Do you struggle with meal planning, prepping, and grocery shopping? Is making a plan for food overwhelming and challenging for you?
I totally get it! Whether you struggle with an unhealthy relationship with food or not, planning meals for the week can be difficult. Sometimes we feel like we’re always eating the same things over and over because we don’t know what else to make. Or maybe we eat the same things all of the time because they’re the cheapest and quickest. There’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes it can get boring! Or maybe you struggle with creating meals from the groceries that you get for the week. You go grocery shopping and get a lot of wonderful foods but then end up not knowing what to make and a lot of the food goes to waste. Does any of this sound familiar?
Nutrition and meal planning can be hard no matter what your relationship with food looks like. It’s OKAY.
You’re not alone in that struggle – so don’t feel like a failure! I want to share some of my favourite tips with you that have been very helpful for myself and my clients surrounding grocery shopping and meal planning. First things first, MAKE A PLAN! Even before you go grocery shopping, you should make a plan. Instead of grocery shopping and buying different foods that look good and then trying to make meals out of them, make a meal plan for the week first and THEN make your grocery list. It’s so much easier to make a plan for meals and then to buy the ingredients that you need for those meals, rather than trying to put random ingredients together to make meals that you’ll enjoy.
If you struggle with making grocery lists, this is one of the best ways to approach it. Now, if you struggle with making a plan for meals in order to make your grocery list, I understand that also! When you’re sitting down to make a meal plan, first check if you have any leftovers in the fridge that need to be used. If so, figure out a meal that you can make with those ingredient. Then think about what you FEEL like eating. Try to pick a meal or two based on what you’re craving. Next, think about some healthy options to add in for the week. Try to pick one or two meals that are going to give your body good nutrients, energy, and health for the week. If you like fish, try to have at least one meal that includes fish for the week.
If you’re still struggling to make a plan, google search some healthy recipes, quick dinner recipes, or recipes with whatever ingredient you want to use. The beauty of having the internet is that there are so many ideas out there! No matter what, remember that food is meant for FUEL and also for ENJOYMENT. Food is your friend and it doesn’t always have to be a struggle. Try out these tips and see if they help you. If not, it’s also never shameful to ask for help or hire someone to do the planning for you. If that’s something that you’re interested in, I offer WEEKLY grocery lists, meal plans, and recipes on my Patreon at healthmyfriend. I am here for you and food is your friend – enjoy it!
Abby Horst
A podcaster, wife, health/wellness coach, beach lover, and musician. She specialises in nutrition education, meal planning, and developing sustainable habits. She passionately works with her patients to help them build healthier and happier relationships with food, exercise, and themselves.
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