Meal planning 101

Meal planning is the secret to eating well! It is very difficult to create healthy meals and snacks if you don’t have the ingredients. It is also very stressful brainstorming dinner ideas when everyone is already hungry! The concept of meal planning can be overwhelming, but we have some tips to get you started.

The benefits of meal planning:

• Saves time, money and stress
• Makes shopping easier
• Reduce food waste
• Encourages food variety & nutritional adequacy
• Minimises impulsive eating
• Less reliance on takeaway and food delivery services
• Less stress around food choices

How to start:

• Start small – focus on planning three dinners for the week. As your confidence increases, you can plan more.
• Consider what is already in your fridge and freezer, and work around this to save money and prevent food waste.
• Create a shopping list, either on paper or on your phone, with all the ingredients you will need for your dinners.
• Don’t forget about other meals and snacks. Have some healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks planned out.

Our top tips:

• Include some healthy recipes into your plan. Visit www.actnss.org/recipes for ideas
• Consider your social commitments when planning for the week
• Place your meal plan onto the fridge for quick reference
• Freeze any leftovers in single portions for quick lunches
• Involve the family in the planning and shopping