One of the best building blocks of a healthy lifestyle is effective meal planning. Here is how you can use meal planning as a jumping-off point for a healthier you.
Create a Nutrition Plan: The first thing that you need to do when devising your meal plan is to narrow down your goals. A nutrition plan that is tailored to your individual needs and preferences will help you to take the guesswork out of your meal planning. If you do not feel informed enough to make your own nutrition plan, you can purchase one from a variety of sources. The comprehensive nutrition meal plans from Tone It Up can help to get you on your way to creating the right plan to meet all of your goals.
Making Your Menu: Once you have your plan in place, you can begin making your menu for the week. If saving money is one of your goals, check out what the stores around you have on sale in the coming days and use that as a guide. You will also save money and cut calories if you plan at least one meatless meal per week. Good choices to use as a base include legumes, eggs, and tofu. You may also find it helpful to choose meals that you can freeze portions of for later consumption.
Using Simple Recipes: For simplicity and affordability, you may consider avoiding recipes that call for a lot of special and expensive ingredients. You can eventually work your way up to more complicated recipes once you get in the groove of meal planning. Before you head out to the store, be sure to check your own pantry and refrigerator or freezer to find items that you may need to use before they expire. A good rule of thumb is to choose one new recipe per week to try while relying on family favorites on the other days. This will expand your arsenal of possible meals as you discover new possibilities.
Combining Ingredients: You can also make it more affordable and convenient if you choose meals that have similar ingredients. For example, try roasting a chicken for a traditional meal and then using the leftover chicken the next night as the base for a soup. Or make a big batch of meatballs and use them with spaghetti one night and as the base for meatball subs later in the week. This approach will prevent food waste and maximize your food dollar.
Finding Your Inspiration: In today's increasingly connected world, it easier than ever to find a goldmine of recipes right at your fingertips. A good place to start is Pinterest. You can search by category to find the right recipes for your meal plan needs. Pinterest will also link you to other recipe sites where you might find even more inspiration.
Getting the entire family involved in the meal planning process will ensure that everyone has a vote on the menu for the week. This will produce happy bellies and hearts as you all gather around the table to enjoy the delicious meals.
