(Photography: Craig Wall, © Aremedia)
Get on top of your dinnertime game by learning to meal prep like a pro. Creating a meal plan will help you eat healthy, save money, and enjoy your meals—stress-free. When life gets busy, it’s important to get dinner on the table – quickly! We’ve all been there—6 o’clock rolls around and instead of placing the finishing touches on a delicious, homemade meal, we rush to the nearest restaurant to grab a last-minute (and often unhealthy) bite. If this sounds all too familiar, meal planning might just be your new favourite thing!
From saving money to achieving a healthier lifestyle, meal planning offers a variety of benefits and can help you make the most of dinnertime with your family. The Heart Foundation’s Health Strategy Director, Julie Anne Mitchell, says one of the best ways to stay healthy and support your immunity is eating the right mix of foods over the days, weeks and months ahead. “Meal planning can minimize food wastage and help reduce cost. It’s also a great time to audit your freezer or pantry to use any foods you already have before they go out of date,” says Julie.
“We’re encouraging Aussies to adopt a heart healthy eating pattern by filling their plates with a good mix of veggies, fruits and whole grains, together with some healthy proteins like fish, legumes, or smaller amounts of lean chicken or eggs. If you’re choosing red meat, make it lean and have less than 350 grams a week.”
What is meal preparation?
It’s no secret that meal planning can be beneficial, but what exactly is it? Simply put, meal planning is designating the time to plan out meals in advance—grocery list and all. Start with a weekly schedule—just enough time for you to benefit from your planning, yet short enough that you have the freedom to adjust your plan.
5 meal prep tips for a healthier you
1. Prepare ahead
When meal planning, consider all the factors that go into making dinner, especially your family’s wants and needs.
How much time do you have for dinner prep each day? Does your family have any unique dietary needs? Do you have a lifestyle goal that you’d like to try, such as going vegan or paleo?
Using a simple weekly planner, list out what dinners you would like each night of the week. Remember: Be realistic. Choose nutritious meals, but make sure they are dishes your family will actually eat. Incorporating tried-and-true recipes with new, adventurous ones in your plan can help spice things up and avoid falling into a dinner rut.
When you’ve decided on your recipes, make a grocery list of necessary ingredients. This list should be your shopping guide; buy only what’s on the list to limit impulse purchases.
Fun fact: On average, people spend up to 40 percent more when they shop without a grocery list, making this step essential if saving money is your goal. Not only will your wallet thank you, but so will the environment. Buying just the necessities can help reduce food waste—like that forgotten lettuce that’s been in the fridge drawer a few days too many.
2. Mix fresh, canned or frozen food
With meal prep, it’s all about working with what you’ve got and making it last, so sometimes resorting to frozen or canned goods is a great option. Frozen veggies and canned vegetables, beans or fruit have an extra-long shelf life. If you opt for canned goods, make sure they have “no added salt”, “low-salt” or “reduced-salt” on the label, and choose fruit canned in juice rather than syrup.
If you’re someone who favours fresh produce, get yourself excited to cook by harvesting your own vegetables or fruits from your local picking farms. You can also visit a farmers market or start your own veggie patch in the garden if you have a green thumb.
The secret to becoming a meal planning pro is taking full advantage of your ingredients. Schedule recipes that have overlapping items, so you can buy in bulk without worrying about wasting unused portions. The key to mastering this meal-planning trick is finding recipes that are unique enough to keep you from getting bored, despite their similar elements.
Tip!
3. Choose heart-healthy proteins over red meats
Heart-healthy proteins such as fish or seafood are an excellent source of omega-3s, which our bodies need but cannot produce. If you can’t get fresh fish, choose canned salmon or tuna in spring water rather than salty brine. Lean chicken or eggs are also heart-healthy proteins, but only choose lean red meat and limit it to 1-3 meals a week for a well-balanced diet.
4. Set routine mealtimes
Everyone gets peckish throughout the day, and snacking is bound to happen. But try to avoid this by setting routine meal times so your body is trained to know when it’s time for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you do snack, go for healthy options, such as a handful of unsalted nuts, a cup of veggie sticks, or a small plate of fruit to curb afternoon sugar cravings.
5. Brush up your home cooking skills and get inspired
There’s nothing better than a homecooked meal made from love. In your downtime, watch some videos and discover new recipes that you’d love to try creating yourself. Or, you can upskill in areas of cooking you’re already confident in to perfect that sourdough or medium-rare steak.
What do you need to meal prep?
01
Magnetic meal planner and shopping list
$29.95, Mikki & Me
This easy-to-use meal planner and shopping list is magnetic, meaning you can stick it right on the fridge door and refer to it throughout the week. One reviewer says “Can’t imagine my kitchen without it now. This planner has streamlined my meal planning process and reduced stress.”
02
Decor Go Bento Triplesplit Lunch Box
$11.91, Amazon
There are so many different options for containers on the market that are perfect for meal prepping. The trick is having a container with dividers so you can separate components of your lunch and dinner, or have an option to add extra healthy snacks.
03
ALINK 4 Pack Overnight Oats Containers
$25.00, Amazon
You can meal prep overnight oats with this stylish container that has a spot for your spoon, too. Breakfast doesn’t need to be rushed any longer, and it’ll be kept fresh, and leak-proof – so no more nasty food spills in your bag!
04
Magnetic Weekly Meal Planner
$16.99, Amazon
Stay organised with this easy meal planner which you can keep on your fridge. Plan, tear and shop with the included grocery list so trips to the store will be deliberate and planned out, no more wasting your money on unnecessary items!
