Meal planning is one of the biggest reasons we are able to stick to our monthly food budget. Without a plan and a list, I tend to buy what sounds good at the store, forget ingredients, buy extra junk food, etc—all of which results in a much higher grocery bill or extra trips to the grocery store to pick up forgotten ingredients! Weekly Meal Planning I start each week by looking at my favorite blogs and cookbooks for recipe inspiration. After I decide on the recipes I will be using, I write them down on the day of the week that we will have them. As I write down the…