8 Reasons Why You Should Adopt Meal Planning in 2018
Having a plan makes it easy to follow through with your commitment to healthy living, because it removes the need to make a decision, and indecisiveness derails your progress by a huge percentage. Here are 8 reasons why you should plan your meals in advance
Saves You Money
When you plan your meals, it is easy to make a grocery shopping list from the plan. Having a shopping plan will prevent you from impulse buying random unhealthy food when you go to the store.¹
You may get discount prices in some stores by buying in bulk.² There’s less spoilage of groceries, since you have track of what you have in the house and won’t buy extra that could go bad in the fridge. There's less of a chance to discard pre-planned meals, unlike groceries that may go bad because you forgot about them in the pantry.³
Use the savings to treat yourself to a spa treatment or save up for end year vacation.
Saves Your Priceless Time
Your time is precious. A few decisions, once a week, eliminates the need to make a decision later, and a wrong choice.³ Having a grocery shopping list saves you time when you go shopping, instead of going shelf to shelf trying to remember what you need.¹
Having a weekly or monthly meal plan makes it easy to shop once or twice a week, rather than daily. Once you buy the groceries, you can prepare some food in advance. Imagine making a week’s meal in the same time you would make a single meal. For instance, freeze dried berries and fruits make a quick breakfast. Freeze dried veggies and beans can also be prepared quickly after a long day at work. You would just need to rehydrate the freeze dried fruits and veggies, and voila! your salad is ready. Prepare two or three meals during the weekend and have them when you get at home, when you’re tired from work. It helps to split up food into serving portions.² Freeze meatballs, marinated chicken, soups, and reheat them when you need a quick meal.
Helps You Make Healthy Food Choices
Buying food gives you power to control your caloric and sodium intake.² Having a plan puts in mind the right food combinations; moreover, when you plan your meals at the beginning of the week, it is easier to have a healthy meal available. Meal planning eases your burden, especially if you have a busy week ahead. You won’t need to drop into a convenience store to pick a bag of fries or a burger.¹ When you shop while hungry, you’ll most probably pick junk food.² You can follow your meal plan and stay on track to getting the body you always wanted.³
Better Nutrition
Home cooked meals are always nutrient dense and have fewer calories, salt, and fat compared to takeout or ready made food.¹ In fact, they also have fewer additives and preservatives. Planning your meals on time helps you to plan for well balanced meals throughout the week or month, and you get to choose a variety of foods.¹ Be sure to cater to your individual nutritional needs. Better food choices will reduce the chance of your craving junk foods like cakes and cookies.²
Less Chance of a Cheat Meal
Lack of a meal planning compels you have more cheat days. This becomes a habit and can make you gain weight. When you plan your meals, there’s a high chance that you’ll stick to the plan and commit to it.
Reduces Chance of Overeating
Having proportioned meals in advance reduces the opportunity to overeat.² When all you have to do is reach out to the fridge and get your pre-packed meal and heat it up, emotions are thrown out of the window, and you can control your choice of food or how much you should eat. You eat what’s in there - no more, no less.³
Reduces Stomach Issues
Bloating, acidity, and other digestive issues can be caused when you have untimely meals, or when you don’t plan in advance. Excessive periods of hunger may result in a lot of acids produced in the stomach. Plan your meals in advance and reduce the chances of getting bloated or having acidity.¹
Peace of Mind
You don’t need to wonder what to cook for dinner after a tiring day at work. Save yourself the stress and have a meal plan. You can also reuse a week’s meal plan and even use the same grocery list. Just start with a week’s plan or a two; this is enough to have all the variety for you and your family.² At first, it may seem tedious to sit down and write down what to eat, especially if you live by the one day at a time rule. Make your meal plan, and forget making food choices based on emotions and convenience. Don't forget to check out our freeze dried fruits and veggies. They'll surely fit into your meal plan and save you time and money.
References
- Branden Evans
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