Basic Meal Planning – Made Simple

Meal Planning 101

Do you find meal planning a challenge? Are you in a hurry and need quick meal ideas? What foods are you choosing to nourish and support your body?

Well, look no further. Meal preparation and planning can be simple and help you create a diet plan you can stick with. There are easy steps to follow to make sure you get the most out of the foods you are eating. I am here to support you in this process. Follow each step and you will come up with an easy meal food plan and make menus you will love.

Variety is key. Each food you eat provides different nutrients that support your body and your health. And remember that each food you eat becomes part of you, so choosing clean, healthy foods are key. Ultimately, this is not about weight loss, but some people do see that as a result.

This is a general meal planning guide. Therefore, if you have special diet and nutrition needs, we can work together to come up with a meal diet plan for you.

Meal Planning Steps

• Pick a protein

• Choose 1-2 vegetables (or more)

• Add a fruit

• Don’t forget a fat

Proteins foods for meal planning

Proteins are the first step. Choose a variety of proteins that you like and maybe try some you have never had. Find a simple way to prepare these that may include adding a fat and seasonings to it. An example here is to take salmon, top it with some avocado oil, dill, sea salt and turmeric. Broil it for 10 minutes on high. Simple. Or choose a protein that you don’t have to do much to prepare, like nuts, for example. One note: consider grass-fed, non-GMO and wild-caught options. The nutrients in the protein become part of you so choose the cleanest varieties.

Proteins are the building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Think of those Legos blocks. The Legos fit together and you could build some pretty amazing things. The proteins we choose, build each of you into the beautiful creatures you are! They help build enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. The type of protein we choose provides us with different nutrients. Above all, each food has unique and important substances in it so getting variety here is key.

Vegetables are key to meal prep and planning

Vegetables are up next. Make this simple. Raw, cooked, steamed, grilled, sauteed, baked – so many ways to enjoy vegetables. Add a fun dressing to any raw veggie, like olive oil, apple cider vinegar and seasonings. In addition, another dressing option can be made with avocado mayo, thinned down with almond milk and add in some celery salt and chili powder. Use frozen vegetables and stir-fry them with coconut aminos, garlic and onion. Steaming frozen vegetables is great as well. Add some seasoning and serve it up. Another option is to take fresh vegetables and place them on a sheet-pan. Top these with some oil and seasonings. Bake at 400 for approximately 20-30 minutes. Tip – line the pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. And remember to cook extra so you can add an egg to them for a quick breakfast or eat them for leftovers or a quick lunch.

And organic produce is the safest. Less pesticides are better. In other words, our bodies don’t need the extra chemicals. Tip: take a look at the highest pesticide fruits and vegetables and be sure to buy organic, avoid these or rinse them with a vegetable/fruit rinse. The https://www.ewg.org/ is a good resource.

Seasonings – spice it up

So, seasonings can be intimidating. Start with some basic ones and then slowly work your way up and go crazy. Seasonings are a great way to change up the same food item and make it taste completely different. Take cauliflower, for example: try it with salt, pepper and cumin and the next time try cayenne and garlic. Then. maybe try it raw with a dip of some sort. Same food but different taste each time. The deep, dark colors in spices, seasonings and herbs are really medicinal and a great way to power up your foods. They help fight inflammation and provide anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antimicrobial and immune boosting properties. Most all are powerful antioxidants. Experimenting is the best way to learn about spices.

Fruits are a great way to add sweetness and colorful nutrients

Fruits are a great way to add more color and nutrients to your meal. And they provide so many great health benefits. And no, they are not too high in sugar. Fruits are a great way to transition away from sugar cravings. Make it simple. Fresh fruit is simple. It is ready to go and it is convenient. Additionally, frozen fruits are also great. My favorite is to heat up any frozen fruits and top them with cinnamon and maybe some canned coconut milk as my topping. I also like to blenderize frozen bananas with cacao powder and cinnamon and have ‘nice-cream’. I also love blending blueberries with almond or cashew butter. So good. But my ultimate fav is the little oranges, dipped in dark chocolate with a little sea-salt sprinkled on the tips – before the chocolate dries. Like vegetables, organic is best here.

Fat is essential to meals

Because fats are so important, we include them in meal planning. They support our metabolism, brains, hormones and even blood sugars. Importantly, fats also help us feel fuller, longer. As an older-ish dietitian, I used to tell people to limit their fats. Now, I tell them to focus on quality fats. These fats are minimally process, cold pressed, organic and non-GMO, if possible.

Putting This All Together

So, let’s put this all together to help make meal planning simple and easy.

Put Together Foods From Each Step to Make a Meal

Step 1

Step 2

Pick Your Vegetables – 1 or 2, or more

Step 3

Pick Your Fruit

Step 4

Pick Your Fat

In Conclusion

You are 4 steps away from a healthy diet food plan. Follow these steps and solve your meal planning dilemmas.

Sprinkle in some gluten free grains like quinoa, different rices, seed crackers and gluten free oatmeal.

I am here to support you with this. Contact me and we can work together to tailor an individualized meal plan just for you.

https://www.healinginsideoutnutrition.com/services/