Have you ever asked yourself why don’t you eat well 100% of the time?
Is it because it costs you more?
Or because it requires more time preparing?
Or do you just not know how?
Maybe you think that changing how you eat might be stressful because certain family members may not approve?
How about if I told you that with one simple plan you can actually save money, reclaim your weeknights, become the hero in the kitchen and reinstate your sanity when everyone’s asking you “what’s for dinner?”.
A meal plan is an outline of the food you intent to eat for the coming week. As with many people, you probably have goals in mind that you’d like to achieve in 2016. But without a plan, your goals won’t get much closer to reality than they are right now.
By taking the time to plan as little as just your evening meals, you can cut your food bill dramatically. How?
Firstly, an alarming statistic released recently states that 40-50% of the food produced in the world is wasted. It is not unusual for families to throw out meals after a few days being left in the fridge, meat that has gone bad or wilted vegetables that have not been used in time. Planning your meals makes every bit of food accountable, meaning no food wastage!
The other way that planning your meals saves you money is by preventing those mid week top-up shops that may add $50+ to your weekly total spend on food. Buying bulk at the start of the week or month is a sure way to keep your spend down. I’ve got some very handy tips and recipes that will help you stretch your dollar further too.
View/Download some wholefood meal suggestions here
Imagine spending a maximum of 30mins in the kitchen each night. Believe it’s not possible? The way I help you plan your meals includes a small amount of preparation on a Sunday; “2 Hours of Power”. This involves making components of meals to drastically reduce your time in the kitchen during the week. Another key focus to my meal planning is saving you time by utilising components of meals (roast veggies, grains, beans) for lunch or dinner the next day. A great way to save you time before work in the mornings!
Finally, don’t believe me that investing time in making a meal plan will save you stress? I encourage you to share meal planning with your kids/ partner/ housemates in a relaxed environment, so that it gives everyone in the house ownership over what’s served, and gives them a connection to each meal. Serving their favourite meals, revamped a little, is a great idea. Butter chicken with cauliflower rice, lasagne with veggie pasta and dairy free béchamel sauce, or gluten free chicken nuggets fried in macadamia oil. Also knowing what’s for dinner each night will save you from spending time thinking or worrying about it.
It’s in the plan, pre prepared. No more thought needed.
As they say with business, you’ve got to spend money to make money. Similarly, with food, if you spend time planning and preparing, you are rewarded by saving money, time and stress during the busiest periods of the week.
Vicky is a Wholefood Chef and Food Coach who consults to Byron Bay Detox Retreat. Vicky has been working in the health and wellness industry for 10 years, and has found Food Coaching to be particularly beneficial to clients wanting lasting change. Vicky teaches clients how to simplify food, eat right for your body, how to prepare food for optimal health, and how to use food as medicine.