I don’t have time to plan meals.
OK, I “technically” have the time, but there are SO many things I’d rather be doing.
After years of resenting the time I spent trying to consistently plan healthy meals for myself and my family, I decided I had to figure out a method that basically does the work for me.
I needed a QUICK reference to
Give me meal ideas for any occasion that are energy-filled and healthy
List all the ingredients I would need for each meal
Contain the contact info for my favorite places to eat out and my favorite meals from those places
Meals that have foods that everyone in the family likes
Decrease the time I spend planning meals—no more than a few minutes a week
Change as my life changes
It was a tall order but I did it.
Here are my three main meal planning strategies:
Brainstorm
Make a list of favorite meals (and/or those of family)
No judgement allowed; just make the list.
Sort
Sort meals into “mindful” meals, “grab & go,” and “eating-out” meals.
Boost
If each meal doesn’t already have a good source of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber, add a food to the meal that fills the gap. <Link to previous blog on Energy Meals>.
Now I have a reference that I can use whether I’m sitting down to plan meals for a week or need ideas at the last minute.
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