Many of us wish we could eat healthier, but living busy lives we fall into the habit of grabbing quick and easy meals/snacks. Many people find that meal planning weekly will help you to avoid these 'convenience' foods - resulting in healthier choices.
To get you successfully planning your meals I have compiled 10 tips below!
1. Check your local flyers: planning your weekly meals around what's on sale not only helps keep variety in your menu (#eattherainbow) but will help keep your budget low!
2. Check your pantry, fridge, freezer: take stock of what items you have at home, you may be able to use them in your menu plan
3. Check the weather: this may seem like a silly suggestion, but we often crave certain comfort foods on certain days. ie: soup on a cold day, or bbq on a sunny day
4. Look for seasonal recipes: using seasonal fruits and vegetables also adds variety, keeps budget down, and may introduce new recipes into your diet!
5. Avoid recipes that need a special ingredient: when meal planning try to include recipes that contain the same ingredients. We wouldn't want that strange vegetable to go bad in your fridge after one use.
6. Plan to use leftovers: leftovers are a great way to whip up a healthy meal on a busy night! You don't have to find 7 distinct recipes this way!
7. Make a theme night: planning theme nights like 'taco-tuesday' are a fun way to get the family involved
8. Make a menu: now that you've found your recipes, create your menu for the week
9. Make a grocery list: a simple meal plan killer is forgetting that key ingredient at the grocery store. Make sure you go through all your recipes and make sure you have all the ingredients on your list!
10. Have fun: meal planning shouldn't be a chore, it's an opportunity to try new things, while eating healthier! This doesn't mean you have to exclude the occasional treats (#birthdaycake) just plan them in moderation!
Let me know how your meal planning adventure goes!
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