Meal planning is the simple act of planning (and writing down) your meals and snacks for the upcoming week. By giving advanced thought to your meals and snack, you can save time and money, and have more control over your food choices.
Meal planning shouldn't be frustrating, rigid or overwhelming but it does require organization, flexibility and forward planning. As someone who has a lot on your daily plate, it's important to start the New Year developing new skills, strategies and tricks so that meal-planning becomes second nature - and part of your daily life.
Here are some easy tips to help you become a better meal planner:
Meal planning shouldn't be frustrating, rigid or overwhelming but it does require organization, flexibility and forward planning. As someone who has a lot on your daily plate, it's important to start the New Year developing new skills, strategies and tricks so that meal-planning becomes second nature - and part of your daily life.
Here are some easy tips to help you become a better meal planner:
- Think about the next three days - Write out your weekly schedule. Take note of commuting, work meetings, delays, eating out, family needs and leftovers. To make this less overwhelming, I suggest to only plan for 3 days at a time so that you can create sustainable auto-pilot habits without feeling overwhelmed. Think progress, not perfection.
- Prep your kitchen - To make meal planning easy and stress-free, you should have a well-organized kitchen. Your spices, oils, pantry staples and pots/pans should be easy to access. Same goes for Tupperware and meal storage bags/containers. You may also find it helpful to keep a standard grocery list (with staple items) and to add/remove as needed each week.
- Create a meal prep schedule - Meal planning should feel part of your routine. For example, consider meal prepping on Sunday and Wednesday. You may also find it easier to develop a theme meal for each day of the week - example, chicken on Monday, vegetarian on Tues, stir-fry on Wed, Mediterranean on Thurs and Italian on Friday. You don't need to make a new recipe each day of the week - leftovers are super helpful. Keep it simple with 3-4 go-to meals to get you started. I suggest to find a few recipes for 15-min meals (using store-bought prepared ingredients/foods) to help get you started.
- Keep your pantry, refrigerator and freezer stocked - A well-stocked pantry, 'fridge and freezer can help you when you are rushed, when fresh food is running low or when you are exhausted from high volume training. Be sure to have items that you can quickly throw together for a healthy meal (ex. microwavable rice, frozen veggies, ready-to-eat protein, etc.)
- Get some help - If you are extremely busy and time-crunched, consider using a grocery delivery service to cut down on time spent grocery shopping. Otherwise, select a designated grocery-shopping day (or two) when the store is not packed. It's recommended to shop early in the morning (or off-peak times during the week) to avoid crowded aisles and quicker check-out. Don't put off grocery shopping until you have enough time - it may never be convenient. Although making one big shop may be less-timing than having to make several small trips, you may find it less overwhelming to do two small grocery shops a week. Keep a running list of of items that need to be replenished (and what you can buy in bulk) so you don't over (or under) shop.
- Make extras - To save time, make large batches and extra portions of food/meals. Chop and prep items in advance like veggies and fruits, eggs, grains, potatoes and protein. Set aside time on a lighter training day to use all equipment in your kitchen (stove top, microwave, oven, crockpot, etc.) and get to work in your kitchen. Listen to a podcast or watch a video/movie as you are cooking. Freeze single-item portions in plastic containers or freezer bags to use for future meals.
- Prep and pack in advance - A hungry and tired individual rarely makes good food choices. Prep and pack all training foods, snacks and meals in advance (the day before). While this may feel stressful at first, you'll be thankful that you made the time when it finally comes time for you to eat.
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