MEAL PLANNING - HEALTHY IDEAS THAT SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY

Question:  Dhana, today Americans are so busy.  We are constantly multitasking and as a result feel that we little time for much anything else, particularly our self-care.  When we don’t have time, our diets are usually affected.  What can we do to ensure that we are meeting our dietary needs?

Dhana:  This is definitely a common issue.  Many clients that I have worked with expressed having challenges balancing life stressors and healthy eating.  As a result they fell into a habit of choosing fast foods, processed microwaveable meals or simply skipped meals altogether.  Neither of these options are healthy choices…so what can we do? 

This is where meal planning can help.  Meal planning is essentially planning out meals for days at a time. It is very simple and doing so provides several benefits including saving time and money, insurance that meals are nutrient balanced, and reducing the temptation to eat impulsively.  The bottom line though is, in order to save time in the long run we have to make time initially to plan, grocery shop and food prep.  Then we can dine knowing that we are putting healthy foods into our body.  

Now let’s get started.

Step #1: Create a list of foods that you typically eat.

• You can categorize foods based on the food groups if that is easy for you.

Grains	Proteins	Fruits	Vegetables	Dairy	Misc
Quinoa WG English muffins Brown rice pilaf Old fashioned oats	Eggs Turkey Chicken Almond butter Salmon	Berries Various fruit Raisins	Salad greens Kale Bokchoy Sweet potatoes	Almond milk Cheese String cheese	Dark chocolate

Step #2: Create the meal planner template.

• Most people like to plan for one week at a time.  In the example below, I created a meal plan for one day.

Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Snack
boiled egg oatmeal blueberries	almonds & raisins	grilled chicken salad tossed salad baked sweet potato	almond butter on apple	baked salmon quinoa kale salad	fruit salad

Step #3 Grocery Shopping

• Prepare your grocery list. Use the list that you created (step #1). It is already categorized and this will allow you to easily navigate the supermarket. 

Step #4 Food Prep

• Choose a day when you can prep/cook foods items such as meats, starches, or vegetables in large volume.
• Store prepped food items in pyrex dishes so they are readily available at meal time.
•  Appliances such as food processors, blenders, crock pots and steamers can be helpful.

Step #5 Dining

• Enjoy your meal without worry of time constraints.
• Meal prepping/cooking allows you to simply warm up your food and serve.

Try meal planning for one week and see how it works for you and

your family. 

Here are a few more tips to consider:

• Pack leftovers the night before to take to work.
• Share recipes with your friends.
• Try new foods so that meals don’t become stagnant.
• Include your family especially the children in this activity, it will teach them about the importance of healthy eating.

Bonappetit!

            Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health Coach.

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ARE YOU SIMPLE OR COMPLEX?

Dhana, on your last blog entry you wrote about carbohydrate requirements for different groups of people.  Can you give us more information about carbohydrates and the foods that provide them?

Thank you for your question!

   

What most people don’t realize is that carbohydrates are found in so many foods.  In fact many people I have worked with informed me that they followed a low carb diet. After reviewing their 24-hour diet recall and calculating their carbohydrate grams, they were surprised to learn that this was not the case.

Just as a car requires fuel for power, our body requires glucose for energy.  This energy comes primarily from carbohydrate-rich foods.   Carbohydrates are found in the following food groups: fruits, starchy vegetables and beans, milk and grains.  They are also found in condiments, beverages, and refined/processed foods.  

Another way to categorize this energy-yielding nutrient is based on how complex it is; simple sugar or complex carbohydrate.  Simple sugars are quickly and easily absorbed into the blood stream while complex carbohydrates require digestion to do so.  

SIMPLE:

• Fruit, milk and yogurt
• Refined products such as candy and other sweets,       condiments such as catsup and salad dressing 
• Sweeteners such as table sugar, honey and syrups
• Beverages such as soft drinks and juices

 COMPLEX:

• Whole grain bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta and cereal 
• Other grains that are not whole
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beans and peas
• 
  
  

The goal in choosing carbohydrates is to get the most bang for your buck so to speak.  In this regard, complex carbohydrates are the best choice.  They are rich in fiber, which will keep you feeling fuller longer and they are naturally full of vitamins and other beneficial nutrients for the body.  Honey, corn syrup, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup are just a few of the common sources of added sugar in processed and refined food products.  Often referred to as ‘bad’, because these empty calorie foods offer little nutrients, spike then drop our blood sugar levels and contribute to food cravings.  Other foods that can have this effect include white foods such as rice, bread, pasta and cereals.

Now there are times when simple carbohydrates are warranted, i.e., running a marathon or any other time you need quick energy for a short period of time.  If you simply enjoy your sweets just remember moderation is key.

So which one are you? Complex or simple? If you are not sure, keep a food journal to find out where you are and make changes as needed.

Quick Tips:

•  Be sure to read nutrition labels to help you identify hidden sources of sugars.
• Choose more plant-based healthy carbohydrates as part of your dietary program.  
• Be mindful of the total amount of carbohydrates you consume during the day.

 For more information about choosing healthy carbohydrates visit:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/

Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health Coach.

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