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This round of the PMP 4-Week Meal Planning Challenge kicks off January 3rd, 2022!
Do you find yourself starting from zero on dinner every night? Are you getting tired of near daily trips to the store for ingredients you forgot? Or are you simply trying to reduce your food waste by planning ahead?
I have a solution. It’s called meal planning! Whether you’re a beginner who wants some incentive and support to gain a new habit, or an experienced meal planner who wants to jump back in, this challenge is for you!
I challenge you to plan each week’s meals
ahead of time for four weeks in a row.
Yes! That’s it! Plan your meals ahead of time for four weeks in a row and see what happens. It’s as simple as that.
Who should participate in this challenge?
- anyone who wants to save time and money
- meal planning beginners
- experienced meal planners who want get back into the swing
- anyone who has questions about meal planning
- home cooks who need meal ideas
- anyone who wants to see how other people plan their meals
Why participate in this meal planning challenge?
With a little bit of follow through, meal planning can help you save time, spend less money at the grocery store, reduce food waste, and more.
This challenge is a FREE, low effort, super simple way to give meal planning a shot. This challenge is for any eating style, any dietary needs, and any schedule. The goal is to make it work for YOU.
Past challenge participants have said that meal planning has made for less stress around meal times, and less asking “what’s for dinner?” from the family. That sounds pretty great to me!
How to participate in the meal planning challenge:
- Sign up for the Project Meal Plan Newsletter. This is how you will receive updates about the challenge.
- Join the Project Meal Plan Facebook Group. This is where you will share your weekly meal plans each week.
- Every Monday during the challenge, I will send you an email with a reminder to share your weekly meal plan in the Facebook Group. The Week 1 email will arrive Monday, January 3rd, 2022.
- Weekly meal plans can be posted in the Facebook group from Monday, when you receive the email, to the following Saturday at 11:59PM PST. Your meal plan can be any days of the week – it does not have to be M-F. Plan according to your own schedule!
- Your meal plan post will count as your entry to the weekly prize drawing. After each week is over, I will randomly select a winner from everyone that posted their meal plan.
This challenge is over, but subscribe to the Project Meal Plan Email List to know when the next challenge begins:
What does my meal plan need to look like?
I am very flexible on the requirements of your meal plan – the point is to do what will help you the most. You’re welcome to use either one of my Weekly Meal Planner Template PDFs if you need a place to start.
Here are the general guidelines for submitting your meal plan into the challenge:
- Plan 3 meals per day for at least 5 days of the week. Plan according to your schedule – it does not have to be Monday-Friday.
- Your meal plan can be any format you prefer, including pen & paper, screenshot of your phone, or spreadsheet style.
- Your meal plan can use any style you prefer, including arrows, color coding, bullet journal style, pretty much anything goes!
- Please put in a little effort and do not enter exact duplicate meal plan photos you have already posted.
How to post your weekly meal plan:
To enter, upload a photo or screenshot of your weekly meal plan to the Project Meal Plan Facebook Group after entry period has opened for the week (you’ll get an email reminder!).
You do not need to add any words or description, but please feel free to share and discuss your recipes and meals on your meal plan. I always add links to any recipes I’ll be making during the week, but it is not a requirement.
RULES to enter weekly prize drawings:
- You do not have to participate every week, though the best way to build a new habit is to be consistent!
- You can jump into the challenge during the middle! Again, no need to participate every week if it’s not possible for you.
- Do not post the same EXACT picture of the same meal plan every week. The point of this challenge is to build a new habit. To do that, you’ll actually have to put in a little time every week to write your meal plan!
- Sorry, the weekly prize drawings are only open to residents in the U.S. and Canada, but anyone can join the group and participate in the challenge.
- To stay in the spirit of the challenge, I encourage you to do your best to follow the meal plan you create for yourself. While this isn’t required for entry into the drawing, it will really help you see the benefits of meal planning!
This challenge is over, but subscribe to the Project Meal Plan Email List to know when the next challenge begins:
Important dates for the challenge:
You don’t have to remember these, just use this as a reference! One prize drawing will take place each week during the four week challenge.
Here are the dates for each week and approximate dates for the prize drawings for the January 2022 Meal Planning challenge:
January 3rd: Start of meal planning challenge; Start of Week 1
January 8th: End of Week 1
January 10th: Week 1 Prize Drawing; Start of Week 2
January 15th: End of Week 2
January 17th: Week 2 Prize Drawing; Start of Week 3
January 22nd: End of Week 3
January 24th: Week 3 Prize Drawing; Start of Week 4
January 29th: End of Week 4; End of meal planning challenge
January 31st: Week 4 Prize Drawing
What are the prizes going to be??
During this meal planning challenge, I’ll be giving away a prize EVERY week! You’ll be entered for the week if you’ve posted your weekly meal plan by Saturday at midnight.
I’m keeping the exact prize schedule a secret until each week arrives, but here are the four prize possibilities (affiliate links to Amazon – all prizes will be shipped from there):
- These gorgeous Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers in a set of four, perfect for meal prepping components or whole meals! My favorite two compartment containers are not currently available, and I think this is a wonderful substitute!
- A set of 2-Cup Souper Cubes Trays, so you can freeze food in perfect portions! I own this set and others, and I use them constantly! This is my secret to freezing food, and this size is best for freezing whole meals.
- A set of two meal prep cookbooks packed with tons of inspiration! This year, I’ve chosen the The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, and Time to Eat: Delicious Meals for Busy Lives by Nadiya Hussain.
- And finally, YOUR CHOICE of a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo or a Cosori 5-quart Air Fryer! This is the new version of the air fryer I love and use almost daily!
If you still aren’t convinced…
Here’s what some past participants had to say about the challenge!
- “I liked the time frame- enough to make it a routine (habit) just not a daunting lengthy commitment.” – Terry
- “I had fallen off the meal planning wagon and was grateful for the challenge getting me back into the habit.” – Martine
- “I think the way this challenge was organized was perfect. It was a great way for first timers like me.” – Brittani
- “Seeing other people as excited about meal planning as I am! Also love all of Danielle’s tips and recipes.” – Jen
If you have any questions, simply respond to any of my emails, leave a comment here, or head to the Facebook group!
If you were around for the last meal planning challenge, you may notice this one is quite similar! Can’t wait to jump in and see how meal planning helps you!
This challenge is over, but subscribe to the Project Meal Plan Email List to know when the next challenge begins:
Get started now with my best meal planning resources:
- 5 Steps to Help You Make a Weekly Meal Plan That Works
- 10 Simple Things to Remember When You Start Meal Planning
- My Meal Prep Container Recommendations
- How to Laminate Your Weekly Meal Planner Template
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