Five Tips to Fall Back into Meal Planning
Summer is a wonder, but Fall is just around the corner - signaling change in routine.
Whether you’re gearing up for work mode or back-to-school, the pressure to “get back" on track” with meal planning looms over many of us.
Rest assured that developing new routines that suit this season of your life is achievable with small steps.
Here are five tips to help you navigate healthy routines and meal planning this Fall.
Focus on food variety instead of nutrients.
There are dozens of nutrients to account for, which can be overwhelming when we try “fit it all” into our daily intake. We can easily get stuck into counting mode until we finally burn out. When planning meals, rather than fixating on individual nutrients, shift your focus towards food variety. Food is a beautiful thing - filled with emotion, meaning, satisfaction - and each food contains more than one essential nutrient. In other words, food is more than the sum of its parts. During mealtimes, think, “How can I add more colour and/or variety to this plate?” That will automatically up the nutritional value of your overall meal.
(Want more direction on building balanced meals? Check out How to Build Balanced Meals for Balanced Hormones).
Create a non-negotiable time for grocery shopping.
Routines are built on consistency, not motivation. It may be helpful to create a (somewhat) non-negotiable time for grocery shopping. Input it into your calendar and honour that time, to the best that you can - think of it like care for your present and future self. Create a list of “family favourite” ingredients (remember: variety), stick to the list, and you’ll be set for the week.
Stop and chop.
I’ve certainly been stuck looking into a fridge full of rotten vegetables at the end of the week (looking at you, lettuce head). Can you relate?
We start the week with great intentions but life gets in the way. Lighten the load for “future you” by “stopping and chopping.” After your grocery shop, take a few minutes to wash and chop your produce before storing food away. You’re already committing time to buying groceries, why not add another 10 minutes to wash and prep? Easy grab-and-go to add to meals and snacks.
Pro tip: You may find that storing them in a transparent container at eye-level in the fridge can encourage more intake. In sight, in mind, as the say.
Prep food ingredients, not meals.
Meal prep is not about pre-portioned chicken/rice/broccoli every day. I’m all about finding the joy in flexible eating. Rather than pressuring yourself to meal prep intensively, simply prepare food ingredients - marinate the chicken and tofu, cook a large batch of rice, wash and chop vegetables and fruit, hard boil a batch of eggs, make a large bean salads. This is the foundation for your weeknight meals.
Come dinner time, you can still intuitively choose what you’d like to eat. Simply mix and match these pre-prepped ingredients and serve yourself, or your family, buffet-style. You can add your own flavours with sauces, herbs, flavourings, dips.
Think of it this way - 3 proteins x 3 starches x 6 vegetables = 54 meal combinations!Be gentle with yourself.
Remember, no one has the perfect routine. Think of your health journey as an evolving, fluid, process. There is no start or end time. If you find that you’re entering a season of life where you’re unable to “do it all”, that’s okay. Life and our eating habits ebb and flow. Meet yourself where you’re at, and start slow.
Hi! I’m Trista
A Registered Dietitian and reproductive health expert. I’m here to help you gain confidence to overcome your Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and digestive health woes, while bettering your relationship with food.
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