It’s 6 o’clock. You walk in the door from work, drop your bags, kick off your shoes and plop down on the couch. You are starving! The looming question: What’s for dinner?
After going through the foods in your fridge and pantry, you realize that your options are either: 1) a smorgasbord of foods that don’t pair well (think cold cereal, carrots, and a block of cheese) or 2) takeout. The takeout likely sounds more appealing so you go for that option.
The problem: A habit of eating out is not only costly to your bank account, it can also be costly to your health depending on the types of food you are choosing to eat. So what’s the solution?
MEAL PLANNING
Don’t stress! I think I’ve figured out how to do the meal planning thing so that it’s not a major contributor to your daily migraine. Before I dive into the details, let’s talk about why meal planning can be a good thing. I know, doesn’t seem possible right??
- It saves you money.
- It gives you more control over what you are putting into your body and thus can help you to maintain your health.
- Though I know it sounds time consuming, especially if you are a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ kind of person, it can actually save you time.
- It can save you from a lot of unnecessary frustration, but only if you actually try out the meal planning tips I’m about share with you.
Here’s how to make meal planning work for you:
Build your meal plan around your weekly events calendar. (Be sure to factor in the events of your spouse and children if it applies.) I recommend writing everything down on a calendar and then updating it on a weekly basis. This allows you to see what days you’ll actually be able to prepare meals versus the days that you’ll have little time for food prep and will need something that is either already made or only takes a few minutes to put together.
Find a source of inspiration for meal ideas. Once you’ve determined how much cooking or meal prep time you’ll have, it’s on to deciding what to make. Things like crockpot meals are perfect for when you only have a few minutes to throw something together before you run out the door in the morning. Crockpot meals are also great for making bigger portions so that you can eat the leftovers on the days that you don’t have time to cook. Make-ahead freezer meals are great if you only have one day for food prep because you can spend a few hours making meals for the entire week that can be frozen. Then, then all you have to do is reheat them, which is much more appealing than putting together an entire meal after a long day.
Make a shopping list. Write down everything you’ll need to make the meals you’ve decided on. This will prevent you from forgetting things, which hopefully means fewer trips to the store. Also, don’t forget to check your fridge and pantry to see what you already have on hand.
Shop strategically. I recommend frequenting the same one or two markets regularly to become familiar with the store. This will save time and energy! You can also look for sales going on at your store and try to meal plan around the foods on sale (this is good for your wallet!).
Make a master list of meals. I like to grade each meal that I make and save those that I think deserve a gold star. These meals can then become staples that you cycle through weekly or monthly.
