Why You Should Plan Your Meals

Meal planning can help you save money, improve your health, avoid eating unhealthy restaurant meals, and just make life easier overall. But let’s face it, meal planning isn’t always as easy as it sounds. However, there are ways to make meal planning simple, such as choosing the right recipes, prepping ingredients ahead of time, and stocking your kitchen with the right equipment so you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to find utensils or food. Meal planning can be easy if you follow these six steps for starting meal planning today!

Why you should eat healthier

Eating healthily is not just a fad. Healthy eating improves everything from mental clarity to physical performance, which can make all the difference in your success. We would all love one thing though: time. But what if we could find time for that healthy breakfast? What if we knew exactly what we were going to eat for lunch tomorrow? You might be thinking, how does this help me? Well, meal planning will not only save you time, but it will also help you understand how much food you need in order to stay healthy throughout the week. It’s been shown that people who plan their meals are more likely to stick with them because they know what they’re getting themselves into before they even start cooking. It’s easier than ever before to plan your meals by using a site like MyFitnessPal or PlanToEat, where you input what you want and when you want it delivered. And there are endless recipe sites out there for inspiration! Once you start meal planning, don’t be surprised when weight starts coming off without trying too hard.

Build your meals around the foods you already love

Focusing on the foods you love is a great place to start when getting started with meal planning. Once you get the hang of things, feel free to branch out from your old standbys. And hey, if all else fails, Google around for some easy dinner recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest eater. After you find something they like, make it again and again until it's burned into their memory!

Reduce waste and save money

It's estimated that the average family wastes around $2,275 per year on food. A lot of this waste can be attributed to the fact that people buy too much food and don't know what to do with it. As a result, they throw it away or compost it when there are plenty of other ways you can use that same piece of fruit or vegetable! Not only does this save money because you won't have as much food in your trash, but also less garbage for landfills. In addition, saving money saves time: allocating more time for cooking every week will ensure healthy meals that won't cost an arm and a leg if things go wrong. Plus, meal planning means you'll always have something delicious to eat for dinner, whether it is planned ahead of time or not. Check out these helpful resources on how to get started with meal planning today!

Save time by having your groceries delivered

Not only will you have your groceries delivered right to your door, but Amazon Prime members also receive free same-day delivery in select cities on orders over $35. Meaning you could have your grocery list checked off before you even finish unpacking from your day at work. That's some good planning. In addition to making a list and getting it delivered, there are other benefits of meal planning. For example, studies show that those who plan their meals usually eat less than those who don't because they are more mindful about the food they consume (which is a good thing). You'll also save money by being able to buy items when they're on sale or taking advantage of coupons. 

To get started with meal planning, here are five easy steps

Set aside an hour once a week to prep your meals for the week

Allocate an hour every week for meal planning. 

Make sure you always prepare enough food for seven days. 

Cook or prepare as many meals in one night as possible, so you don't have to cook every night. A few nights a week, stop at the grocery store for any items that are running low or need to be replaced because they're about to expire. Put it all together into one big shopping list. Take your time perusing the ads while you're there if you see anything interesting! You'll want to check back on your weekly plan throughout the week to make adjustments: Buy ingredients that are on sale or only available seasonally; Change cooking methods based on how busy you are. Plan ahead by stocking up on pantry staples like rice, beans, flour, dried pasta etc.; That way when you come home from work at night, dinner is already waiting for you in the fridge/freezer/cupboard.

Give yourself an incentive

You can start slowly by choosing one meal per week or work your way up until you are planning three. Each day, prepare dinner for the following day so that it is all set in the fridge when you get home from work. If you find yourself with leftovers on a night that was not planned for, cook them anyway and make tomorrow’s dinner as well. Buying groceries every week will also keep you accountable and save time at the store when cooking each meal at once. You may need to play around with this process a bit before getting comfortable with it, but I’m sure your family will thank you! It's such an easy way to take control of what you're eating, feel like less of a slave to the food system, and actually enjoy cooking more than ever before.

Pick recipes that fit your taste buds, cravings, lifestyle, etc.

When I get home, I'm pretty hungry so the first thing I want to do is cook a hearty meal. You could start by opening up Pinterest or your favourite cooking website and looking at different recipes that appeal to you. Sometimes, if I'm really in a hurry or on-the-go, then cooking while watching an episode of my favourite show helps get me into the kitchen faster! Just think about what foods you like and when will be a convenient time for you to plan your meals. It might take some trial and error before you find what works best for you but it'll be worth it in the end because meal planning just makes life easier!

Use Pinterest for inspiration

Meal planning is an incredible time-saver. It's a lot easier to plan for a week of meals when you have the weekend free, so setting aside an hour on Saturday or Sunday is well worth it. Whether you like cooking or not, chances are there are recipes out there that you would enjoy trying out. Meal planning can be done in a variety of ways, but one easy method that works for many people is focusing on making food on Sundays while preparing enough healthy foods (and some unhealthy ones) during the week as needed. You can also use leftovers as planned ingredients in upcoming dishes and avoid food waste by being more mindful about what you cook! The bottom line is that meal planning isn't difficult when you find a system that works for your lifestyle! If you're struggling with finding the motivation to meal plan, just remember how much time it will save in the long run. Here are some ideas: 

It might sound weird at first, but if someone has committed to eating three square meals a day for 30 days straight and documenting their experience, they'll be much more motivated to come up with new menu ideas. Try doing this yourself! Make a grocery list based on what you want to eat over the next month and take note of any staples that need replenishing as soon as possible. 

If cooking isn't your thing but dining out seems too expensive or hard on your diet plans, try using services like Plated or Blue Apron which deliver all the ingredients you need without any prep work required on your end.