Why Meal Plan & Prep?
The concept of meal planning and meal preparation can be daunting, but studies have shown that meal planning and at home meal prep can have a lasting impact on you and your family’s health. It can also help bring some order to a unique time where our schedules are changing, grocery trips are more difficult, and our kids are constantly home and hungry!
The Science:
Meal planning can help you regulate blood sugar, ensure you are getting an adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients in your diet, and according to Penn State University research, a “good meal plan will provide a strategy to prevent heart disease”.
Better yet, if you have kids currently home from school, get them involved in the process. According to research conducted by Yen Li Chu, a post-doctoral fellow in the School of Public Health the University of Alberta, “data show(s) that encouraging kids to get involved in meal preparation could be an effective health promotion strategy for schools and parents.”
The Reality:
In addition to study findings, meal planning and meal prep can help reduce that mid-week panic when you realize it’s dinner time, everyone is hungry and crabby, and you have no idea what to make. Rushing from soccer practice to dance, and you need to feed your kids something healthy and quick? Coming home late from work and no energy to cook a nutritious meal? Grab and go one of your prepped meals and you’re all set!
How to Get Started:
Make Your Lists
Find recipes that fit your taste, diet needs, family, etc. (We will be posting a variety of recipes here that are easy to make ahead of time and reheat well.)
Make a grocery list for all of the ingredients you’ll need. You can easily order your list online ahead of time, and schedule an easy curbside pick up. This will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the store and help insure you won’t have to stop in the middle of prepping.
Coordinate your meal preparation
Bake items with similar cooking temperatures simultaneously. While the oven is doing it’s thing, other items can be prepped or cooked in a slow-cooker or pressure cooker. This will maximize the amount of food you can prep, while minimizing the time you’ll spend doing so.
See our complimentary recipe section for meal planning recipes that prep well together.
Divide and Conquer!
Separate your meals into individual portions for your self or your family members. This way you can easily grab a meal to take with you or reheat and eat.
Freezer versus Refrigerator - The first three days of your meals can safely be stored in the fridge. Store the remainder of your meals in the freezer until you are ready to use them.
In the next few days we will be featuring different healthy recipes, meal plans, ingredient guides, and more on our site. Let us know if you would like to see something particular, or contact us for a personalized plan with dietary restrictions.
Our health and fitness coaches are here to help you in any way we can!
Time Spent on Home Food Preparation and Indicators of Healthy Eating - American Journal of Preventative Medicine https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(14)00400-0/fulltext
Kids Who Cool Are Hungrier For Healthy Food Choices - Penn State University
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120627103352.htm