Food Budgeting for Busy Brains with Meghan Splawn

Food writer, recipe developer, and longtime meal-planning expert Meghan Splawn joins Catherine to talk about the emotional, practical, and very real work of getting a food budget under control.After realizing her family had spent more than $32,000 in a year on groceries, dining out, coffee, Costco runs, and food in general, Meghan began publicly documenting her effort to cut that spending in half. In this conversation, she shares why tracking is the first step, how food spending can become tangled up with shame and identity, and why budgeting does not have to mean giving up good food.Catherine and Meghan talk about impulse grocery buys, ADHD-friendly systems, low- and no-spend weeks, freezer meals, meal planning without perfectionism, and the joy of using up what you already have. They also get into the “sludge of shame,” unidentified frozen objects, pantry roulette, and why a plate of frozen dumplings and edamame can sometimes save the whole week.This episode is for anyone who loves food, feels overwhelmed by food spending, or wants a calmer, more realistic way to cook at home.In this episode:  Why tracking your food spending comes before setting a budget   How money and food shame show up in the kitchen   Meghan’s food budget diary and weekly tracking system   Low-spend and no-spend week strategies   Meal planning for people who hate meal planning   ADHD-friendly fridge, freezer, and pantry systems   Budget-friendly “emergency meals” to keep on hand   How to spend less without taking the joy out of food