Everyone knows the feeling of being hungry without having a clue what to make for dinner. You feel scattered, stressed and “hungry” all at the same time, what a bummer. Instead, spend half an hour planning meals for the week to lower your food bill, feed your family healthier meals, save a lot of time on prep, and reduce mealtime stress.

Plus, the more you do, the more proficient you’ll become at programming recipes, buying ingredients, and later reusing previous meal plans. Give meal planning a try with these 5 easy steps and see what you think. Even if you only do it for part of the week, you’ll still see the benefits.

How to do it

Step 1. Start with the right tools.

Browse cookbooks or food websites and apps, and ask family members for suggestions. Think about theme nights like Meatless Mondays or Taco Tuesdays and use a menu/shopping list board to help you organize your week of dining. Check your fridge and pantry for needed items, then create a shopping list as soon as your menu is set.

Step 2. Consider the season and the weather.

When planning, you’ll want to think about what foods are in season and what the temperatures are like. Cooler fall weather typically calls for soups and stews with fall squashes and root vegetables, while warm weather is better suited to grilled meats and seafood and fresh salads. Eating in season keeps food costs down because seasonal produce is more plentiful and readily available.

Step 3. Take note of special occasions and activities.

If you have visitors or a hectic night of activities in a particular week, plan accordingly. Take notes if more or less time is required to prepare the food on a given day. Write down the source of specific recipes for easy reference so family members can start preparing meals, even if the official “chef” isn’t home yet.

Step 4. Make a list of help from family members.

Remember to get your spouse and children to help in any way they can. Many hands make light work, so delegate specific tasks based on everyone’s preferences and abilities. Have a younger child grate cheese and wash lettuce for a salad, while an older child heats sauce and cooks noodles for a pasta dish.

Step 5. Look for efficiency opportunities.

Cook extra meat one night so that leftovers from a baked roast beef or ham can be reused for lunch sandwiches or a casserole the next night. When you organize your meals in advance, you feed your children in a healthy way, save time and money, leave a small ecological footprint and lose weight too!