Top 10 Meal Planning Hacks
I’ve worked with many women and one of the biggest reasons they struggle to eat in alignment with how they want to feel is simple…they don’t plan! Meal Planning is one of the easiest ways to guarantee you're eating nutritious food, reducing waste and saving money on your shopping bill. To help you along, I’ve put together my top 10 meal planning hacks to make your life simple:
Preparation, preparation, preparation...: spend some time on a an evening that suits you prepping veggies and base meals for the week - you’ll have meals in minutes!
Keep your cupboard stocked with essentials: tinned beans, tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, mixed nuts, mixed seeds, coconut milk, jars of pesto, precooked rice, lentils, quinoa etc.
...and that goes for your freezer too: frozen peas, sweetcorn, carrots, mixed vegetables, frozen herbs, frozen mixed fruit, and leftover meals pre-portioned for busy evenings.
Meal planning: make time to do it! Choose new recipes or pick old favourites, but dedicate some time to plan what you’ll be eating for the week.
Module cooking: Prepare one core meal that can be easily adapted to form multiple meals across the week. For example, prepare a massive Bolognese and turn it into lasagne, stuffed peppers and a chilli con carne - yum!
Pre-cut veggies: if you’re lacking time, pre-cut onions and garlic can be a lifesaver. You can buy them pre-cut or if you have some time at the weekend, slice and dice fresh and freeze them for the week.
Cook extra: This is my go to - I’m already cooking so let’s just make extra-mash, roasted veggies and sweet potato wedges...
Create sharing meals: put big dishes of food on the table and let everyone help themselves. It’s a great way to get everybody involved in what they’re eating and creates a positive social environment. It also saves you time having to dish the whole family’s dinner up!
Know your go-to’s: have some dishes in your repertoire that are fast and simple to prepare from minimal ingredients for when you’re low on time and energy.
Get excited about it!: Food is a pleasure and brings us nourishment on a physical and emotional level, so don’t stress about it. See meal planning as an exciting opportunity to explore new flavours and give your body and mind everything they need to thrive.
If you’re still feeling confused about where to start, let me help you! Book a COLLABORATE session with me. COLLABORATE is my 1:1 holistic meal planning service, where we’ll work together to create you a personalised week’s meal plan that’s completely suited to your needs, without the stress!