Meal Planning 101: The Basics

It seems like every home workout plan, nutrition guru, and dieting channel in social media sticks to one basic concept, meal planning. The reason this seems to be the common denominator is because meal planning is key to a diet routine working. If you are new to meal planning, here are a few things to know before implementing it into your routine for you or you and your family.

Start With a Master Food List

The first place to start with meal planning is with a master food list. You can print these out online, by season, or you can make your own list. Ideally what you are doing is narrowing down the foods you like, the foods you do not like, the ones you are allergic to, and the ones you have never tried. This master list will help you narrow down your recipes and get foods for your meal planning that work for you personally. You can also mark down how many calories each have and how they can be used.

Consider Your Goal

Make sure you consider your goals with your meal planning. For example, you may be looking for a way to reduce your stress during the week. Meal planning may offer you more downtime and more time to enjoy being with your family. Then again, you may want to drop several pounds. If that is the case, you want to keep an eye on your caloric intake. Bodybuilding goals have even more considerations to reach your goal. Overall, you should consider long-term, short-term, and overall goals before you start meal planning.

Consider Your Containers

One thing many people do not consider about meal planning are the containers they will be using. This can make a big difference in how you plan out your meals. Most people do use containers that have several slots for protein, vegetables, fruits, and sauces. If you will primarily be doing full meals, then these are ideal. You may also want to bento boxes, soup containers, or other options. Consider what types of meals you want to have and then make sure you have the containers for them. 

Timeframe Planning

Considering your timeframe is something that goes along with meal planning basics. You need to make sure that you are planning for a set amount of days. Most people do weekly meal planning while larger families may do planning for the whole month. The timeframe along with the food lists and goals can greatly affect your budget, so considering a timeframe is vital. 

These basic principles of meal planning can help you get started. Remember, there is no set defined way of meal planning. The idea is to work with the diet you want, plan the meals, and make sure they work for you and your lifestyle. It may take a little time to get things on a solid track, but once they are you will find meal planning to be an easier route on many levels.
