When it comes to eating well, meal planning is one of the essential, yet most difficult things there is, as it is the secret to your success. The good thing about this is that there are no specific rules, but the best thing is to start and dedicate a little time a week to schedule everything. There are so many different ways to approach meal planning, that after doing it a few times, it will become a method that you will start to notice results with.
To help you get started, we’ve decided to give you some basics. We are going to divide this article into two steps that you must follow:
The variability of our days means that we do not have our meals organized, it affects our work schedules, activities, commitments with friends or family, or other plans. But we are going to control all of this, if we get the right organization.
PART 1: ACCESS YOUR FOOD SITUATION
How many meals do you need to plan? First, you have to think about what you have to do next week. Take as a reference or make a quick inventory of all the plans you have scheduled, to approximate the number of meals you need for the entire week.
How much time do you have? It is important to take into account how much time you have to prepare. Depending on whether it is more or less, it will give you time to do one thing or another.
Food depends on the time of year: The weather, the change of seasons, and even cravings can affect it. So if you think about what you want, it will make the selection of recipes faster.
The budget: If your priorities are to eat well and at a good price, think about seasonal products.
PRACTICAL PLAN
- Grab a pencil and paper: Write the days of the week on the left side of the page and the meals you want to plan at the top.
- Write down everything necessary such as quick snacks or leftovers. Don’t forget to write down any dietary restrictions so you can keep track.
PART 2: COLLECT AND MAKE YOUR RECIPE LIST
Now the fun part! Once you know how many meals you need, it’s time to find some healthy recipes and fill your calendar for the week. Here are some tips to help you.
Create a recipe list: Having a meal list is one of the easiest ways to speed up the planning process. Consider creating one or two new recipes and mixing them with old ones. Every time you find a new food you like, add it to the weekly rotation.
Finding delicious healthy recipes isn’t difficult, you just have to know where to look. Cookbooks, food magazines, and especially the internet can provide you with millions of healthy recipes.
Write your shopping list: With the action of writing down what you need while completing the meal calendar, you will become aware of everything your meals require and therefore you will obtain more organization and efficiency. You will avoid buying more and things you don’t need.
Save and organize your recipes:
- To help you even more, My Fitness Pal is an application for recipes, where that will be saved and organized, and it also has a calorie counter so that you have complete control.
Download the application that will help you have everything under control!
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