Why You Should Do Your Meal Planning on Friday



I recently heard of the idea of planning your meals for the week on Friday.  It seemed crazy to me at first – Friday is a day to relax and enjoy that the week is over right?  Time to get excited for the weekend – why would I want to plan my meals?  I must admit though, after trying this I am a true believer now.
How Productive Is Your Typical Friday?
For many people, Friday can be a wasted day.  When you think about Friday afternoons, what do you really accomplish?  You are generally relaxing and your thoughts are headed into the weekend.  It is not a time you generally start any new projects, or have much energy for difficult tasks.  However, I find that I am able to summon the energy to write down my meals for the week.  Somehow, I find the energy to plan what my future self should be doing, even if my current self is sliding into the weekend. 
Planning on Friday has also helped me immensely in having a better weekend.  The weekend is a time when many people get derailed from their food plans.  By having it all planned out on Friday, I ensure that the weekend goes smoothly. 
Enjoy Sunday Afternoon
I have found that planning for the entire week is the most efficient for me.  It cuts down on the number of trips to the grocery store, and I can do some meal prep and chopping up vegetables in advance.  If you don’t feel like you can plan for an entire week, I recommend you at least get through Monday.  The reason is that you will have a much better weekend.  Weekends in my house tend to be family time, when I am focused on the kids and spending meaningful time with them.  By Sunday afternoon though, I start thinking ahead to Monday and what needs to get done.  This cuts into my precious Sunday family time, and takes away from my enjoyment.  If I already have my food planned out though, I’ve got a plan and I can relax more.
This technique works well for meal planning, but you can definitely apply it to other areas of your life as well.  You might spend time scheduling your day at work for Monday and generating a plan.  You might plan out all the kid activities and make carpool and childcare arrangements.  Trust me, you will enjoy Sunday so much more if you have this planning already out of the way on Friday. 
I am now hooked on Friday meal planning.  I feel I have accomplished something and my Friday afternoon is no longer wasted time.  Give this a try and see what you think.  Notice how much better your weekend is and you feel on Sunday afternoon. 

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