Meal planning is one of the best ways to stick to a healthy diet. It might seem overwhelming at first, but you’ll be a pro in a few weeks if you stick with it. Below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to make a meal plan, a sample meal plan for one week, and the matching recipes and shopping list to go with it. The important thing to remember is that you should find a method that works best for you, one that is enjoyable and effective. The first thing you need to do is set aside a little time each week. You schedule in doctor’s appointments, meetings and the kid’s soccer games, so why not schedule in 30 minutes once a week for meal planning? You’ll be thanking yourself the rest of the week if you do, so throw it on the calendar!
GET INSPIRED
1.) Spend some time collecting recipes that you enjoy. Pinterest! Pinterest! Pinterest! If you don’t have a Pinterest account, I highly recommend getting one. There are countless recipes and it’s so easy to collect them all in one place on a “Healthy Recipes” board. You could also have separate boards for healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. It basically organizes itself! Browse other websites and blogs (eh hem, may I suggest this one?) for other recipes that appeal to you and your taste buds. Pull out your cookbooks, magazines or recipes cards that you haven’t looked at in awhile. You can also check cookbooks out from the library and make copies of your favorite recipes.
2.) Collect your recipes and save them in one place. Creating a “master list” will help speed up the meal planning process. Again, do what works for you. If Pinterest isn’t your thing, you could make a “Recipes” folder in your email account and keep t