Foodie Friday: To Meal Plan or Not to Meal Plan That is the Question.
What is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is the process of organizing and preparing meals in advance to simplify cooking, save time, and ideally promote healthier eating habits.
How Does One Meal Plan?
There are many different ways that people can go about meal planning. One must find what works best for them.
From my experience of reading tons of cookbooks, of hiring a personal trainer, and listening to kitchen coaches…(yes that is a thing)
There are 3 things one “must” do to meal plan.
There must be a desire to meal plan.
Figure out one’s needs in the kitchen.
Prepare.
What Works for Me!
The desire to meal plan is only not to lose my mind. Usually, I am operating by food…or by hunger. By eliminating the “what’s for dinner” question. I can save my brain for other things…like reading.
What are my needs in the kitchen? I have to figure out mainly dinner. Breakfast options are basic during the school week. What can my school age children make for themselves. Lunch is the same during the school week. One child “eats *cough cough pick* at their school lunch. One packs the lunch. Do I like preparing the lunch…yes…but my child prefers to do it themselves. So that leaves dinner. I was asked by the kitchen coach…in complete honesty how many days do you actually want to be cooking in the kitchen. I aim for 5 out of 7 days. “Day 6” would be left overs and “Day 7” would preferably be take out. However, that isn’t in the budget anymore…so I lean on my spouse for that day.
Preparing…the meal plan.
At the end of each month, I ask my family what do you want to eat. I make a list of dinner ideas on the side of our monthly calendar. I look at the sales, deals on food, and what is the cheapest way to feed my family within our food needs. (Food allergies stink) Depending on what’s available, both in season and out of season fruits and veggies the prices range. Also, the shelf life of the item. Buying fresh food at the beginning of the week when I plan to use the items at the end of the week with a two-day shelf life is a good recipe for food waste. I hate wasting money and wasting food.
So, what do I do with this information?
Let’s just say the family wants meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, baked chicken and ratatouille. In the perfect scenario, all items are available and within price budget. I will purchase the items needed for each recipe provided I had checked the house to make sure we do or do not have the items needed. Also, I will be aware of cook times. Ratatouille can take a while, so I do not want to plan this on the evening that my child needs to be at school for a recital. I will cross reference our week schedule to see what dinner items can be made. The only person who cares not to eat the same thing again and again or in a row is me. So, I will make sure the ground beef can be prepared over the course of three days. Meaning I can make meatloaf, chicken or ratatouille, then spaghetti and meatballs. While preparing one or the other base of the dish I will prepare it for the next meal. Whatever dish I do not make in between the beef base meals will be “Day 4” meal. “Day 5” could be new meal day using a new recipe with the items for the week. Like chicken cordon bleu or chicken fajitas. “Day 6” can be leftovers from the week. “Day 7” could be a recipe my spouse is comfortable making, share the workload, or may the odds be in our favor for takeout. Sometimes the cost benefits of takeout outweigh the negatives of stress and clean up.
What to Do Next?
Well…what do you want to do? When I was learning to cook again for my food allergies it was best to figure out one meal at a time. I asked for help. I ask people both on and off the internet where do I start… and put one foot in front of the other. Remember baby steps is still movement. Below are some resources that can help get you started. Start slow, take what will work for you and leave what you don’t. Or try something new. I feel it is important to find out what works and what doesn’t work. Be mindful.
Resource to Assist:
Forbes Health did a comparison of the best meal deliveries. If these work for you check them out.
Best Meal Delivery Services - Forbes Health
Tastes Better From Scratch is a website I enjoy looking at. It offers recipes and meal plans.
Free Weekly Meal Plans (with Grocery Lists) - Tastes Better from Scratch
Plant Based on a Budget- I love Toni’s content, her cookbooks and I have been in her following since before food allergies. She shares plant-based recipes and meal plans. Some recipes have won the hearts of my family and neighbors.
Affordable and Easy Plant-based Recipes | Plant-Based on a Budget
Bonus Fun Places to Get Recipes
All Recipes: Recipes (You can search recipes up by products you have)
Local Grocery Stores I loved Publix and Foodland websites. However most stores have recipes and you can even get things on sale when they advertise something new. (not all the time…but sometimes)