Planning for Successful Eating

Here are several tips to help you eat healthier.

Pick two to three meals your family likes, plan these once a week or every other week, for 7 dinners, you should know what you are going to eat for 2 or 3 each week. This cuts down on the number you need to decide what to make, it creates consistency and ease of eating healthier. The idea of these meals: your family likes them, it is simple, healthy, nutrient dense meals, and you have the ingredients on hand consistently.

Meal prep each week. This is great for those who are not big fans of cooking or being in the kitchen and want quick things to eat. Even if you are a fan of cooking, I do recommend some level of meal prep for snacks and such. Take the time once a week and do all the chopping and break down work, put meat in marinades for later in the week, this will help with flavor. by taking a few hours once a week, you can save time, stress and frustration later in the week. When you are tired and do not want to cut up and cook, it is all preped, all you need to do is cook or reheat.

Batch cook meat, veggies, things such as rice or noodles. If you are already cooking one chicken breast, cook another for a second meal, one whole chicken on the grill, put a second on, put the meat in bags and freeze or use for later in the week. If you have the meat cooked, it is easy to make a salad, hashes, loaded baked potatoes, this doesn't need to be complicated. Simplify.

Create a menu for the week and as much as you can, stick to it. Deciding once a week what to eat for the week is less stressful than trying to come up with something every night and then you don't have ingredients on hand, you are tired, overwhelmed, so instead of healty food, you turn to what is on hand, convenient, junk. Look at your up coming week, plan easy meals around your schedule, plan ahead.

Find a system that works for you and your family. Don't be afraid to try something different, something new, shake things up. If it is not working for you, you won't stick to it.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn