ICYMI – March is National Nutrition Month®! This month-long nutrition education and information initiative sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics emphasizes the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
In Week One, we focused on eating a variety of nutritious foods every day. Now, we’re heading into Week Two, which is all about weekly meal planning.
Let’s dive in and get ready to crush it!
Why meal planning is the gateway to healthful eating
No matter how we slice it, we’re still only always going to get 24 hours out of any given day. With a bulk of that time spent sleeping and at work, we have to cram a whole lot of living in our waking hours. Some obligations are decided for us, which leaves us precious few hours to cook a decent meal.
Spending some time to plan your meals for the week, and even pre-cook some of the side dishes or ingredients, sets your healthful eating plan up for success by making it easier to quickly pull together a nutrition dinner.
Use a grocery list to shop for healthful foods
Gone are the days when I could waltz into a supermarket and remember everything that need replenishing in my refrigerator, cabinets or pantry. Now I need a list. If it’s not on the list it doesn’t get into the shopping cart.
You can use that same tactic to make a shift towards making more healthful food selections. Make a grocery list and stick to it; if it’s not on the list – don’t buy it. So aside from staples like, butter, eggs, milk and coffee, what healthful foods should and shouldn’t be on your grocery list? Consider your meal planning goals when making your list.
Add more fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables take a up the largest portion of the MyPlate approach to eating. Find what you like, and it to your grocery list.
If you’re shopping for fruits, look for those that are portable and easy to snack on like apples and bananas. Don’t be shy about just pulling two bananas off the bunch if that’s all you know you’re going to eat. Same for apples; don’t buy a bag if you can only see yourself eating one or two.
Admittedly, I was well into my 40s before I started buying more green vegetables for myself. I was into my 50s before I expanded my selection. Even now, aside from salad, the only green vegetables I’ll eat are broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, and believe it or not, brussels sprouts. Now I can make a whole meal out of roasted brussels sprouts – and that’s it! These vegetables now have a regular spot on my grocery list.
If the idea of fresh vegetables that you’re not used to eating turning grey and squishy in your produce drawer turns you off, frozen vegetables are a fantastic option. In some cases. frozen vegetables are much fresher than ‘fresh’ vegetables in the produce section. That’s because they are picked and flash frozen, often in the same day, whereas fresh vegetables have made a long trip across country to get to your grocery store.
Once you get your fresh goodies home, start chopping, slicing, dicing, cooking and storing. The more you prep your food to add to future meals or grab as a future snack, the more inclined you’ll be to whip up a quick meal or grab a quick, healthful snack.
Skip or swap the snacks
The goal of making our grocery list is to only get the things on our list. The easiest way to keep the chocolate chip cookies out of the cabinet or pantry is to not put them on your list in the first place.
If the thought of skipping out on snacks altogether seems cruel (and I get it!), look for other sweet snack substitutes that will work in place of your favorites. Two of my top go-to chocolate fix foods are sugar-free Jello pudding and hot chocolate. Each single serving size is chocolatey enough to satisfy a craving that can otherwise be omnivorous.
Be menu-savvy when dining out or ordering takeout
There are lots of reasons I end up grabbing take out or dining out at least 2 or more times per week: I’m exhausted from work and don’t feel like cooking, I’m hungry now, I didn’t take something out of the freezer to cook, or I don’t feel like cleaning up dinner dishes. And sometimes I’m just craving black bean from La Esperanza.
Regardless of your reason for dining out or grabbing take out, here are a few tips to keep in mind so you can still make healthful food choices.
Go grilled or steamed
When dining out, you have no control over how much oil or butter is used to prepare, bath or sauté your food. So, if you have the option, go for menu choices that are grilled or steamed. Now steamed chicken sounds gross, but steamed shrimp sounds simply divine.
Skip the fried foods
Choosing fish is a great dinner option; after all, some fish is high in heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. However, fried food – not so much.
Any kind of fried food should be avoided, or severely limited. This coming from the girl who think that french fries should be a major food group. Food high in saturated fat are more difficult to digest, and have been linked to heart disease.
Cut down on portion size
I typically do not cook pasta at home, mostly because processed carbs fill me up and I’d rather fill that space with vegetables. But dining out at my boyfriend’s favorite Italian restaurant is a treat we both enjoy.
The only thing I can think when plates of food are bought to our table is “pasta must be cheap!” A restaurant size serving of pasta can easily feed 4 people. And between the two of us, there’s enough for food for 3 more days.
When dining out, be conscious of distorted portion sizes. This is one time you do not have to clean your plate. Cut your serving size in half and ask for a to-go box right away. This is one of the easiest ways to get on the track of healthful eating.
Looking for more great tips? Download this FREE resource: Smart Tips for Reading Menus.
Choose healthful recipes to make during the week
With the exception of the summer months, I love spending Sunday’s cooking. Sometimes it’s preparing vegetables to have ready to eat side dishes during the week, preparing an instant pot meal for Sunday dinner, or main dishes in batches for freezing and reheating later. This is meal planning disguised as a relaxing activity!
When you’re short on time, planning your meals ahead is a great way to make sure you have healthy ingredients on hand that are pre-prepped and easy to cook quickly.
Take a favorite recipe and swap out some ingredients to make it healthier
My boyfriend loves my fettucine alfredo. What he doesn’t know is that I’ve never used heavy cream; I use ½ and ½. So, when he tried to surprise me and make it himself, he couldn’t understand why it wasn’t as good.
Making subtle ingredient swaps in your favorite recipes is a fantastic way to reduce calories without sacrificing flavor. Using plain non-fat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream is a go-to favorite of mine. Another is trying lower-fat food options. If you’re a baker and are feeling adventurous or experimental, try swapping black beans for flour!
Imagine my surprise when my boyfriend declared he liked the partial skim-milk string cheese variety over the whole milk kind!
Try a recipe from a web site using foods you have on hand
Once you get the hang of making healthy food swaps, you might find different ingredients making their way into your shopping cart. If that’s the case, change up your pantry staples then look to try a new recipe you saw on Pinterest or Facebook. I gotta admit, some of those Delish videos look super yummy!
Find different recipes for a store-bought rotisserie chicken
You cannot underestimate the versatility of a store-bought rotisserie chicken. If you’re short on time, a rotisserie chicken can yield several amazing meals.
The fettucine alfredo I mentioned above? Add in some shredded rotisserie chicken – BOOM – chicken fettucine alfredo in about 15 minutes. Plus, you’ve boosted your protein intake.
Host your own Taco Tuesday! Grab some taco shells, shredded cheese, tomato, lettuce and whatever else you want in your taco for dinner in less than 15 minutes.
Still have some left? Try a quick and easy chicken and rice dish. I’m betting you have some pantry staples on hand that can easily be used to whip up an amazing meal.
Looking for more insight on how to plan a great meal? Here’s another great FREE resource: Smart Tips for Successful Meals.
Fuel for school or work with a healthful breakfast
No other meal is as important as breakfast in terms of setting your day up for success. Breakfast provides your body with the nutrients and energy you and your brain need to get your day started.
Moreover, having breakfast keeps your body evenly fueled throughout the day. If you’re skipping breakfast, there’s an increased likelihood that when lunch rolls around, you’ll be ravenous to the point of making unhealthy food choices.
You can and should do the same meal planning for breakfast as you do for lunch and dinner. Here are some healthful breakfast options to try.
Whole grain cereal
Avoid sugar coated cereals if you can, and look for whole grain options instead. Whole grain cereals, such as Raison Bran, Cheerios, or even Mini-Wheats contain fiber. Fiber fills you up and aids in removing cholesterol from the body.
If you’re looking for a hot cereal to warm you up in the winter, try oatmeal, cream of wheat, or steep cut oats. Steel cut oats take longer to cook, but have a delicious nutty texture.
Pre-made eggs
Yes. You CAN reheat eggs. One of the meals I make for the week on those Sunday cooking marathons is scrambled eggs and eggs white, spinach and feta cheese cooked in the microwave in ceramic ramekins. They reheat well in the same container in less than a minute. You can add any mix-ins you like such as chopped broccoli, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped mushrooms and turkey sausage crumbles.
Fruit and yogurt
A piece of fruit and a cup of yogurt are great on the go options. The protein from the yogurt will fill you up and the natural sugar from the fruit will power you through until lunch. What’s more is that many convenience stores carry both, so you can skip the processed sugary bakery muffin and save some calories with these more healthful food choices.
Find some more great breakfast ideas here in this FREE download: Smart Tips to Power Up with Breakfast.
Enjoy healthful snacks
What comes to mind when you think of “snacks”? Often times its potato chips, pretzels, corn chips – typically something that’s salty and crunchy.
Instead of making those your go-to snacking options, try getting your crunch from these other healthful snacks. Plan ahead and pack some up as part of your weekly meal planning and prepping.
Carrots
Okay, I admit it. A carrot stick will never take the place of a salty crunchy potato chip. But if you pair if with some spicy hummus, you get a different kind of crunch and nice bite from the hummus. Plus, they don’t leave your finger all greasy, and you’ve added to your daily vegetable tally without even knowing it!
Apple slices
I wish I wasn’t allergic to apples, but I am. They make my mouth and throat itch. But I love a great Fuji apple. In fact, before the time I wasn’t allergic this fiber filled low-cal food, I’d get one of at least three different varieties at the grocery store. Maybe a Fuji, Pink Lady or Macintosh. Sliced up and sprinkled with a little lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, I’d fill up a zip lock bag and snack during my commute or during conference calls at work.
Whole grain crackers
Who eats plain crackers?! This girl. Triscuit whole grain crackers now come in a wide variety of flavors such that I don’t even need to top them with anything. Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil and Roasted Garlic are by far my favorite. If you can’t stomach the idea of choking down a dry cracker, try topping them some flavored cream cheese. Smoked salmon is what I’m currently working on, and I can make a full meal out of just whole grain crackers and cream cheese.
Looking for more tips on smart snacking? Here’s a fantastic FREE resource: Smart Snacking Tips for Adults and Teens.
Final Words
Meal planning is a great way to take control of your eating habits and stepping on the path of healthful eating.
Do you want to know more about National Nutrition Month®? Check out a Twitter chat scheduled for Wednesday, March 17 @ 1:00PM, hosted by @foodnutrimag using #NNMchat.
In my personal quest to eat more healthfully, I’m studying for my Precision Nutrition L1 Nutrition Coach certification. So, if you’re looking for more personalized advice on how you can make the most of National Nutrition Month®, send me an email! I’d love to chat with you and help you meet your goals: Jamy@fit50andfabulous.com.