Meal plans may not be very exciting or sexy, but they keep you from staring blankly at the refrigerator before padding off to order pizza. One family in Texas cut their grocery expenses in half by planning their dinnersa year in advance. That’s pretty extreme, but their example is still useful for the less insanely organized.

When it comes to shopping for groceries, Chisolm always takes her menu to the store. She also builds up a stockpile when items go on sale.

“You can wait for the meats to go on sale and the vegetables to go on sale,” she said.

Finally, Chisolm buys in bulk to save money. When she gets home she separates her servings.

“Put it on my baggies, I label it and it’s stacked in my freezer,” she said.

Then when Chisolm is ready to cook each night, it’s on her calendar and she’s fully stocked at home.

Whether you have a family of six, like the woman in the story, or only cook for yourself, planning meals ahead (even vaguely) saves money and hassle and help you to eat a more varied and balanced diet. Plus, you can really go crazy and plan your meals around weekly grocery specials, what happens to be plentiful at your local farmer’s market that week, or the ongoing Iron Chef match that is a Community Supported Agriculture share.

Grocery Bill Was ‘Out of Control,’ but Year-Long Meal Plan Saves Texas Woman Time and Money [ABC News]
Creating a weekly meal plan [Unclutterer] (via Lifehacker)
Leslie Chisolm’s meal calendar for 2009 [ABC News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.