Do you ever struggle with what you are going to have for dinner? You go back and forth with your significant other saying “what do you feel like?” Only to hear, “I don’t know. What do you feel like?”
We have all been there. It gets frustrating and unfortunately, it sometimes leads us to making poor choices.
Here we are going to make sure that you have the knowledge and tools successfully meal plan so you no longer have to have the “I don’t know, what do you feel like” battle!
What Is Meal Planning
This is a very simple concept and you do it all the time, even if you don’t realize it. It simple means taking the time to decide what you are going to eat.
This can include meal planning for the week, where you choose what you are going to have for each meal.
It is also defined by definitions.net as, ” a type of plan you create for yourself or a family of what type of diet and food you will need and have at meal times so you can buy and plan effectively”.
You can go a bit more simple and pick what you are going to have for one meal.
Or you can go a step farther and plan out all of your snacks as well.
As long as you are determining what you are eating ahead of time, it’s meal planning!
For Weight Loss
Many people turn to meal planning for weight loss by meal planning for the week.
This can be a great help to you because it will help to ensure you are making healthier choices.
Let’s be honest. When you get home from a long day at work and have no idea what to eat, you end up searching through the cabinets and fridge looking for something. By the time you’re done searching, you settle on the easiest option. Which usually isn’t the healthiest option.
I don’t know about you, but I know I have been there many times before.
And that is where meal planning comes in. When you already know what you are going to be eating, it is easy to come home and make it. You aren’t wasting the time figuring out what to have.
You will be taking the time to make sure you are picking healthy meals.
Also, when meal planning for weight loss, you will likely already have the ingredients for your meal, or you will have bought them, so the odds of choosing a less healthy option are slim. Because who wants to waste what they paid for?
Those that are really looking to lose weight, meal plan for 1200 calories. 1200 calories is what is recommended to help shed the pounds.
This is way easier to do when you are planning ahead. That way you can be sure you are only getting the 1200 calories. This does require you to meal plan for all of your meals, but it can be very effective!
Weekly Meal Planning
I feel that if you are going to meal plan, doing it for a week at a time is the best way to do it.
There are plenty of people that like to only keep to planning one day at a time. I have tried this before and I think it is harder to do. You are always running to the store and you have to make time each day to plan for the next day.
You want something that is going to stick! Meal planning for the week is going to do that.
Pick a day each week where you are going to take some time to sit and decide what you will be eating. Then, make your grocery list and do your shopping.
Like I said before, if you have the ingredients already, you will be much more likely to stick to the meals you have planned.
There are some things I don’t get until the day we are going to have them, only because we like it to be fresh. This is usually any meat or lettuce/greens. We pick up other items for that meal, though so we make sure to stick with it.
I personally only plan my dinner meals, unless it is for the weekend. I do this because my husband and I eat leftovers for lunch at work during the week.
Now, if you do not make leftovers or end up without leftovers a lot, you might want to meal plan your lunches too.
Template
The easiest and most effective way to meal plan is to have a template.
If you go to my Printables page, you can get 2 different meal plan templates I have created for free. They are set up a little differently so you can choose which works best for you.
I highly recommend getting some sort of template.
I keep mine on my fridge so my husband and I know what we are having each day.
There is never a question what you are eating then. It also prepares you for what you will be having.
I have a co-worker whose husband isn’t really a fan of fish. He has to be in the mood for it. So when they decide to have it, she tells him a few days before so he can kind of get in the mood to have it.
This is a good trick if you have any picky people in your house.
And it will save you from your kids, or husband, asking what’s for dinner every day.
Try Healthy Weekly Meal Planning
If you aren’t much of a meal planner, I highly suggest giving it a shot!
Really what do you have to lose?!
You might find that you are more confident in your food choices and less stressed at having to figure out what to eat.
If you are looking to make your planned meals faster, Air Fryers and Instant Pots might be your new best friends.
And by using a meal planning template and decided what you are going to have ahead of time, you can also lose weight.
