meal plan like a pro

How to meal plan like a pro

It goes without saying that planning your meals will save you time, save you money, save you energy and save you stress. In addition, planning your meals is absolutely if you’re trying to follow a healthy balanced diet.

In our previous blog post 4 ways to achieve your health goals, in-house dietician, Nompumelelo stressed the importance of planning your meals and being prepared. Planning your meals gives you the opportunity to make sure you are getting enough of the day to day nutrients your body needs, and helps you set up good, healthy eating habits for you and your family. Planning your meals also means that when your life gets busy and the hunger kicks in, you aren’t left reaching for the closest thing in sight to eat.

We’ve got some simple but effective steps to help you set up a successful meal planning routine.

SET ASIDE TIME TO DO YOUR MEAL PLANNING
Set aside a day and time to do you meal planning each week and then be stubborn about it. You may be tempted to do other things during this time but unless they are emergencies or unavoidable then stick to the time you’ve set aside as much as possible. Most people prefer to do this over a weekend or in the evening. This gives you the space and time to carefully go through the foods you’d like to eat and when you’d like to eat them.

TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU HAVE
Have a look through your fridge and cupboards and jot down what foods you have so that you can make sure these items are used in your next week’s meal plan, avoiding waste. Also take this opportunity to get rid of any food items which are you and your family are trying to avoid as part of your healthy eating plan.

DETAIL EVERY MEAL OF THE WEEK  
Make a list of ALL the meals you plan to eat over the week. From Monday to Sunday, breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks. Don’t leave any gaps unless you have plans to eat out. The more specific you can be with this, the less room you will have for grabbing unhealthy foods as a last minute resort.

You may want to take your time with this task, scrolling through some recipe books or your favourite food blog.

Make sure that as you look over your meals for the week that you are getting enough fruit and vegetables, filled with nutrients and fibre and also enough protein. If you struggle to get these in through your food, then make sure you plan to stock up on your favourite Xcell Food Science shake which will help make sure you are getting enough protein and extra important nutrients. If you struggle with healthy snacks then consider using a shake as well. It’s easy to have on-the-go and no prep time is required.

MAKE A KILLER SHOPPING LIST
Once you’ve listed all the meals you plan to eat during the week, compare this to what you already have in your fridge and cupboards. Then based on what you need, make your shopping list.

Making a shopping list this way will help you save time and money because you are not buying foods you already have (potentially letting one set go off) and you are only buying foods you need and area actually going to eat.

Also, it’s important to stick to your shopping list as much as possible. When strolling through the shops, avoid adding items that are not on your list and at all costs, avoid the sweet and cold drinks isle.

In addition to all of the above, planning your meals helps set you up for good eating habits such as, not skipping meals or not having healthy food on hand and then grabbing something unhealthy ‘on the go’. It also gives you the opportunity to make sure you are getting in the right amounts of foods and in the right quantities, and if it’s not possible, you have the opportunity to supplement these nutrients to make sure you and your family’s health stays in tip-top condition.

And, done forget the most important rule of all. HAVE FUN! A healthy eating and lifestyle plan should be filled with fun and enjoyment – your body will thank you for it.