’s Food Guide helps you:

  • get the nutrients you need;
  • eat a variety of foods throughout the day and the week;
  • cut down on trips to the grocery store, therefore saving you time and money;
  • reduce the amount of food you throw in the garbage and;
  • reduce the last-minute stress of deciding what is for dinner.

Quick tips you can use when meal planning:

  • Choose meals and recipes and keep all recipes close at hand (e.g. in binder, on your phone, etc.);
  • Create a schedule with the meals and recipes you choose. When you have less time, make meals that are quicker and simpler to prepare;
  • Look at what food you have on hand and create a grocery list that everyone can add items to;
  • Use flyers to compare prices of foods at different grocery stores;
  • Cook enough for more than one meal and use your leftovers the following day or freeze for later.

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Last updated: 2025-03-17