25 Easy Meal Planning Ideas for Families + Tips

Feeding your family wholesome, delicious meals can feel like a herculean task sometimes. When you’re already juggling so many things, spending time in the kitchen doesn’t sound like fun. But that doesn’t mean you have to turn to frozen meals: Instead, consider meal planning. So what is meal planning and how can it help you and your family eat well through the week? These tips and 25 meal planning ideas for families make putting together a weekly menu a lot easier than you’d expect.

Tips for successfully planning meals for a family

Learning how to meal plan is easier than it seems. These three tips can help you find your rhythm and finally give it a shot.

Scale up the recipes

The best family meal ideas on a budget can be made in large batches. For example, preparing several quarts of chili at once. This way, you’ll have enough to freeze and enjoy later, when you’re too tired to even think of cooking.

Use kid-approved ingredients

Most children have finicky tastes, so stick to ingredients you know are approved by your little ones. Maybe that means leaving out the spice and avoiding textures they won’t enjoy.

Do the bulk of the prep at once

Chefs do mise en place to stay organized and prepare delicious meals quickly. You can do the same. At the beginning of the week, take an hour or two to prepare all the ingredients you’ll need. Be it peeling and cutting up fruit or shredding veggies, it’ll make weekly cooking a lot more manageable.

Set a budget in advance

Grocery budgets make meal planning for families much less stressful. You can easily determine an estimate for your food budget using our grocery budget calculator.

7 breakfast meal planning ideas

Hurrying kids off to school and getting ready in the morning become easier when you have a delicious breakfast ready to go.

1. Make-ahead breakfast casserole

This comforting casserole doesn’t take long to make. Double the recipe, store it in the fridge, and reheat throughout the week for a filling no-frills breakfast.

2. Mixed berry breakfast quinoa

Like rolled oats, quinoa is packed with fiber to keep you full. Adding mixed berries makes this a sweet, delicious breakfast.

3. Potato tot morning casserole

This casserole checks off all the important boxes: low prep, affordable, hearty, and easy to make ahead of time.

4. Spinach and cheese morning skillet

Coax some greens into your diet with this morning skillet. Use whatever cheese you like best and spinach or another leafy green.

5. Mini breakfast frittatas

If you’re looking for an alternative to scrambled eggs, try this breakfast frittata. Scale up the recipe and make it ahead of time.

6. Breakfast rice porridge

Porridge is straightforward, cheap, and easily customizable. Use seasonal fruits for a sweet twist to this recipe.

7. Blueberry oatmeal cakes

These sweet oatmeal cakes can be whipped up in under an hour. Store them in the freezer and zap them for 40 seconds in the microwave for an on-the-go breakfast the pleases everyone.

7 light meal planning ideas for families

Need to pack school and work lunches? Then these quick meals on a budget are just what you need.

1. Ham and cheese quesadillas

These ham and cheese quesadillas are best enjoyed warm but are delicious at room temperature, too. Pack with store-bought salsa for extra flavor.

2. Spring pasta salad

Toss together all the ingredients for this tasty salad and store them in individual containers. Then, throughout the week, add the dressing to preserve the crunch.

3. Roasted veggies on focaccia

Roasted veggies make a great side, especially when paired with store-bought focaccia. Enjoy what’s in season and good-quality olive oil.

4. Tuna salad sandwich

Loved by kids and adults, these tuna salad sandwiches are perfect for bento boxes. The garlicky pesto gives them the perfect boost of flavor.

5. Apple peanut butter sandwich

Put a twist on a childhood favorite by adding thin apple slices to a traditional PB&J. Make a dozen, freeze, and leave to thaw the night before.

6. Couscous and fruit salad

A big batch of this couscous and fruit salad will see you through the week. It complements grilled chicken or meatballs perfectly.

7. Ham and wild rice quiche

Quiches are filling, packed with flavor, and stay good for a whole week in the fridge. Enjoy it slice by slice for lunch or even as a snack.

11 weekly meal ideas for a family

These meals are best enjoyed all together around the dinner table. Fortunately, they take very little time to prepare. 

1. Healthy Kung Pao chicken

Ditch the take-out and make this Kung Pao chicken instead. It’s just as flavorful and can be scaled up to feed you for a few meals.

2. Hawaiian turkey sliders

For a more laid-back supper, whip up a batch of these sliders. The grilled pineapple slice makes all the difference.

3. Slow cooker black bean chili

Chili is one of the best quick family meals on a budget. Use canned ingredients and a slow-cooker for minimal prep but all the flavor. Leave out the chipotle peppers to make it kid-friendly.

4. Mediterranean meatball skewers

These meatballs are a crowd-pleaser. Assemble them ahead of time and sear them right before eating.

5. Slow cooker sesame chicken

There’s very little prep work involved in this chicken recipe. Let the slow cooker do all the work for you.

6. Roasted veggie and salmon skewers

Remember what we said about roasted veggies? They’ll go perfectly with these salmon skewers. Broil just before serving.

7. Easy chicken pot pie

Another set-it-and-forget-it dish, this chicken pot pie is the definition of comfort food. And because it freezes well, you can make a large quantity for later.

8. Southwest meatball chili

Combine 2 classics: meatballs and chili. This filling meal is easy to prepare and even easier to store.

9. Italian meatball soup

This comforting soup is packed with veggies. Add fresh herbs when serving to bring out the subtle flavors.

10. Creamy turkey ragout

Pasta dinners are always a win with most kids and adults. This recipe combines tomato sauce with cream cheese to switch things up.

11. Meatloaf with lentils and broccoli

This meatloaf recipe with a twist is simpler than it seems. Give the lentil purée a shot to add even more nutrition to your plate.

Gear up for meal prep with a little help from Instacart

A busy schedule shouldn’t mean you don’t get access to fresh, quality ingredients. If you don’t have time to go to the grocery store, order what you need via Instacart. Our professional shoppers will take care of the shopping and deliver your groceries (including ready meals) on the same day. This way, you only need to worry about the more fun part—cooking!

Grab it now on Instacart:

Nature's Earthly Choice Quinoa, Premium, Organic (12 oz)

Farmland Hickory Smoked Ham & Water Product (4 lb)

New French Bakery Rosemary Olive Oil Focaccia (7.5 oz)

Market Basket Solid White Albacore in Water Tuna (5 oz)

Fantastic World Foods Couscous, Whole Wheat, Organic (12 oz)

Key Food Boneless Chicken Breasts (per lb)

Ralphs Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon Fillets (1 lb)

You may also want to check out our convenience and ready meals to have complete or prepped meals delivered right to your door!

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.