Meal Planning Basics

Catherine Walker
Jun 12, 2023
2 min read

Meal planning is the best way to stay mindful of what you are eating and what you are purchasing at the grocery store. Set aside 30 minutes each week to focus on 7 dinner recipes for the week. Repeat favorites often and try to make one meal that can carry over to the next night for leftovers to make it easier during the week. Also learn to try new recipes to keep the meals fun and interesting. There are many great allergy friendly cookbooks, but also learn to use recipes from other cookbooks and modify the ingredients to fit your dietary needs.

When you get into a routine of meal planning, streamlining your pantry and refrigerator, and then shopping only one or two times a week, it is freeing. You will feel calm and in control of mealtime! Take it one step further and do meal prep early in the day for a more relaxed late afternoon. Cooking will be a breeze when the ingredients are chopped, measured and ready to go! The fun part is cooking in a kitchen that is cleaned up and ready for cooking action!

We like to make our grocery list according to the layout of the store which makes shopping much easier. Buy what you need each week, but don’t overbuy and have too much food around. Simple is best. Having a streamlined refrIgerator and pantry keeps you focused on the healthy meals you have planned instead of a packed refrigerator which makes you feel unorganized. Pick your snacks wisely and enjoy them in between meals but don’t make them meals. Stick to your meal plan and wow your family with the incredible meals every night that you have planned!