Since returning to work 2 years ago, meal planning has been a big pain in the you know what. Luckily, Walmart+ makes it much easier to feed my family affordably. I'll share some of my top meal planning tips with you in a moment but first can we just talk about grocery prices right now? Getting good deals at Walmart stretches our budget and helps with the recent price hikes. Here's how we plan our meals and how Walmart+ helps! Oh and as a bonus, I rounded up some of my favorite kitchen finds from Walmart.

Tip 1: Write down your family's favorite go-to meals and put an asterisk beside the easy/fast options. While I love to peruse a cookbook or Pinterest as much as the next girl, having a note in my phone with non aspirational meals (i.e. real life meals that I feed my real life family) saves a bunch of time when planning for the week.

Tip 2: But yes, peruse Pinterest and your favorite cookbooks. Whenever I get a cookbook, I mark the recipes that sound the most delicious to me. That way, come meal planning time I'm not distracted by every last recipe and I can hop right to those on my dinner bucket list. I also have recipes saved on Instagram that I check.

Tip 3: Start with what you have. When I learned this tip, it changed everything- prior to grocery shopping, check your freezer and pantry. Look at what you have, especially items you've had for awhile, and plan your meals around them. You can search by ingredient in a cookbook or Pinterest but by using what you have, you're saving money and decluttering your pantry/fridge/freezer.

Tip 4: Walmart+ Online shopping and free grocery delivery is your friend (bonus points for delivery!). Being able to grocery shop while Joe and the kids clean up after dinner has saved us many a 'let's just go to [insert fast food restaurant here] nights. You can add items you forgot even after submitting your order which helps! I also love the "quick add" feature where you can add the items you've purchased multiple times with one click. If you need to make a return, it's quick and convenient. Walmart+ members get FREE delivery which eliminates any guilt I feel about choosing convenience ($35 order minimum; restrictions apply).

Tip 5: Speaking of guilt, get over it [said lovingly]. Use the free delivery, prep the easy ready-made meal (I love grabbing a rotisserie chicken, frozen meatballs, and veggie burgers when I grocery shop online for busy evenings), and do what you have to do to feed your kids and survive the craziness that is life. Listen, grocery delivery is self-care. You heard it here first.

Tip 6: Take advantage of the free delivery from the store and free 2 and 3-day shipping with no order minimum you get from your Walmart+ membership. While other subscription services are increasing their prices, Walmart+ is just $98 and saves me money since I'm not grabbing extra things I see as I walk through the store. It saves on delivery, gas, and they offer special deals for plus members. (Free shipping, order minimum: excludes most marketplace items, location & freight surcharges).

Tip 7: Treat yo' self. Every once in awhile (fine, every month) I add a little treat to my grocery order. it's like a gift to myself for feeding my family well. With Walmart+, home decor, clothing, and more can be delivered from the store for free or placed on your doorstep in 2-3 days! I've rounded up some of my favorite kitchen finds below!

If you haven't already, sign up for the Walmart+ free 30-day trial here. You'll save time and money with free delivery from the store, free shipping with no order minimum, scan and go savings on prescriptions and gas, and early access to exclusive promotions and events (based on zip code- restrictions may apply)! 

What tips would you add? Happy grocery shopping!