PART III: PLANNING HEALTHY MEALS FOR THE WEEK
Building a Routine for Continued Success of Healthy Eating
Welcome back to Part III of Planning Healthy Meals for the Week! This month I am going to focus on how to in-cooperate your meal planning as part of your routine so you can keep up with your new healthy habit. There is importance in making good habits second nature, like brushing your teeth. They become automatic! When you are able to make this transition to automaticity you have a much better chance of sustaining this lifestyle habit.
Last month I discussed the breakdown of shopping for one day of cooking/prep for a few days worth of meals. So this month I am going to let you in on a secret about incorporating more Whole Food Plant Based meals all month long!
It starts with figuring out which days you can do your meal planning (finding recipes, making shopping lists). By designating days, you will have this built into your routine. I find that when I do not plan ahead, I end up going unprepared when I need things like milk that I have run out of, and I feel overwhelmed. I may spend too much at the store, and may even end up having to take an extra shopping trip later when I have my list, or forgo my healthy meals! By having a good planning routine, I always have my list on me, I know when it is I am going to the store, and I have a targeted shopping plan that also minimizes my spending and time spent at the store.
One way I have made things more organized is I keep a separate binder for my new plant based recipes, categorizing them based on what kind of meal/snack it is. "Entree" "Salad" "Breakfast" "Soup" "Dessert" etc. This way I can find what I am looking for easy, and I just pull which one's I want for the next few meals and organize my shopping list based on that. I write down just any ingredients that I need that I do not already have on hand. Once I accumulated many herbs and spices, and dressings or sauces, my shopping list got pretty easy.
You can also use a meal planning app, load your recipes in that, select key ones you wanted to make, and make or print your shopping list from that. There are many helpful apps out there than allow for easy meal planning. One that I like is PepperPlate. This can really streamline your list, you can delete items from each recipe you don't need to buy. If you know of other apps that are helpful that you like please feel free to leave a comment and share.
Another thing to consider for meal prepping is the kind of kitchen supplies and appliances you have on hand. The most obvious investment that would be needed is a good knife and cutting board. Having most other items are fairly basic such as bowls, pans, strainer, spoons, spatulas etc. It is not required to buy more complex items such as food choppers, or high end blenders. There are lots of other more inexpensive options you can get when you are first starting out. Blenders for instance can range from $50 to $600. So doing a little research or getting recommendations from friends may help guide you towards what works for you. Myself, I invested in a Ninja brand blender which I really like. This was after 20 years of having a fairly common low end blender that couldn't even crush ice, that I actually avoided using. I love how versatile my blender is, which also has a food processor attachment. Prior to this I never had any food processor.
Making sure to have other healthy at the ready foods on hand for snacking or quick meals is helpful too. Sometimes I include in my meal planning making healthier cookies, brownies, or energy balls to keep me from indulging in other sugary snacks like candy bars and baked goods, which are my weakness! Also having easy to eat fruit available can quench your thirst for sweetness. I like to have bananas and pears on hand! Recent studies have also showed that an apple can have over 100 micro-nutrients in it, so an "apple a day" may really be able to keep the doctor away!
Just a little food for thought! 😊
I look forward to bringing you many more helpful tips and information that will help incorporate a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. I believe health starts from within. Physical and mental health are fueled by that which we ingest and expose ourselves externally. Finding ways to bring more health into your life can elevate your ability to enjoy it!
If you are interested in exploring more to find your own unique balance feel free to connect with me for a free Health History consultation, and we can outline goals specific to you and your needs!
Have a happy and healthy day!
Tina Gates
www.redwoodwholehealthcoaching.com
disclaimer: I am not being paid to recommend any particular item or service. I mention any specific items only as a helpful reference point.
For more information on my health coaching check out my website above.
Please let me know what tricks or ideas you have for making meal planning easier! Leave your comment below.
Last month I discussed the breakdown of shopping for one day of cooking/prep for a few days worth of meals. So this month I am going to let you in on a secret about incorporating more Whole Food Plant Based meals all month long!
It starts with figuring out which days you can do your meal planning (finding recipes, making shopping lists). By designating days, you will have this built into your routine. I find that when I do not plan ahead, I end up going unprepared when I need things like milk that I have run out of, and I feel overwhelmed. I may spend too much at the store, and may even end up having to take an extra shopping trip later when I have my list, or forgo my healthy meals! By having a good planning routine, I always have my list on me, I know when it is I am going to the store, and I have a targeted shopping plan that also minimizes my spending and time spent at the store.
One way I have made things more organized is I keep a separate binder for my new plant based recipes, categorizing them based on what kind of meal/snack it is. "Entree" "Salad" "Breakfast" "Soup" "Dessert" etc. This way I can find what I am looking for easy, and I just pull which one's I want for the next few meals and organize my shopping list based on that. I write down just any ingredients that I need that I do not already have on hand. Once I accumulated many herbs and spices, and dressings or sauces, my shopping list got pretty easy.
You can also use a meal planning app, load your recipes in that, select key ones you wanted to make, and make or print your shopping list from that. There are many helpful apps out there than allow for easy meal planning. One that I like is PepperPlate. This can really streamline your list, you can delete items from each recipe you don't need to buy. If you know of other apps that are helpful that you like please feel free to leave a comment and share.
Another thing to consider for meal prepping is the kind of kitchen supplies and appliances you have on hand. The most obvious investment that would be needed is a good knife and cutting board. Having most other items are fairly basic such as bowls, pans, strainer, spoons, spatulas etc. It is not required to buy more complex items such as food choppers, or high end blenders. There are lots of other more inexpensive options you can get when you are first starting out. Blenders for instance can range from $50 to $600. So doing a little research or getting recommendations from friends may help guide you towards what works for you. Myself, I invested in a Ninja brand blender which I really like. This was after 20 years of having a fairly common low end blender that couldn't even crush ice, that I actually avoided using. I love how versatile my blender is, which also has a food processor attachment. Prior to this I never had any food processor.
Making sure to have other healthy at the ready foods on hand for snacking or quick meals is helpful too. Sometimes I include in my meal planning making healthier cookies, brownies, or energy balls to keep me from indulging in other sugary snacks like candy bars and baked goods, which are my weakness! Also having easy to eat fruit available can quench your thirst for sweetness. I like to have bananas and pears on hand! Recent studies have also showed that an apple can have over 100 micro-nutrients in it, so an "apple a day" may really be able to keep the doctor away!
Just a little food for thought! 😊
I look forward to bringing you many more helpful tips and information that will help incorporate a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. I believe health starts from within. Physical and mental health are fueled by that which we ingest and expose ourselves externally. Finding ways to bring more health into your life can elevate your ability to enjoy it!
If you are interested in exploring more to find your own unique balance feel free to connect with me for a free Health History consultation, and we can outline goals specific to you and your needs!
Have a happy and healthy day!
Tina Gates
disclaimer: I am not being paid to recommend any particular item or service. I mention any specific items only as a helpful reference point.
For more information on my health coaching check out my website above.
Please let me know what tricks or ideas you have for making meal planning easier! Leave your comment below.
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