Odds are you probably begin off each week with every intention
of eating healthy, home-cooked meals. Then reality happens, and the next thing
you know, you’re grabbing fast food on the way home from work. Eating healthy
food is easy. Cooking healthy food is the real challenge. Here’s a few simple
meal-planning tactics that will help you get your nutritional game headed in
the right direction.
1. Set Your Objectives
Your nutritional essentials are the groundwork of your meal
plan. So before you start flagging recipes, do a quick evaluation of your
personal goals.
- What do you need to eat more of?
- What do you need to eat less of?
- Do you have a target calorie count?
- What foods are best for you?
My key piece of advice for someone who wants to start meal
planning is to find out what food is right for his or her body. When you meet
the body’s fuel requests, starvation disappears and food cravings are
nonexistent. Your energy, mood, and
well-being all improve.
2. Make a Plan
Once you know what you need to eat, assemble a master list
of recipes. Use an organizational method that works for you — Pinterest, meal
planning apps, index cards in a recipe box or a recipe binder. When I find a
recipe I want to make, I print it out and add it to my collection. It’s
important to keep diversity in your plan so you don’t get bored. When you’re
planning your meals for the week, it’s okay to leave some flexibility.
3. Shop Cleverly
Make a grocery list based on your favorite healthy foods and
any new recipes you’ve pulled. Make a list of the foods you know are a part of
your meal plan, and make sure you stock up on those. I always have tons of
fresh fruits and veggies in my fridge, along with chicken and fish. I keep
almonds and peanut butter in my cabinet as well. Also, I store lots of seasonings in my cabinet
so this way, no matter what protein or veggie I decide to make, I always have a
way to flavor it.
4. Knock Out the Prep
Work
When you get home from the grocery store, don’t shove your
groceries in the fridge. Peel and slice your vegetables first. Instead of
making it a daily chore, you’re done all at once. Also, it makes you more
likely to grab those healthy foods to snack on when you’re hungry. Prepping
your food is a huge part of success. I cook enough protein to get me through at
least three days. I also bake a few sweet potatoes at a time because those are
easy to grab if I’m running out of the door.
5. Don’t Sabotage
Yourself
Once you’ve planned and prepped, the tough work is done. Now
all you have to do is avoid the usual pitfalls. One common fault is trying to
eat foods you don’t really like. If you hate the taste of spinach, you’re not
going to grab it when you’re hungry. I also suggest not purchasing junk food. It’s
easier to avoid when it’s not in your kitchen. However as long as you plan
ahead, shop for healthy foods, and keep some go-to recipes in your stash,
healthy eating will become simple.
~ J. Lynn
