We all have to eat, and while many of us would be happy to just consume our favorite meals and snacks all the time, it’s essential to keep nutrition in mind.
That crispy fried chicken may be delicious, but as you’ve probably heard, you need to get some veggies on that plate. But preparing nutritional meals is about more than just adding green beans or yellow squash instead of french fries or mac-and-cheese. You need balance, and with busy work days, helping the kids with homework, and just the tasks of daily life, it can be tricky to put together a proper menu.
If you’re not using a meal prep delivery service and want to ensure that your meals are as nutritional as possible, check out the tips we’ve put together.
Create a Weekly or Monthly Meal Plan
Using a weekly or monthly meal plan can be a game-changer for your nutrition and stress levels. Start by determining how many meals you’ll need for the week or month, and be sure to include breakfast, lunch, and snacks, as well as things like organic baby food for the little one.
Next, brainstorm a list of meals and ensure that they contain a balance of proteins, carbs, and vegetables. As a pro tip, diversify the types of cuisine you choose to avoid getting bored with the same dishes.
Now that you have your list, it’s time to create a grocery list based on the ingredients you’ll need. This not only ensures you have everything on hand when you need it, but it also prevents unnecessary purchases like that unicorn syrup you know you don’t really need. To make this process even easier, you can use shopping list apps like Anylist.
Finalize your plan by dedicating specific days for meal preparation. This could be a weekend day for weekly plans or a day each week for monthly plans. Cooking in bulk and freezing meals in a meal prep kit can save you valuable time during the week, and it makes sticking to your meal plan much easier. Lastly, be flexible. Life happens, so it’s fine to switch meals around or substitute as necessary.
Refine Your Cooking Techniques
The way you cook your meals can greatly impact the nutritional value of your food. Different cooking methods can either preserve or reduce the nutrient content of your meals.
Steaming is one of the most effective methods for preserving nutrients, as it avoids the leaching of water-soluble vitamins into the cooking water that occurs with boiling. Utilizing the microwave for cooking can also preserve nutrients due to the short cooking times.
Grilling or broiling food allows fat to drip away from the food, reducing calorie content without sacrificing flavor. Using a wok for stir-frying or sautéing can be a healthy cooking method if you use minimal oil or a healthy fat, like olive oil.
Finally, raw food consumption, especially for fruits and vegetables, guarantees no nutrient loss at all. However, do remember that some foods, like tomatoes and carrots, actually increase in nutritional value when cooked.
Common Pitfalls in Meal Planning and How to Avoid Them
One common pitfall in meal planning is setting unrealistic expectations. It’s easy to get carried away with intricate recipes for artisanal foods from cookbooks or social media, imagining yourself whipping up gourmet dishes every night. However, considering the constraints of a regular weekday, such ambitious plans often result in meal planning failure.
Complex meals with multiple steps and ingredients can be time-consuming and impractical. As a consequence, you may end up defaulting to takeout or less healthy, convenient food options. To avoid this pitfall, plan for simplicity on weekdays. Choose recipes that require minimal ingredients and steps. Utilize time-saving kitchen tools like slow cookers or pressure cookers, which allow for “set it and forget it” cooking.
Preparing nutritional meals doesn’t have to be a time-consuming task you have to complete every day. Using the things you’ve learned today on how to be more organized in this endeavor can go a long way to ensuring that you and your family eat better from now on.
