Before I started planning my meals ahead of time, I was a person who would come home after a long day at work and wonder what on earth we were going to have for dinner that evening. Perhaps this is you?
As a result of this, I would often run through the drive-through on my way home as a quick alternative, or we’d come home and eat some kind of packaged food that would certainly not be a healthy option either.
When you’re trying healthy, the last minute approach just doesn’t seem to work, does it? For me it most certainly didn’t. I would find myself in a constant state of being overweight, tired and not at all healthy. I also had the mindset that if I skipped a meal it would make up for the way I was eating and help me at least maintain my weight. How wrong I was!
Let’s break the common misconceptions when it comes to diet.
Sometimes, people tend to skip their meals with the thought that they are going to maintain their diet. Now, you don’t have to restrict yourself from eating delicious yet healthy meals. You don’t even need to break your budget just to complete one nutritious meal. There are a lot of means and hope these meal planning tips would help!
List the Essential Nutrients you Need to Keep you Going for the Entire Week
The list you should make should consist of complete nutrients such as proteins, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. In this way, you can determine the right food you need to buy. Categorize the nutrients and write them on the calendar. Assume that one category is equivalent to one day.
Search for the Recipes that Contain the Nutrients on the List (or use the recipes I supply in my new Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes program. I am so excited that I have this new opportunity for you. If you don’t like to cook, don’t have the time to cook, or just don’t know how to pick healthy, delicious meals, this is a great solution for you.
Nowadays, it is effortless to look for a particular recipe to help you with your meal planning. Food blogs and cooking videos can help you look for the meal. They give endless ideas of what to cook on a rotational basis. They are useful especially if you don’t have any dish in mind. Ensure you choose a recipe that contains the nutrients in the category. With my Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes program, you most certainly get a variety of food, nutrients, and delicious-tasting meals to help you lighten your load.
Customize Your Recipes so you Can Still Use them in the Upcoming Weeks
You can also customize some of the ingredients, so the flavor of your food suits your taste. If you only eat selected foods, changing some of the ingredients in the recipe allows you to enjoy your meal still. If you have kids at home, you can mix and match the elements you know they’ll enjoy.
It is also helpful if there are foods you are restricted to eat if you have a health condition. If you are allergic to shrimp or crabs, consider other foods rich in omega-3 such as flaxseed oil and leafy green vegetables. In this way, you can still sustain the same mineral needed by your body without risking your health.
If you find a meal easy to prepare, you can still make use of your list in the next days. You can just change some of its ingredients so your family still find them exciting to eat.
Make a Shopping List from the Recipes on your List
Customizing the ingredients and making a shopping list both provide the same benefit. Doing them is helpful if some of the components are not available in the market. Make sure you have other options, so you will not run out of choices if the food is quite expensive or it is unavailable in the grocery stores. Remember, you don’t have to break your budget to do the meal planning.
To make a budget-friendly shopping list, check if the fruits and vegetables are in the season because they are typically cheaper compared to those that are not. Also, check if some of the ingredients are on sale.
Though organic fruits and vegetables are sometimes rare to find, never miss buying them if you got a chance. They’re cleaner to eat since they are grown naturally without the use of pesticides.
Make sure you only buy enough foods based on the serving size of your recipes. Stored foods could lose their nutrients if you keep them for a longer time.
Store Foods Properly.
Make sure that you store your groceries correctly to ensure the foods are still fresh whenever you need to cook and eat them. Proper storage is critical, especially for the fruits and vegetables….put them in a clean container before placing them in the fridge. Also, remember to keep your freezer at the right temperature so the foods in it will not lose their freshness, flavor, and nutrients.
Now that you already have these tips, is your calendar ready to make some delightful and healthy meals? Stick to your plan so you will surely enjoy the benefits of eating healthy.
P.S. Don’t forget … be sure to check out my brand new Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes for the Busy Woman (+ so much more).
RECIPE – CRUNCHY BROCCOLI SLAW
Serves 4
1 12-ounce bag broccoli slaw
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon whole celery seed
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Add broccoli slaw, parsley, avocado oil mayonnaise, cider vinegar, and celery seed to a mixing bowl and stir well. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.