It happens to everyone trying to get a handle on their weekly diet with meal planning. You find great recipes and look forward to the potential nutritional benefits. And with methods on food prep and delivery changing due to COVID, the promise of money savings by composing a daily meal schedule is more than appealing.
But more often than not, people abandon meal prep almost as soon as they start it. So how do you make sure that does not happen to you? Here are some common meal planning mistakes to avoid.
Complicated Menus
If you are a newbie to the meal prep lifestyle, do not get excited over recipes that require a lot of ingredients or are complicated to make. It is very frustrating to start preparing one of three meals for the week, only to still be stuck on recipe number one hour later.
Instead, choose recipes that are at your level as a beginner. This includes a minimal list of ingredients, and preferably some that you already have in stock. This will make the first few weeks go easier.
Boring Selections
While you do not want to over complicate your meals for the week, you do not want to make them too boring either. Various types of diets can open you up to a wide range of possibilities and new takes on old favorites.
If you keep your daily meal schedule varied with different sources of protein, fruits, and vegetables, you are more likely to look forward to each week. And you are also less likely to give up your nutritional meal for your favorite sodium-laden Chinese food delivery later.
Not Checking Your Calendar
In the case of busy families, not checking your calendar before your meal prep is a huge mistake. Even the simplest meal you can pull from the freezer requires time to defrost and reheat. And if you are pulled between piano lessons, soccer practice, and late-night homework, it is unlikely you can successfully get a meal on the table in time.
So plan according to what you have coming up for the week before you cook. And be realistic. No two families are the same so do what will work for you.
There are also some alternatives to doing the meal prep yourself if you find your time is stretched especially thin during certain weeks. Some very busy families opt for getting a little assistance with some prepped meal delivery services such as La Comida MTL. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your plan works well with your schedule.
Avoid Meal Planning Mistakes
Trying to save time and money is not impossible for busy families. And ensuring you are receiving a healthy meal every day is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Avoid meal planning mistakes by following the tips above, and reap the benefits a daily and delicious meal schedule can bring. Bon appétit!
Want more yummy food suggestions for functional culinary success? Read some more of our blog articles to learn more!
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