If you’ve ever felt like meal planning and grocery shopping was a neverending chore, you’re not alone. But what if there’s a way to make the whole process so much easier?
According to John Michaloudis a simple Google sheet could transform save you time and money. He came up with the idea after their family was fed up with constant meal planning and keeping track of groceries.
He said: “Every week felt like starting from scratch, figuring out meals and trying not to forget anything at the market.” So John, who is a Spreadsheet expert from MyExcelOnline, decided to use his know-how to create a mealing-planning spreadsheet that does the hard work for them. It doesn’t just track meals, it also generates a shopping list based on their choices.
John said: “What started as a quick fix has now become our family’s go-to solution for staying organised. We’ve got a selection of meals in the spreadsheet, divided into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. For each day of the week, we just pick what we fancy from drop-down menus. Once we’ve made our choices, a shopping list is automatically generated at the bottom of the sheet.
“We pick our meals, and the spreadsheet does the rest, totalling up exactly what ingredients we’ll need for the week,” says John.
And the best part? “It’s smart. The spreadsheet cross-checks all the meals and ingredients to avoid duplicates. If we select pancakes three times a week, it knows we’ll need more eggs, milk, and flour, and it updates the list accordingly. No more overbuying or forgetting key items – it’s all sorted,” explains John.
“One of the things I love most about using Google Sheets is how flexible it is. You can tailor it to your own needs. In our case, the spreadsheet is colour-coded, which makes it really easy to spot different meals.
“It’s a simple touch, but it helps us see what’s planned and ensures we’re not repeating the same meals over and over,” explains John. And because it’s on Google Sheets, it’s accessible from anywhere.
“You can pull it up on your phone when you’re at the supermarket, or you can check it at work. No more carrying around paper lists or frantically texting to ask if you’ve got enough chicken at home.
“We’ve even made meal planning a bit of a family activity. The kids love getting involved and picking meals for the week. It makes them feel part of the process, and it’s a fun way to add variety to our meals,” says John. “In addition to meals, our spreadsheet also helps us stay on top of household items.
The Item List section is organised into categories like fruit, veg, meat, and even personal care items like shampoo and soap. John added: “This means that while we’re sorting out our meals, we can also plan for all those essentials we often forget.
“The list includes everything from tinned foods to cleaning products, and it keeps track of the quantities you need for the week. It’s a one-stop-shop for food and household items, meaning you don’t have to worry about making separate lists. It’s all there, ready to go.
“Since using this system, we’ve seen so many benefits. We’re buying only what we need, so the food bill has gone down. With a clear plan, we’re not throwing away food that’s been forgotten in the fridge. And, we’re not standing around every day thinking, ‘What’s for dinner?’” says John.
“So, if you’re tired of the same old meal-planning grind, give Google Sheets a try. You might find it’s just what you need to make life a little bit easier.” For anyone unsure of how to use Google Sheets you can get full details at the MyExcelOnline site.