*got this on MSN Fitness and thought it would be helpful for those of us who meal plan and have been having a hard time lately 
Meal Planning Basics
While it's lovely to never repeat meals all week long, it's more practical to think of how you can use a food for more than one meal to cut back on shopping, preparation and cooking times.
For instance, as long as you're cleaning and cubing chicken for a stir-fry, plan on making chicken burritos as well. While you're grating cheese for the burritos, shred extra cheese for bean nachos. And don't forget about produce: Use leftover shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes from the nachos for a salad topped with crumbled feta cheese later in the week.
Once you have your main meals planned, create a list of basic staples to stock up on for now and the future:
bread
tortillas
baked chips
cereal
salsa
peanut butter
jelly
mustards
light dressings, oil, vinegar and other condiments
cooking spray
eggs
egg substitute
cheese
yogurt
dry pasta, rice and other grains
canned beans
tofu
frozen stir-fry vegetable mixes
lean ground turkey breast
chicken breast
frozen shrimp
canned tuna
lean cuts of beef
You should also keep a list of perishable items that you'll need to replenish on a weekly basis: milk, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Next, take inventory of which food items you've got left toward the end of each meal plan cycle. Create some meals for the following week using those foods and then fill in the gaps with new recipes and food items. I find that most people tend to eat the same foods and meals over and over again. So once you've completed a week or two worth of meals, meal planning and grocery shopping should be a piece of cake.
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