Something about Labor Day makes me want to find that rhythm of routine. Gone are the lazy, care-free days of summer (or not?). Schools are in session; white shoes are stored; we’re ready for a little structure.
Enter — MEAL PLANNING. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you’d like it to be. But I truly believe there are huge benefits to having a plan – especially when it comes to food!
- Decreases Dinner Time Stress
By the time dinner rolls around, I’m just about spent. The last thing I need to try to do when I’m tired and already hungry is decide what we’re having for dinner. Looks like Breakfast Night, again! Once I started meal planning, I realized my late afternoons went a lot smoother because I already knew what we were having for dinner (and most times, it’s already partially prepared because I do as much prep work as I can while the boys are eating either breakfast or lunch).
- Decreases Poor Impulsive Food Choices
If I’m in the kitchen during that 4:00-6:00 hour, frantically trying to scrape together a decent meal, I’m pretty much guaranteed to start eating junk. Looking in the pantry at my options – hmm… let’s have some chips while I think about it.
I used to think planning out every meal and snack was a bit overkill, but honestly, that’s what’s helped me the most. Knowing exactly what’s next on my plan – including snacks! – helps decrease any impulsive, emotional eating.
- Encourages Variety (and therefore Improves Nutrition)
Some people like to stick with a themed day of the week menu. (Meatless Mondays, Fish Fridays, etc.), but I love using my meal plan to ensure even more variety. I think it’s important to not eat the same foods all the time simply so that we can cover our bases in getting all of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.
- Makes Grocery Shopping More Efficient
When you know exactly what you’ll be eating for the next week, you can make your grocery list accordingly. Buying only what you need allows less food to be wasted and decreases the purchases where it just looked good or was on sale. (Now, mind you, I do take into consideration the sales AS I meal plan, so that helps me make wise grocery decisions.) But all in all, meal planning can definitely help you save money!
- Ensures Snacks are Ready When you Prep Your Meal Plan
Sundays are great days to get yourself ready for the week food-wise. Boil some eggs. Cook some chicken. Chop some veggies. Make some hummus. You get the picture. The more you can do in advance from your meal plan, the smoother the whole process will be. I’ve even seen people put their servings of snacks into individual containers or baggies on Sundays, so that the rest of the week is literally grab and go. If you are just grabbing whatever sounds good, looks good, or happens to be convenient when you “feel” hungry, you are just setting yourself up for failure.
I’ve included a blank menu planner here you can customize for your family. You can laminate it (or slip it inside a clear sheet protector) and use dry erase markers, or copy it as many times as you’d like.
Obviously, you have to allow room for substitutions and unexpected events, but (mostly) sticking to a meal plan can have huge benefits. Try it for a week and see what you think.
If you’re thinking about joining the Everyday Faith + Fitness Fall Challenge, this is a great first step to take now. Start being more cognizant of your nutrition by planning out your meals in advance, and then when the Challenge begins in a couple of weeks, you’ll be ready to add in the other layers.
My go-to verse (which you’ll see on the menu planning printable) when I’m confronting poor food choices comes from 1 Cor 10:23:
Everything is permissible… but not everything is beneficial.
As we plan our menus and consider our choices of foods, let’s remember to fill our bodies with that which is beneficial.
Comment below if this was encouraging or if you have any questions about meal planning. I’d love to see how this works for you.
Everyday Faith + Fitness 