Let’s break the common misconceptions when it comes to diet. More often than not, people tend to skip meals thinking that this is necessary to maintain their diet. On the contrary, you don’t have to restrict yourself from eating delicious healthy meals. You don’t even need to break the bank. Eating healthy can be delicious and budget-friendly.
Although most days I am cooking for one, I still like to plan my meals. It keeps me on budget and I am able to maintain my health goals. So, today I am sharing my tips and tricks on eating clean and meal planning.
Know the Essential Nutrients you Need
Make a list of nutrients you need such as proteins, carbs, healthy fats and if you have certain minerals and vitamins you need more of, add those. This way, you can determine the right food you need to buy for the week. Find or design recipes to meet nutrition needs on a budget. Half your plate should consist of vegetables. Staying on budget is simple when you incorporate veggies at each meal and it’s highly nutritional.
If you don’t know what your nutritional needs are, envision your plate to consist of 50% vegetables (hot, cold or both), 30% protein and 20% carbs (this could be something like a sweet potato or brown rice) or make an appointment for a free consult and we can find your nutritional needs together.
Search Recipes that Contain the Nutrients
Nowadays, it is effortless to look for a particular recipe to help you with your meal planning. Food blogs and cooking videos can help you look for the meal. They give endless ideas of what to cook on a rotational basis. They are useful especially if you don’t have a particular dish in mind.
Ensure you choose a recipe that contains the nutrients you have allocated in the previous step.
Customize Your Recipes
You can also customize some of the ingredients, so the flavor of your food suits your taste. If you can only eat certain select foods, changing and substituting for some of the ingredients in the recipe allows you to still enjoy your meal.
If you have kids at home, you can mix and match the elements you know they’ll enjoy. This is when I love buying in bulk, especially meat; even better if on sale. Freeze what is not included in that week’s plan.
Make a Shopping List from the Recipes on your List
To make a budget-friendly shopping list, check if the fruits and vegetables on your list are in season because they are typically cheaper compared to those that are not. Also, check if some of the ingredients are on sale. I have to adjust my menu and recipes due to what is in season.
Though certain organic fruits and vegetables are sometimes rare to find, never miss buying them if you have a chance. They’re cleaner to eat since they are grown naturally without the use of pesticides.
Make sure you only buy enough foods based on the serving size of your recipes. Or, you can buy in bulk and freeze the rest if at all possible.
Store Foods Properly
Ensure that you store your groceries correctly to ensure the foods stay fresh until you use them. Proper storage is critical, especially for fruits and vegetables. Make sure you put them in a clean container (I prefer glass) before placing them in the fridge. Also, remember to keep your freezer at the right temperature so the foods in it will not lose their freshness, flavor, and nutrients.
Now that you have these tips, does your calendar have free time so you can make some healthy meals? I also make time on Friday mornings to plan my menu because the farmer’s market in my town is on Saturday morning.
Stick to your plan so you can enjoy the benefits of eating healthy. Your body will LOVE you for it!
To Your Health,
Patti
P.S. If you’d like some help in regards to finding what nutrients are best for you, make an appointment for a free 20 minute consult with me here!
