Everybody eats. But not everybody chooses a healthy diet. Eating a lot does not necessarily mean that you're eating well, or that you're getting the nutrients you need.
Why Plan Ahead?
There are many advantages to planning your meals ahead of time:
- You'll save money by making better use of the food you buy. (And you'll find fewer mysterious moldy gray lumps in your refrigerator!)
- You can make sure that you get a variety of foods and nutrients. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you eat a wide variety of foods to gain optimum health.
- You can shop more effectively by buying those things that you need for specific meals you have already planned. You will also be less likely to impulsively buy something that looks or smells good as you pass the supermarket deli.
- You can balance a higher calorie lunch with a lower calorie supper.
- You can make sure you have carrots, celery, bananas, apples, and oranges on hand for snacking.
- You can plan to have foods from most of the food groups for most meals. Follow the recommendations of the USDA MyPyramid.
How Do I Make a Meal Plan?
Decide what you want or need. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to cut down on fat and saturated fat? Do you want a diet that gives you a lot of energy for sports and other activities?
Whatever your goals are, you will want a balanced diet – one that contains all the nutrients you need for good health. You can control calories by choosing smaller serving sizes or by reducing high-calorie food choices.
- Make a list of all the foods you like. Start your menu planning with foods from your list that fit into each food group: grains (whole-wheat bread, rice, pasta), fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, and legumes. If the foods you like best are high-fat and high-calorie, you can cut down on them. But you don't have to eliminate them altogether. Try one new food each week. You might even like it.
- Your plan doesn't have to be written in stone. You can plan three or four different breakfasts, for example, and just rotate them or decide the night before. Just make sure you have everything you need.
- Always start the day with a good breakfast. Oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, whole-grain waffles, or low-fat granola and yogurt would be a good start. Add juice, toast, and some fresh fruit and you will make it through the morning in good shape. It doesn't have to take a long time to prepare breakfast. Oatmeal cooks in a minute or two in the microwave. Waffles can be made in bulk and frozen. Then just pop one or two squares in the toaster.
- Lunch should be big enough to get you through the long afternoon. Soup and sandwiches are quick and easy. A green salad, with lots of assorted vegetables, can be prepared the night before and refrigerated (be sure to use low-fat dressing). Fat-free yogurt and fruit take very little preparation time. If you go out for lunch, find the fast-food restaurant with the lowest fat and highest nutrition. Most restaurants will have nutritional information on the dishes they offer. But you might have to ask for the list. A restaurant with a salad bar might give you the best choices for a healthy eating-out lunch.
- A light supper is a good idea. In reality, however, most people eat their largest meal in the evening. Planning ahead can help you keep supper lighter. Steamed vegetables are nutritious, filling, and low in calories. After several helpings of vegetables you aren't quite so hungry for a sizzling sirloin. If you need it, though, a three-ounce serving of meat (hopefully not fried) will not add too much fat, cholesterol, or calories to your meal. Try not to eat anything after 8 p.m. Give your digestive system a rest until breakfast.
Write down a general meal plan for one week. Post it on your refrigerator. Be flexible. At the end of the week, evaluate your plan. Did you stick to it, more or less? Are you satisfied with the results? Did you save time and/or money? Are you willing to try it for another week? Do you need to make some adjustments in foods or amounts to make it work better for you?
It might take several weeks to get the hang of meal planning if you're not used to it. Don't give up. Your health and nutrition will improve when you plan and eat good tasting, low-fat, healthy meals on a regular basis. |
