Tips for Meal Planning
I don't know about you, but when I set out on my weight loss journey, I knew I would have to meal prep, or at least have an idea about what I was going to eat next week in order to get groceries this week! And let me tell you, I was beyond scared. I had no idea what I was doing or where to even begin, so if that sounds like you also, stay with me because I am going to help you with some tips and tricks for meal planning.
I have gotten so many questions about meal planning, I thought it would be best to just write it all out for you guys so you can use it to your advantage whenever you want! So first things first, I am going to break it up into categories like Things You'll Need or Supplies, then Tips and Tricks, followed by a couple of examples of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Let's get started!
Things You'll Need / Supplies Recipes Menu Template Time Containers
Tips and Tricks Recipes This is probably my favourite part! I want you to embrace your inner chef. You want to check out the food section of my blog or head on over to Pinterest to find whole food, plant-based recipes with about 10 ingredients or less to add to your meal plan. Find recipes that have similar ingredients for lunch and dinner, this way it will be cost effective as well! Print off the recipes you have found so you have them on hand for prep day.
Menu Template Now that you have your recipes, it's time to make a weekly menu. I highly suggest printing off a template (which you can find here) and laminating it so you're not wasting paper and you can use a whiteboard marker to change it weekly. Always use this template when trying to figure out your meal plan before grocery time, then when you are ready to prep you have the meals right there to reference.
Time
I recommend a minimum of 4 hours for prep and cook time, this doesn't include the time before groceries to figure out what recipes you will be making, or grocery time. Even though I am giving you a 4 hour window, definitely don't make plans the day of prep, or at least start early in the day. The first time might be a bit rocky, but just like anything, practice makes perfect and it will become easy with time. Soon enough this will be a weekly habit for you and you won't want to go a week without doing it.
Containers Now that you have everything you will need to meal prep, you must get a good set of containers. I recommend BPA free at least or glass is best. You could use things like Bento Boxes if you need on-the-go lunches, you could also try reusable freezer and fridge bags for smaller meals or smoothies. Whatever kind of containers you want to use, just make sure you have big containers for bulk items like pasta and rice. Jars make great containers for overnight oats and salads! Another awesome container you could use is a portion plate, this gives you "correct" portion sizes for your vegetables/carbs, protein and starches/fat. I highly recommend a container like this if you find you have a hard time putting smaller portions on your plate and going back for seconds if you are still hungry.
Breakfast Smoothies These are so easy to pre-package and throw in the freezer. The morning you want to have a smoothie you just take it out of the freezer, throw it in a blender with either non-dairy milk or water and maybe some protein powder and or greens and you have a very nutritious breakfast.
Tofu Scramble I have been so addicted to tofu scrambles lately, I actually have my own recipe here if you are interested. You can make this in advance and morning of just heat it up, throw it in a tortilla with some lettuce and salsa and you have a burrito. You could also put this on some toast with avocado and you have a very healthy, quick breakfast.
Overnight Oats This is another super easy meal prep idea! Throw some oats and whatever toppings you want in a jar with some non-dairy milk and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning you can either heat it up in the microwave or eat them straight out of the fridge for a SUPER fast, nutritious breakfast.
Lunch
Tofu and Veggie Stir-fry The great thing about this recipe is if you have a rice cooker, you can make like 8 cups of rice to last you all week! All you need to actually cook in advance would be your tofu or tempeh, bake it or fry it up with your favourite homemade sauce and when you want to assemble your stir-fry, you can use frozen veggies to make a quick lunch. You could also make pasta in advance have your veggies and tofu with pasta, however pasta is very calorie dense. If you are looking for a healthy pasta, I recommend Buckwheat Soba Noodles because they have about 12g of protein, 68g of carbs and 1g of fat per 1/4 pack! Salad Jars In a huge mason jar add your greens and other healthy ingredients so you have a quick on-the-go salad. I don't eat a lot of salads so I don't have any recipes for this, but check out Pinterest for some awesome vegan salads that are full of all the essentials! I recommend making a salad dressing from tahini because it is a healthy fat and add LOTS of fresh vegetables, some nuts or seeds, and hemp hearts (here's some awesome info about hemp hearts: http://www.healing-source.com/about_HempHearts_b.htm)
Dinner Black Bean Burgers I have a recipe here, if you'd like to check it out! These can be pre-made and thrown in the freezer for when you want to take them out and fry them up. This is a great alternative to a "regular" (as most people would say) burger, and it's got about 10g of protein, 26g of carbs and less than 1g of fat making this the perfect food for weight loss. And it will give you loads of energy!
Potatoes These are super awesome for losing weight and getting in some vital nutrients. I recommend using a variety of potatoes so you don't get bored of them. Try cooking up some sweet, japanese and red potatoes so you can pick what you want depending on what you are feeling like that day! You can top potatoes with so many things and you can make potatoes in SO many different ways, you should never get bored of them.
Plant-Based Chili The best thing about chili is that you don't need a huge, long list of ingredients and you can always make it in a crock pot and make a huge amount. If you pair it with some rice you have a nutritious, very filling meal. I haven't had a chance to put up my chili recipe but when I do, I will link it here. I recommend using a couple different kinds of beans and adding LOADS of spices! Spicy foods help to boost your metabolism and alleviate pain.
I hope I could help anyone out there who's not too sure where to start when it comes to meal planning but wants to lead a healthier, more care-free life. If you have any questions at all please email me and good luck on your journey!
