Whether you want to lose weight or just be healthier in general, meal planning is a worthwhile endeavor with lots of benefits. However, it can be easier said than done especially for busy adults, because of the time and energy it takes to meal plan. Fortunately, there are ways to incorporate meal planning into your routine, even with a busy schedule.
The benefits of meal planning
Simply put, meal planning is the practice of planning out your meals in advance, usually for a period of a few days.1
A good meal plan should take into account your personal needs, including nutritional needs, the time you have for preparing meals, and the ingredients you have available.2
Although this comes with an initial time investment, consistently planning your meals can actually save you time,1 while improving the quality of your meals. So while taking the time to meal plan can seem difficult, it is actually ideal for people with busy schedules.
Furthermore, because meals are planned, you can make better use of the ingredients you have on hand, reducing waste and saving money.2
It is easier to incorporate healthier food choices into your daily diet. Studies have shown that this leads to a healthier diet and less obesity.1
Tips on starting meal planning2
The first step to structuring a meal plan is taking an inventory of the ingredients that you have on hand. This reduces trips to the grocery, saving you time and money.
Once you have taken an inventory, you can take a “first in, first out” approach to using ingredients, where you always prioritize using ingredients you already have over newly bought ingredients to prevent food from expiring.
Next, review your weekly timetable to realistically determine the amount of time you will have to prepare your meals. This allows you to build your meals around your day-to-day activities, making it easier to adhere to meal planning. This promote consistency and encourages making meal planning a recurring habit.
Finally, after taking inventory of what you have on hand – both in terms of ingredients and time – you may now create a list of meals for the week ahead. Using this list, you can also create a grocery list that will allow you to complete the ingredients you will need for the next few days.
It is helpful to keep in mind that keeping your meals simple may be the best way to effective meal planning. Also be sure to account for unique dietary restrictions and individualized nutritional needs to ensure additional health benefits.
Conclusion:
Meal planning may seem daunting at first. However, remember that meal planning is a skill that needs learning. While you may have a hard time with it at first, you can improve with enough consistency and repetition.
Keep it simple at first and set realistic goals and expectations to help you incorporate meal planning into your regular schedule. Over time, you will see that meal planning can be fun and you can experience the economic benefits that come with it.
References:1. Ducrot P, et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14:12. 2. D’Ambrosio, Andrea. “What is Meal Planning (and 3 Tips to Get Started!). What is Meal Planning? How to Get Started | Get Cracking. Accessed 23 July 2023
