My spreadsheet food plan backfired in a funny way

I spent three hours planning out every meal for the month on a color coded budget sheet, down to the dollar. I stuck to it for nine days and saved like $45, but then I got so sick of the same three dinners I ordered pizza twice in one weekend. The eating out cost more than what I saved, so I learned that my system was too rigid for real life. Has anyone else found a middle ground between strict planning and just winging it at the store?

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jadej501mo ago

Did you try keeping a loose list of like 5-6 meals you actually like, then just buying ingredients for those? I do that weekly, not monthly, and I leave one night completely open for takeout. Saves me from the same three dinners but I'm not staring at a spreadsheet feeling like a failure.

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