Now that we have read and learned about the importance of Meal Planning and its various benefits (starting from, but not limited to our health), let us see how we can get started with it!
Tips to get started with Meal Planning:
1. Start small when you plan your meals
While there is nothing wrong with being ambitious, in this case, we will advise you to start with smaller steps. Consider beginning to plan your meals for a maximum of 3-4 days initially.
As you get comfortable with the idea and process, you can begin planning for a longer duration.
2. Have specific days for Planning & Shopping
It is a good idea to do this task once/twice a week, maybe on weekend/off days.).
And, this is not cast in stone but having designated days makes it easy to be consistent and making this into a routine.
3. Familiar First in case of Meal Planning
Initially, it is advisable to include meals that one is familiar with and can make without too much investment of time and effort.
Let the initial investment be in the effort of making a meal plan consistently.
This will enable one to ease into the planning mode before one embarks on including a variety in the menu.
4. Estimate Available Time & Pre-occupations
When one sits down to make the meal plan, it really helps to know how busy one is going to be in the coming days.
Is one expecting guests, planning to go out, catering for any special occasion, busy with professional commitments, etc?
Armed with this knowledge, one can plan meals accordingly.
5. Choices & Preferences in Meal Planning
Before you start planning your meals for the coming days, check with the family members what food they are craving for and would like to be included in the meal plan in the coming days.
Once the family suggests something it becomes easy to include it in the meal plan and you will have those many meals less to think about.
6. Special Requirements in Meal Planning
For making a meal plan, first, create the meal plan with all the special diet requirements and then go back to each meal and include the general meals for everyone else.
This way, you will be able to cater to special diets for those who need them and regular meals for others easily.
7. Prep and be prepared
When you start planning your meals, you can look for meals, which will benefit from a common prep.
You can freeze, prepared masalas for sabzis, daal, and other dishes together and use them as per requirement.
One can prepare batter for Idlis and have it in more than one meal. You may also make Dosas, Uttapams, etc from the same batter with minor adjustments.
You can get vegetables chopped and stored in the fridge and use them when required.
8. Plan for Leftovers (Economise your effort)
You can make a bigger batch of the family’s favorite meal and serve it another time. You will thus save on your time, effort, and resources.
Also, having leftovers in your next meal will prevent food waste.
8. Be Flexible in Meal Planning
So, you have a Meal Plan ready but don’t let that hold you back.
If you don’t like cooking, go out and dine. Save meal plan for another day!
Meal Planning is very enabling!
Do give it a try.
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