Healthy Meal Plans

Do you start thinking about dinner (or any meal) when you get hungry?  We all do it.  That is why we are surrounded by fast food places, pizza parlors that we can call and have delivered or other similar options.  It is also why many of us are overweight.  Having a meal plan helps with eating healthier. Planning ahead saves time and money as well as helping lose weight, if you need to. It cuts down on trips to the grocery store and farmers’s markets and allows you to eat healthier and even schedule in treats.  Plan in fun!  I find I’m enjoying my meals more now that I’m not worrying about what I’m going to eat. How to you get started?  I know many people say to start with the food pyramid and add those foods you don’t eat enough of and remove those foods you eat to much of.  That can be a little overwhelming for some.  I would suggest starting with the food you like and then:

• Commit to trying meal planning for a week.
• Decide if you are going to start planning all of your meals or just 1 meal a day.  It can be easier to get started if you plan one meal a day a first.  I started with planning lunches. There are benefits to planning multiple meals.
• Take an inventory of what you have on hand.
• Make a list of the foods you like to eat at the meal(s) you are planning.
• Look for recipes that will include those foods and that are quick to make.
• Eat what is in season whenever possible.
• Make a shopping list and only buy what is on it.  (Hint: I include fresh fruit and vegetables on my list without specifying which ones.  That allows me to buy what is on special that week.)
• Stock up on staples when they are on sale.

When I first starting with planning my lunches only, I found that I would have leftovers from dinner that I could incorporate into the next day’s lunch.  It then made sense for me to start planning dinners as well.  Planning how to use leftovers is important both in saving time and money.  Now I always shop and plan for leftovers so I can use them in other meals that week. I went from someone who never planned a meal to someone who plans most meals.  My plans are all healthy meal plans which is showing wonderful results.  I’m not obsessive and often add new fruits and vegetables to my meals.  I’m getting a little more adventurous.  I’m now able to shop once a week which is save lots of time.