What's the consensus on meal planning?

It works really well for some people and others don't like it. Try it and see if it works for you!

I think it makes things easier. Sometimes I plan out days in advance, there are other times I will decide to try a special meal or two. I try to pre-log each day at least. I don't mind eating the same meal a few meals in a row or alternating a couple meals so it does make it easier. I use leftovers a lot.
The other thing I have found very helpful is having a few go to meals available for the days I don't have a plan. I am not perfect or even close, but having some frozen chicken breasts, tuna, protein bars, canned tomatoes, soups, etc always available really helps me as well.
For the most part my diet is fairly boring, but once a week at least I try something totally new.

Try it and see if you like it. It works for some people and not for others.

Personally, I'm sort of a "middle-of-the-road" planner. On weekdays I pack my lunch & snacks at the same time I make my breakfast, so I'm basically planning breakfast and lunch together. Then, since I know how many "daytime" calories I have/will be/am consuming, then I can sort of plan dinner/evening snacks appropriately from what's left (and whether or not I've exercised that day!)

I also keep a fairly well-stocked freezer and pantry with healthy ready-to-serve options for quick dinners and weekend meals (e.g. preportioned casseroles and stews in the freezer, ready-to-eat soups in the pantry) so that there are good meal options on hand when I'm tired or cranky or not in the mood to think about cooking too much. That's not so much "meal planning" as it is "pre-planning for when I don't feel like planning" -- but it works for me!

As with most things in life, having a plan is generally more desirable from an overall success standpoint than just winging it and hoping for the best.

I'm flexible but I work better if I have an idea of how many calories I have reserved for each meal. I always pre log my meals the night before but if i'm in the mood for something else I'll change it.

I can't function without a plan. I shop once a week, I need to know what to buy. I hate realizing I forgot something, or I want to make X for dinner and I'm missing an ingredient. I make a weekly dinner plan, map out a couple lunch options for my husband and I, and shop once.

I would starve if I ended up needing to stop at the store every night for dinner ingredients because screw that I want to be home asap after work. I'd also not be successful at weight loss because of multiple trips to the grocery with opportunities for impulse buys, and I'd probably give in to fast food and pizza more often out of laziness. Planning is absolutely essential for my success.

Definitely depends on the person-- most nights I pre-log and prepare everything (except dinner) for the next day, but always have a thought of what the next day's dinner will be. Some days I was too tired to do that the night before so I scramble around the next morning logging and packing my breakfast and lunch for the day!

I don't plan. I do pre-make batches of healthy freezer meals so i don't have to resort to eating garbage if i'm too tired to do something big. Other than that i do kind of wing it. I do, however, log everything before I put it in my mouth. That way i don't go over unintentionally. I do still go over sometimes, but i've lost 60 pounds so I guess i'm doing ok.