What's for dinner?
This is such an innocuous question and yet these words are loaded with so much possibility!
The same question applies to each meal of the day.
Think about how many questions you must answer each day, how many decisions you make. It's endless! So sometimes, by the end of the day, the willpower involved with all that decision making is drained. Now deciding what's for dinner is a chore - not an opportunity. You fight with your spouse about it, you endure nagging hungry children and sometimes you throw up your hands and settle for fast-nutrition-lacking drive thrus. I've been there!
Que meal-planning. Let the relief begin!
Why Make a Meal Plan?
More control over your nutrition and food intake
Make healthier choices
Collaborate with the family
Manage your time
Less decision-fatigue
Less stress on busy weeks
Intentional grocery shopping which saves you money
Everyone in the family knows what to expect
But what if I'm not in the mood for that food that night?
As long as you purchase ingredients for several meals at a time, it should be easy to adjust your plan. Feel like eating out tonight? Make that stir-fry tomorrow instead.
Give meal planning a chance. You may find that the benefits of not having to worry about dinner outweigh the perceived "loss of freedom".
Make your own plan
I find that it is easiest for me to do my planning and shopping on the same day. I choose to do this on Sunday since I have the most time that day, and because then I feel set up for the week ahead.
Choose one day each week to do your planning, this way you don't have to think about it for the rest of the week.
You may wish to plan all your meals and snacks. Personally, I eat the same thing for breakfast each day so I don't plan breakfast. I do like to make enough at dinner to have leftovers for my lunch the next day so I plan ahead to make at least 1 extra portion. I recommend starting with meal planning for dinners, as this is usually the meal that you have the least willpower to decide on.
Step 1: Make a list of all the meals you feel comfortable making. Try to brainstorm at least 10-12 ideas. If you eat with family or roommates, ask them to brainstorm with you.
Step 2: Decide how many nights per week you will cook, someone else will cook, or you will eat out/order food. This is different for everyone. So choose what feels right for you.
Step 3: Grab a piece of paper, a digital calendar or a printable (LIKE THIS ONE). Plug in meals from your list, eating out nights etc. If you feel like you still want a little variety, consider adding a "wild card" night. Maybe this can be a weekend night, where you will have more willpower to decide. Remember the goal is to reduce "decision fatigue" and help you relax when it comes time to eat.
Step 4: Make your shopping list. Once you have your meal plan, it will be easy to add the required ingredients to your shopping list. You can use an app like ANYLIST, a note in your phone or a good old piece of paper. Be sure to include healthy snacks! Grocery shopping with a list will help you stick to your plan, save you money, and control impulse buying at the store. If you only want to shop once a week, consider having meals with "quick to perish" items (like fresh fish) at the beginning of your week.
Meal planning, like any new habit, will take some time to adjust to. Give yourself the grace to make mistakes, edit your plan or give up and eat fast food once in a while. It's ok. Any change to your lifestyle will feel a bit strange at first. You may feel too constrained sticking to a plan. It may feel overwhelming to get started. If doing it on your own is not your thing, consider subscribing to a meal service (Gobble, Hello Fresh) or pick up pre-made meals for the week (Clean Eatz, Fit Life Foods).
You can DO it! Healthy, stress- free meals are just 10 minutes of planning away.
Bon Appetit!
Written by Maeby Lopez, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Professional Organizer
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