Weekly Game Plan: Mealtime Made Easy

By: SaRene Brooks

Mealtime does not need to be stressful or chaotic. With a little planning and preparation, you can make things simpler, taking the hassle and mental exhaustion out of cooking. This leaves more time to enjoy a homemade, nutritious meal.

With easy access to premade food, take-out and home delivery, it is becoming popular to shy away from home-cooked meals. However, nothing can replace delicious food made right in your kitchen. It does not need to be fancy to be good. I always say, “the simpler…the better”! This especially applies to homecooked meals. By making food from scratch, it allows you to choose nutritious ingredients, healthy cooking methods while including the food you love the most.

Here are some steps to follow to take the work and stress out of the day-to-day rigors of creating home-cooked meals:

1.     Make a menu

A menu is the foundation for success.  This allows creativity and food personalization while tailoring meal choices based on fluctuating daily schedules. This menu will be the guide throughout the process of planning, shopping, prepping and cooking.

You can start by making a list of your favorite foods, something you have been craving, or a dish you have been wanting to try. If you are planning meals for a family, roommates, etc. ask them for input.

Next, make a list of the days in the upcoming week that you plan to cook a meal. From here you can start plugging in meals for certain days taking into account your daily schedule.

Meals should include a balance of protein, carbs and plenty of produce.

Use the plate method as your guide:

¼ of your plate carbohydrates

¼ of your plate protein

½ of your plate fruit and veggies

This will help with calorie control and provide lots of important nutrients.

For fruit and veggie intake, aim to have 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables.

 1 serving = 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked

Also, consider a variety of cooking methods.

These may include:

·         Grilling

·         Baking

·         Roasting

·         Slow cook in crock pot

·         Fast cook in instant pot

·         Put in the smoker

You may want to make a little extra so you will have leftovers for lunch the following day or even serve it again for dinner later in the week. Some meals are easy to convert into something completely different. Some examples are:

·         Make fried rice from leftover ham

·         Shred chicken to make burritos

·         Slice up the leftover roast for delicious French dip sandwiches

This can all be incorporated as you plan your weekly meals.

Be sure to include snacks in your menu planning. Having something to eat between meals can prevent over eating at mealtime or mindless snacking while preparing dinner. For snacks, plan to eat a protein paired with a carbohydrate. The protein will help you stay full longer and the carbohydrate provides an easy energy source. Aim for snack of ~150 calories. This can be personalized to fit your individual needs.

2.     Create a shopping list

Here is where you will break your menu items into ingredients. Make a list of specific things you need in order to create your meals and snacks.

Consider the following:

·         What you have on-hand

·         Any items that are on sale

·         Fresh ingredients that are in-season

Go through each day individually. Be sure to include quantity so you purchase the correct amount.

3.     Shop smart

Do your best to stick to your list. This will help limit the number of treats and snacks you will mindlessly purchase. It will also save time and money if you go through the store with a purpose in mind.

Take time to read the label. Look for the following:

• The word “whole” on the label or ingredients list indicates it is made from a whole grain. Select bread and crackers made from whole grains.

• Partially hydrogenated = small amount of trans fat. Some are naturally occurring in food such as dairy, meat, eggs and oils. Others are formed during the process of frying oil at high temperatures.

• Added sugar: 4 grams = 1 teaspoon.

4.     Prep ahead

Once you arrive home from grocery shopping, take time to prep food ahead when possible. It saves time in the long-tun to have ingredients ready-to-go when they are needed.

Some ideas are:

• Rinse and tear lettuce for green salad

• Rinse and cut veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower

• Cook meat ahead

• Portion out snack into individual serving sizes

5.     Enjoy!

Now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. Often the stress of cooking a delicious homemade meal comes from lack of planning. It causes mental fatigue of having to come up with a meal idea each day. This often leads to extra trips to the grocery store for one or two items….which often multiplies as you wander the store with no shopping list.

Each evening you can look at your menu for the next day. This will allow you to do things such as gather ingredients, thaw meat etc. You can formulate a meal prep schedule for things that need to be done ahead such as when using a crock pot or smoker. If you are cooking for more than just yourself, enlist the help of those who plan to enjoy the meal with you.

As you make your plate be aware of portion sizes. There is something very empowering in finishing a meal and not being over-full. Pay attention to your fullness cues, stop when you’re are comfortably full and save the rest for later. It is a mindful habit that can serve you well. Practice it at home so you can be ready to try it out at social events and restaurants.

Before you clean up dinner, take time to make containers or plates for lunch the next day. Then things will be ready to go without having to take all the food out again.

Take-aways

Make menu planning a part of your weekly routine. It takes the mental stress of daily meal prep and provides an opportunity to plan nutritious and delicious meals. Be sure to shop smart and prep any food items ahead when possible

Then ENJOY your amazing meals homemade meals!

SaRene Brooks is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). She is a mom of 3 boys who are now married which added 3 girls to her family. 2 of her sons live with type 1 diabetes (T1D). She specializes in helping families who are impacted by type 1 to adjust and make it a part of their everyday life, while enjoying the things they love.

She is the wife of an avid outdoorsman and loves spending time with him in the mountains. She is a grandma, creative cook, educator and loves to help individuals and families meet their health and nutrition goals.