Meal Planning Tips

Organization, inspiration and preparation. Let those words be your mantra as you tackle the sometimes thankless task of getting healthy, tasty food on the table with as little fuss as possible!  

Organization

• Start a calendar. Use a notebook or a spreadsheet - whatever makes the most sense to you - to keep track of your recipes each week or month. Write out each a week or month's worth of meals you plan to make to help with shopping. 
• Check what is on sale in weekly ads and use this to help with your plan each week. Make a grocery list from your meal plan and pick a day of the week to go. Organize your list by aisle to help make your shopping efficient as possible. 

Inspiration

• Find a theme - Rather than struggling with the question "What's for dinner tonight?" opt for themed cuisine nights for each day of the week. For instance, try Mediterranean Monday, Taco Tuesday, Sheet Pan Wednesday, and so on. Then, choose meals that align with the theme. For instance, on Mediterranean Monday you could prepare meatballs with Greek salad and tzatziki one week, and grilled fish with vegetables the next.
• Keep a list of all the quick and easy recipes you and your family love. This can make each week's plan easier, or can inspire you to try a new recipe!
• No-cook/prepared meals - Cooking from scratch is preferable, but it's OK to rely on convenience options occasionally. Look for pre-prepped or packaged bariatric-friendly foods to simplify meal preparation during busy times. Keep a list of these options on your phone for those moments when you need a quick meal idea but lack the energy to get creative. Some ideas include:  
  • Bare chicken nuggets + salad kit = protein salad
  • Frozen meatballs + jar of pasta sauce + frozen veggies + parmesan = Italian theme
  • Eggs + breakfast sausage + sliced fruit = breakfast for dinner
  • Rotisserie chicken + broccoli slaw + BBQ ranch + low carb wrap = BBQ chicken wrap
  • Pre-marinated meat (from deli case) + pre-chopped veggies + sauce = Easy stir fry
  • Precooked protein meals + veggies or salad kit 

Preparation

Prepare ingredients in bulk, rather than meals. Think of bulk ingredient preparation as your solution to save time and effort in the future. Instead of spending hours cooking meals for the entire week, prep your ingredients to use flexibly throughout the week. This might involve:

• Slow-cooking chicken in salsa (ideal for wraps, salads, or standalone dishes)
• Washing and cutting fruits and vegetables (ideal for snacks and sides)
• Roasting or sautéing vegetables (to add to eggs, low-carb wraps, etc.)
• Cooking ground meat (for tacos, hamburger salad, or meat sauce)