Planning meals has been found to result in a variety of benefits including healthier overall eating, reducing fast-food consumption, increasing the number of family meals, and successful weight loss.
Thoughtfully planning meals can enable those with chronic pain, mobility challenges, or low energy to realistically decide what to eat and how to prepare it. This type of structure can also help caregivers and those experiencing health challenges to precisely time meals and medications or meet specific nutrient recommendations.
When it comes to planning meals, small changes can add up to big results. These 10 tips, suggested by Brain & Life in “How Meal Planning Improves Healthy Eating,” can help set you on your way to successful meal planning.
- Set one goal: Choosing one specific area for growth is better than trying to overhaul your entire diet at once. Focus on one goal where you can measure tangible improvement, such as eating more protein or more fiber.
- Start slowly: Consider planning one or two meals each week, rather than an entire week worth of meals, when you first begin.
- Cook ahead: When you cook, double a recipe and freeze a portion of it for later. This strategy works with a variety of recipes including soups, casseroles and muffins.
- Consider a slow cooker: Add the ingredients of a healthy meal to your slow cooker in the morning so when you come home, dinner is ready.
- Use one ingredient two ways: If you have a leftover item from a prior meal, consider using it in a second dish. For example, leftover baked chicken can be added to a bowl with rice and vegetables the next day.
- Be loose: Meal plan according to your lifestyle and personal preferences. Some people like a structured menu while others prefer to choose from a list of flexible dinner options.
- Embrace convenience: Modern conveniences can greatly impact the time in which it takes to prep and cook a meal. Look for options such as frozen fruits and vegetables, rotisserie chicken, canned beans and precooked grains to speed up the process.
- Harness digital tools: Save time, energy and even money by ordering your groceries using an online ordering tool.
- Think bowls: Bowls make for an easy and versatile meal. Simply add a bed of greens or grains to a bowl, add a protein and veggies, then top with a dollop of guacamole, salsa or sour cream.
- Let friends help: When a friend offers to grocery shop for you or share a meal, say “yes.” Gestures like these are not only helpful, they are a way to add socialization to your day which is important in its own right.
Read the full article to learn more about the benefits of meal planning and how to integrate this eating strategy into your own life.