There’s a secret to eating a healthy, home-cooked meal that won’t waste hours after work — and no, it isn’t investing in a personal chef. This can be as easy as stocking cheese for breakfast, or as complicated as making a bunch of meals on Sunday and saving them for the rest of the week. Either way, it’ll prevent time and money — and it will make sure that you stick with a healthy diet.
1. Calculate how many meals you need
Think about what percentage of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners you’ll need throughout the week. Technically, if you would like enough breakfast, lunches, and dinners for the workweek, you’d need 15 meals, but you do not need to cook 15 separate dishes. Instead, prepare a couple of large batches of meat and vegetables which will be utilized in various ways throughout the week.
2. Keep it simple
If you’re new to cooking, think of a meal as a veggie, a protein, and a starch. For instance, a quick breakfast could be mango, chia seeds and yoghurt. Similarly, a quick dinner could be roasted chicken, broccoli, and sweet potato.
3. Use leftovers
We struggle with planning our lunches & dinners. Just choose one meal to start with. Then once you get a handle thereon, start adding in additional. Plus, you’ll make extra for dinner and eat the leftovers for lunch. That’s much easier than trying to require a special meal for lunch every day.
4. Opt for easy cooking methods
Sure you’ll love the grill marks on your chicken, but cooking on the grill or stove requires more attention. Using an oven or slow cooker will save a big amount of your time and easily monitor its progress. Plus, it’s easier to cook large batches of food with both oven and a slow cooker.
5. Rely on frozen foods
There’s no compulsion to prepare every single item on your plate. You can use frozen vegetables as well. Additionally, many frozen fruits and vegetables, like broccoli, have as many vitamins and minerals as their fresh counterparts.
6. Keep breakfast simple
Mornings can be hectic, which is why we recommend having the same breakfast every day, or every alternate day. Just chop some fruit so it is often thrown within the blender for smoothies, or pair it with Greek yoghurt for a change of pace.
7. Have a go-to snack
Choose one snack, like pre-portioned nuts or a batch of hard-boiled eggs, that you simply can eat a day. That way, you won’t have to hit up junk food once you feel empty.
8. Get creative
Eating chicken nightly doesn’t need to be boring. Chicken can be used for a variety of dishes, like salads or fajitas. And also, Indian curries are fantabulous.
9. Buy budget-friendly staples
There’s no need to spend money on organic, high-end products if you can’t afford them. There are many affordable, filling, and nutrient-dense foods like eggs, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. For example, one large egg has 6.3 grams of protein, is loaded with vitamins, and will only set you back 60 bucks for one dozen (on average). You can make veggie-loaded fried rice with eggs for a budget-conscious and well-balanced meal.
Other economical picks that have many proteins include beans and salmon. Keep them on hand to pair with salads, veggies, or healthy pasta dishes.
10. Write down your list and go shopping
With your meals lined up, it’s time to form a grocery list and head to the shop. Try to do your big weekly shop on Saturday or early Sunday, so you’ve got time to prep your ingredients before the workweek begins.
11. Keep track of how long items are in your fridge
Keep track of your frozen foods, as they too, have an expiry date.
12. Choose simple products to prep and pack
It’s worth blocking out time on the weekend to urge your ingredients to be ready for weekday meal assembly. Once the week starts, there would be no time for the prep. Invest in a good set of clear glass or plastic containers so you recognize exactly what proportion you’ve got.
There are meal planning software programs that can help make your life and your meal planning needs a whole lot simpler. This means that your family will be happier and healthier. You will also have more time for yourself to do the things that you want to do.
