Free Google Sheets Meal Planner Template (5 Tabs!)

Download this free monthly & weekly meal planning spreadsheet with five tabs to help you plan and budget intentionally for your groceries.

I love to create Google Sheets templates to help me budget, so I thought, why not whip up a meal planning template that will help you stick to your grocery budget??

The five tabs I created are based on the exact steps I follow to save money on groceries!! Read below to learn how to use this free editable template!

Why Use a Meal Plan Template

There are so many benefits to using a weekly meal plan template and monthly meal planner. If you’re a busy mom like me, you may think you don’t have the time, but taking just 10 minutes or so a week to create an intentional grocery shopping list before hitting up the grocery store will help you avoid food waste and save money.

If you meal prep your weekly meals, you can build healthier eating habits and avoid spending money on fast food (which also saves money!). This simple yet effective way to plan your weekly menus will take so much stress off you, so you can maintain a healthy lifestyle and eliminate meal planning and decision burnout.

Use the monthly meal planner to outline your entire month. Use the weekly planner to plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in detail for the entire week. Finally, use the complete meal plan to build a grocery list that stays within your grocery budget.

How to Use This Meal Planner Template

Before you get started with this free cute template, you will need a free Google account and to make a copy of the template. Then, open the copy and start using the Google Sheets meal plan template! You do not need to use all of the tabs; just use the ones that you find helpful! Here is how to use each tab:

Monthly Meal Plan Tab

The first thing you should do is outline your entire month. Start by typing the upcoming month at the top and the dates of each week. Then, look at your calendar and mark the meals you know you do not need to plan with an X. For instance, if there is an event that you know will serve a meal or if there is a birthday and you plan to eat out that night, you can mark those meals off. Then, start filling out the monthly meal planner with your meals and snacks. Think of this as your rough draft.

Weekly Meal Plan Tab

Next, plan your upcoming week in detail. Fill out the home-cooked meals and snacks for each day of the week (besides the ones you do not need to plan, if any – again, consult your calendar!).

Meal Bank Tab

Use the meal bank tab to write down all of your go-to breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. When you find a new recipe/meal you like, add it to this list, so if you need ideas while meal planning, you can consult this list.

Tip: If you have an online recipe to a meal or snack, you can right click the cell and select “Insert link.” Add the link to the recipe to make it easy to find!

Kitchen Inventory Tab

After you have filled out your weekly meal plan template, use the kitchen inventory tab to see what you already have in your kitchen. The first time you use this tab, you will have to add almost everything you have in your kitchen. Then in the future, you just have to type in the available quantities and add any new items.

Shopping List Tab

Finally, using your meal plan templates and the information you gathered in the kitchen inventory tab, you can create your grocery list. Start by typing in your budget and pay period dates (for example, October 25-November 9) at the top.

Type in the items you want to buy, and make sure you don’t already have them by looking at your kitchen inventory. This step will help you avoid buying extra items you don’t need.

As you shop, you can check the box next to the items you have added to your cart. The items are separated by pantry, fridge, freezer, produce, baking, meat, household/toiletries, and miscellaneous. That way you can group items that are located near each other in the grocery store. Feel free to change the names of the sections if you’d like.

Why Use a Google Sheets Meal Planner

There are so many meal planning templates available out there, so why should you use a Google Sheets one? The Google Sheets meal planner is an editable template, so you can personalize it with your favorite fonts and colors.

In addition, one of my favorite features of Google Sheets is the ability to share Google docs with other people. That means, you can share it with your spouse and kids if you want, so you can communicate the menu plans with the whole family!

Another benefit to using a Google Sheets meal planner is that it is accessible on every device that can access Google, so you can bring your grocery shopping list with you on the go! 

Print the Free Meal Plan Templates

While Google Sheets gives you easy access to the meal planning templates on the go, you can also print the meal planner and grocery shopping list sheets. Type it out and then print it, OR print a blank copy and write in with a pen. Both ways work!

Hang the sheets on the fridge, so everyone in the house is informed about the weekly menu plans. This Google Sheets Meal Planner is the perfect template to accomplish all of your meal planning, grocery shopping, and food budget goals.

Get the Free Meal Plan Template

Enter your email and have the best meal planning template sent to your inbox immediately! This free template is for your personal use only. Do not reproduce or distribute.

Again, if you spend 10 or so minutes a week planning your weekly meals, you can save money, eat healthier, and be more economical in your home. The tabs of this template are based on the exact steps I follow to save money on our groceries. I really hope it helps you in your home. Happy meal planning!