03 March 2025
Meet our meal planning heroes
Making meal planning a habit can transform the way we approach meals and eliminate the stress of daily decisions. By committing just a little time each week to following the 4 C’s, you can create a plan that works for your household—no matter the size or shape—and enjoy the benefits of less waste, more savings, and stress-free meals. Keep reading to discover how every day Kiwis are making regular meal planning work for them – meet our meal planning heroes!
The Single Mum’s Secret Weapon: Stress-Free Dinners for Busy Mums
Being a single mum is a juggling act on a good day, but when you’re trying to feed a toddler who changes their mind hourly or a teenager who thinks every meal is up for debate, it’s pure chaos. I used to wing it with dinners, but the stress and the expense just got too much. That’s when I decided to print out the LFHW Money Saver Meal Planner and give the 4 C’s a try. It felt a bit overwhelming at first, but now it’s my weekly lifesaver.
Every Sunday, I plan the meals for the week, taking into account everyone’s quirks (and whatever’s left in the fridge). At the end of the week, I make a note of the meals that went down well and save them in a folder. Over time, I’ve built up a little collection of sure-fire winners that I can reuse when life gets hectic. One surprise success? Tuesday Taco Night. My toddler loves building her own little taco masterpieces, and the best part is she actually eats everything! Meanwhile, my teenager gets to pile on whatever he wants without complaints.
Meal planning hasn’t just saved us money and cut down on food waste—it’s saved my sanity. I don’t dread the question, “What’s for dinner?” anymore because I already know the answer. And on the nights when I’m exhausted, having a plan in place means one less thing to worry about. If you’re drowning in mealtime madness, trust me—it’s worth giving this a go!
The Single Young Professional: Quick, Healthy Meals for a Hectic Schedule
Meal planning has been a game-changer for me as a busy young professional juggling work, social life, and saving for a house deposit. I used to rely heavily on takeaways because it felt easier, but it was costing me more than just money—it was eating into my health and time.
By following the 4 C’s, I’ve learned to plan meals around what I already have – and meals that are realistic to prepare when I get home late from work. I now shop smart with a clear list, and prep in a way that keeps food fresh and as waste-free as possible. One of my biggest wins has been cooking enough to have leftovers for lunch —saving me time and money buying overpriced lunches.
Of course, it’s a “fun” challenge living in a small apartment with a tiny fridge and freezer. Sometimes it feels like Tetris trying to fit everything in, but it’s also taught me to be creative with storage and use fresh ingredients in clever ways. I even turned it into a personal mission to see how many meals I can make without wasting a single bite—it’s oddly satisfying! Plus, knowing I’m saving for my future while eating better and reducing waste makes every little effort so worth it.
The University Flatmates: Meal Planning Without the Drama
Flatting as three environmental science students in a freezing Dunedin flat is a mix of chaos, clashing schedules, and an eternal battle against the cold (and our power bill). If our flat were a reality show, it’d be called “Who Ate My Leftovers?” But as future savers of the planet, we all feel a pang of guilt when food goes to waste—it’s like a crime against our degree.
That’s why meal planning has become our non-negotiable Sunday ritual. We crowd around our paper planner, arguing over what’s on, who’s in, who’s out, and who’s cooking what, but by the end, we’ve got a game plan for the week.
The highlight? Our legendary “fridge harvest” nights, where we challenge ourselves to use up every random carrot stick, sad slice of bread, and questionable blob of hummus. It’s part MasterChef, part comedy show, and somehow always ends up delicious. Not only does it save us cash, but it’s become a hilarious bonding moment that makes our flat feel like more than just a drafty collection of rooms. Plus, knowing we’re living out our values as budding environmental scientists makes the effort totally worth it.
Budget Conscious Whānau: Meal Planning That Works
For our family of five with three kids who seem to operate on their own schedules—and appetites meal planning has become our lifesaver—both for our wallets and our sanity. Between school drop-offs, sports practice, and meltdowns over mismatched socks, dinner used to be an afterthought.
We’d often resort to takeaways or throwing together whatever we could find, which led to wasted food, wasted money, and a whole lot of stress. That’s when we decided to try the 4 C’s—and honestly, it’s transformed our evenings. As a family we’ve now gotten into a weekly routine of checking the week for our changing schedules. I now plan for the nights we need ‘easy meals’ that I know the kids will devour without question.
I love getting the kids involved in checking we’ve got in the pantry and fridge and choosing meals. Knowing they selected the dish has meant less ‘I don’t wanna eat that’ battles and we’re using up ingredients we already have that used to go to waste. The benefits have been amazing: we’re eating better, spending less on groceries, wasting less food, and it’s brought a little more calm and connection to our busy family life.
The Dynamic Duo: Conquer Dinner Stress with Simple Planning
As a young couple with busy social lives, sticking to a rigid meal plan just isn’t realistic. Instead, we’ve learned to keep it flexible while still following the 4 C’s. We usually only plan 2-4 meals at a time —nothing too strict, just meals that we can easily rotate depending on how our week shapes up. No designated nights, just a variety of options we can dive into whenever it fits.
One thing we always do is make sure we choose at least one meal from the freezer. Whether it’s defrosting leftovers from a previous batch or pre-made frozen ingredients like crumbed chicken or fish. While it cooks, we can quickly throw together a fresh salad or a side of veggies saving time and effort on those busy nights. Meal planning now doesn’t feel like a chore, it’s not something we have to “fit in”—it’s just part of how we set ourselves up throughout the week.
The 4 C’s have helped us become more mindful of what we have on hand and what needs using up, making sure our meals are not only quick and nutritious but also flexible. We’ve also become much better at shopping and avoiding buying extras we don’t need – we are far from perfect but the changes we’ve made have definitely saved us money and we’re no longer throwing out food we forgot we had.
No matter your household, the 4 C’s of meal planning can simplify your life. From saving money and reducing waste to easing the “What’s for dinner?” stress, this simple system works for everyone—busy parents, professionals, or flatmates. It’s not about perfection but creating a plan that fits your lifestyle. Start small, stick with it, and enjoy the peace of mind, time, and organisation it brings. Meal planning isn’t just about food—it’s about making life easier. Give it a go!
