Meal Planning is a Healthy Habit

When you’re trying to create new habits that will help you live a happier, healthier life, food choices are the number one barrier. That’s where meal planning comes to the rescue. I’m Wendy Corr, and in today’s Wellness Tip, I’m going to give you the step by step instructions that will free up time, make for easy food decisions, and help keep you on track!

When someone mentions meal planning, there are often grumblings from people who think that they just don’t have the time to plan. But I say, you can’t afford NOT to meal plan! When you meal plan, you’re lowering your grocery bill because you’re only purchasing food that you will eat that week; you’re freeing up time during the week when time is short; and you’re making healthy choices that will keep your energy up and your mind clear throughout the week.

So, how do you start? First, you grab a meal planning sheet with the days of the week on it. Then, look at your weekly schedule- what’s going on this week? Do you have to work late,  do you have plans for dinner with friends? You then mark the days that meals will be difficult with a small “X” in the corner.

Write down 2 or 3 options for breakfast and lunch, like smoothies or eggs for breakfast, and salads or wraps for lunches. Plan mostly for dinners. Then you choose easy dinners, by browsing pinterest, or surfing the web using the key words easy clean meals.

On a separate sheet of paper, start making a grocery list of items that you would need to create those meals.

When the week is extremely hectic, consider planning for meals that only have three or four ingredients – like pre-cooked chicken breasts, spinach and sweet potatoes. Microwave the potatoes for five minutes, and you have a simple, healthy meal.

Stir fries are super convenient. Get a bag of frozen veggies – making sure that there aren’t added seasonings or sauces in the bag – and toss it in a skillet with some chicken or thinly sliced steak. Add some seasonings, and you have dinner on the table in 15 minutes.

Your crock pot can be your best friend. If you pre-chop veggies and meat on the weekend, put all the ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and put it in the freezer, you can take the bag out in the morning, put everything in the crock pot, and by dinner time the only thing you have to prepare is your appetite!

Thanks for tuning in to Wellness with Wendy! I love sharing tips and tricks to help you live your best life – so for more health and wellness news and advice, follow my blog on mybighornbasin.com. See you again next time for Wellness with Wendy!