Meal planning · 15 October 2026
How to plan a week of family meals in 20 minutes
A simple Sunday routine that takes the daily "what are we eating?" stress off your plate, saves money and wastes less food.
Every evening the same question comes up: what are we eating? Answering it once a week, instead of every day, is one of the easiest ways to save money and time. Here is a routine that takes about 20 minutes on a Sunday.
Start with what you already have
Open the cupboard, freezer and fridge before you plan anything. Rice, beans, pasta, garri and a tin of tomato paste are already half of several meals. Planning around what is in the house first stops you buying things twice.
Use a simple weekly pattern
Give each day a theme so you are not starting from nothing. For example:
- Monday: rice and stew
- Tuesday: beans (ewa agoyin, porridge or moi moi)
- Wednesday: pasta or noodles with vegetables and egg
- Thursday: swallow and soup
- Friday: something quick, like yam and egg sauce
- Weekend: a family favourite, and leftovers
Cook the base once
Make one big pot of stew or soup and use it in two or three meals. The same stew goes with rice on Monday, with yam on Friday and with spaghetti in between. You cook once and eat well all week.
Write one shopping list
Once the week is planned, list only what is missing. Fresh things like vegetables, pepper and protein go on the list for the market; the dry staples you buy less often, in bulk. Our packages cover those staples in one go, so your weekly list stays short.
Keep it flexible
Plans change. If Wednesday turns into a late night, swap it with Friday. The point is not a perfect timetable; it is never standing in front of an empty pot at 8 pm wondering what to cook.
