My husband called me “My Mad Food Scientist” today. I am amused. :) For the first time in a while I didn’t have a specific plan for lunch, which is odd. I recently inventoried our freezer and pantry, so I knew I had canned tomato soup, bacon bits, frozen peas, string cheese, and frozen tapioca cheesebread balls. (I usually have Brazi Bites brand of pao de queijo in my freezer. Gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, flavorful and amazing. I love Brazilian cheese bread!) So today’s lunch was cheesy-bacon tomato soup; I added peas to mine and baked some of the Brazi Bites to go along with the soup.
Uh, yum.
And since we are trying to limit how often we do carryout, it was a lovely feeling having something quick and moderately healthy to put together. Also I’m weirdly tired of frozen pizza, even though Udi’s makes one I can eat and enjoy.
I do typically have a plan. I plan menus, sometimes a week at a time, sometimes a month at a time. Recently, I did indeed take an inventory of everything in our freezers (we are lucky and have a small chest freezer in addition to the fridge/freezer) and the dry/canned goods in my cupboards.
The first time I created a menu and went grocery shopping after doing my inventory, I was nearly giddy. I felt so organized! (AirTable is a wonderful tool. Yell if you want more info. Happy to share the organizing nerdiness!)
Meal prep can also be hugely beneficial! Cutting stuff up in advance helps you figure out not just how much you need but what you’re going to use it for. I cut up peppers & onions recently for totchos, and then used the remainder – already chopped – for breakfast hash. The peppers and onions ended up being in four meals, not just two, which was awesome.
Meal planning helps you manage your intake. Need help? There are lots of tools out there. Epicure has one, called the Epic Life Collection and one of my coaching tiers uses it.
How often do you find yourself thinking, “What’s for dinner? I can’t decide. I’m too tired to cook. I don’t want to cook. I’ll go to <insert restaurant name here.>” Whatever the reason may be, it happens. Maybe it’s been a really long day. Maybe you hate to cook. Maybe you have stuff in the cupboard and fridge, but you don’t want to be bothered.
Maybe planning ahead would have helped you ward off the “I’ll go to <insert restaurant name here.” ☺
I don’t always stick to the plan, which is fine, because even plans can change. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s truly impressive how we’ve reduced our tendency to go out to eat at the last minute. So how am I doing it? I sometimes print out a blank template that looks like a calendar, fill in the month and days, pencil in events I know about, and then start looking at cookbooks, or recipe cards, or recipes I’ve saved online. I found a wall calendar with columns of empty boxes; I can write down schedule items and I use one column for dinner plans, which has been awesome. I think about what might be going on that day; is it a weekday? I know my workload, so I know I won’t necessarily want to work on something that could take three hours to prepare. Maybe there’s a recipe I haven’t made for a long time, or a new-to-me healthy recipe I really want to try. (Maybe there’s a not-so-healthy recipe I really want to try!)
What are the benefits? I mentioned the grocery list and my inventory. Going to the grocery prepared with a list helps cut down on impulse buys. It also cuts down on going out to eat, which is both good for the pocketbook and the waistline. (I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find it’s much easier to indulge and overeat at a restaurant!) Having the menu also means I can plan on healthy meals and I know what I’ll be making, which takes away the stress of “What’s for dinner?” following a busy or stressful day.
How about you? Do you plan menus? Do you repeat favorite recipes, or try new things?
Menu planning! It’s good for you. ☺ (It can be fun, too!)
Cheers! Here’s to your health!