| It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a | | | | vegetables that you can choose from, then |
| long, full day. All of a sudden your mind turns to | | | | simply plan "chicken, potatoes and vegetables". |
| the daily question, "What's for dinner?" | | | | Then you can still have some spontaneity in your |
| Whether it's just you or whether you're preparing | | | | meal. |
| a meal for a whole gang, it's not an energizing | | | | 2. When you have time, make "frozen dinners". |
| prospect to imagine planning, shopping for or | | | | Make a double or triple recipe; package the |
| cooking a meal from scratch at the end of a long | | | | leftovers in single (or family-size) servings and |
| day. | | | | freeze. |
| That's probably why the fast food businesses are | | | | 3. Factor in schedule changes. Maybe the night |
| booming and why our health is suffering from the | | | | after the big meeting or the night of the soccer |
| effects of these "easy" foods. | | | | tournament aren't the best nights to cook a meal |
| If you think meal planning is an unnecessary step, | | | | from scratch. Plan a quick meal, take-out or your |
| or that it would create a strict regimen that you'd | | | | own "frozen dinner" for those nights. |
| be trapped by, read on about how meal planning | | | | 4. Aim for balance. With the week spread out |
| can free you from worry and improve your | | | | before you, look for balance between heavy and |
| health and well being. | | | | light meals, vegetarian and meat-based meals, and |
| REASONS FOR MEAL PLANNING | | | | a variety of different-coloured fruits and |
| Less time and money spent at the grocery store | | | | vegetables. |
| When you plan your meals out a week at a time, | | | | 5. Plan while you're in the kitchen. That way you |
| your trips to the grocery store become much | | | | can easily check for the ingredients of the dishes |
| more manageable. You know exactly what you'll | | | | you're planning. If they're not there, add them to |
| need and you'll be less susceptible to "impulse" | | | | your grocery list immediately. |
| buying. Sometimes, when I'm feeling REALLY | | | | 6. Keep an active grocery list through the week. |
| efficient, I even write my list in order of where I'll | | | | That way, when staples run out you can add |
| find it in the grocery store. Plus, buying the | | | | them to list. |
| ingredients to cook a meal from scratch usually | | | | 7. Grow your recipe collection. Use the Internet, |
| costs much less than the ready-made version. | | | | the cookbooks of your friends and family, |
| Healthier meals = healthier you and your loved | | | | magazines, etc. and find new things to try. One |
| ones | | | | new recipe a week will keep things exciting! |
| When you're planning ahead, you'll have much | | | | 8. Get some expert advice. Consult a trusted |
| more control over what you eat, and you can | | | | source such as Canada's Food Guide, or better still |
| consciously choose to improve the health of your | | | | get individualized meal and nutrition suggestions |
| meals. | | | | from a registered dietician or a holistic nutritionist. |
| Better-timed meals | | | | 9. Make it a team effort. If you're feeding others |
| If you BEGIN planning and cooking dinner when | | | | as well as yourself, make the planning a team |
| you get home, it could be quite late before you're | | | | effort so that everyone gets some of their |
| sitting down to eat it. The closer to bedtime it is | | | | favourites through the week. |
| when you finish dinner, the less likely you'll have | | | | 10. Always follow your plan, except when you |
| time to properly digest and for your body to | | | | don't. There are going to be things that come up, |
| absorb what you've eaten. For breakfast and | | | | days that you just don't feel like eating what |
| lunch, having the meals planned out can help | | | | you've planned, or days when you've forgotten to |
| remind you to STOP and EAT them. | | | | do your nightly prep. Create a list of healthy |
| Variety | | | | stand-by's that you can throw together with the |
| When we choose our meals in the moment, | | | | staples in your own kitchen. If you're on the go, |
| based on what's fast, easy and enjoyable, we | | | | be prepared by having a list of healthy choices at |
| tend to stick to a few standby's and don't branch | | | | your favourite restaurants. |
| out very much. Nutritionally, this leaves us lacking. | | | | A meal plan is not a rigid "diet" or set of orders. |
| We also risk getting bored with our food and | | | | The meal plan serves you, not the other way |
| looking to fast food or unhealthier options for | | | | around. |
| "excitement". | | | | Start now with tomorrow's meals. What can you |
| HOW TO PLAN YOUR MEALS FOR THE WEEK | | | | defrost or partly prepare tonight to make |
| 1. Keep some spontaneity. You could just plan one | | | | tomorrow's meals easier and healthier? |
| part of the meal. For instance, if you know that | | | | (c) Copyright Linda Dessau, 2005. |
| you always have plenty of fresh of frozen | | | | |