Meal planning for better health     |16 December 2022

Many of us fail at creating healthy meals because we’re not planning in advance. The main concept behind meal planning is that we make a plan of what we want to eat. The plan can be for one week, two weeks or one month. There’s no strict rules around it. It shouldn’t feel like a burden and it is certainly not set in stone. For this reason, it should be flexible and adaptable.

The main reasons why meal planning is important is because not only does it save time and money, it also allows you to make healthier food choices and therefore foster healthier eating habits. Let’s dig deeper into its benefits.

Time saver

We are all time-deprived nowadays for whatever reason – work, school or family. Planning quick meals that can save time or preparing ahead of time for our most busy days can make a huge difference. Here are some ways to save time on breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast on the go

If you struggle to eat breakfast every morning, then think of some simple ideas that you can prepare the day before then you can just grab it the next morning. Some great ideas include:

vYoghurt and fruits (chop the fruits the night before and place in a container, ready to go)

vSandwich (two slices brown bread, one slice of cheese or boiled eggs and some slices of tomato, cucumber and lettuce)

vSmoothie (fruits and vegetables blended with your choice unsweetened milk or yoghurt)

Lunch (dinner leftovers)

When you are preparing dinner, always prepare some extra food for you to have the next day. If there aren’t any leftovers, then plan what you will have instead.

If you want something simple, a salad is an easy choice. Just have your favourite salad vegetables ready in your container e.g. grated carrots, cucumber slices, tomatoes, lettuce, watercress, etc. In another container, you can prepare your dressing, which will usually include some lemon or vinegar, salt, pepper and some olive oil. Your protein can be grilled chicken, a can of tuna or boiled eggs or some beans or it can easily be a mixture of these proteins. Just before lunch, mix all the salad ingredients together.  

Dinner (prepare extra for lunch)

Always make a list of what you plan to make for dinner for the week. Even if you do not stick to it exactly, you will have some idea of what you will be making. This will help remove some of the pressure of finishing the day and thinking ‘what am I going to cook?’

To help with your planning, consider making a planner with some meal ideas as illustrated in the weekly meal planner template below.

Keep simple and quick meals for the days when you know you will be finishing late or you are too tired to spend a long time in the kitchen. It is important though that even when it is a quick meal that it is a healthy option. For some inspiration, browse the internet for healthy recipes that you can make using local ingredients.

Some quick but healthy dinner ideas include:

vPasta salad (wholegrain pasta with chicken or tuna and salad vegetables like capsicum, carrots, cucumber)

vStir fry (fish or chicken with vegetables served with some brown rice)

vPan-fried fish with lentils and snake gourd or pumpkin salad

Helps with budgeting

Making a budget for what you plan to make can also help save money over time, as you will be buying what you need. Start by making a shopping list and stick to it. That means that you will end up buying the exact ingredients you need for a recipe and not waste money buying on impulse.

It is also a good idea to compare the meal you’re planning to make to the cost of that meal at a takeaway or restaurant. You might be surprised at how much money you end up saving.

Homemade over takeaway

When you eat takeaway regularly you end up eating way too much because the portion sizes are large, especially rice. On the other hand, healthier options like salads are usually disproportionately small. Many times the fish or meat dish is coated in sauces or deep-fried or very oily.

With food prices continuously going up, the cost of buying a takeaway meal has also increased. There’s nothing wrong with getting a takeaway from time to time but aim to cook most of your meals at home. And if you really must eat out then try to choose the healthiest option on the menu.

Homemade meals are healthier because you know what has gone in there. You have total control of the amount of oil used, whether or not to use sauces or to flavour naturally with herbs and spices.

When cooking at home choose healthy recipes or modify existing recipes to make it healthier. For instance, if you’re planning to make fried rice, instead of white rice choose brown rice. Instead of adding three different sauces, choose only one and limit the amount you use and flavour the dish with garlic, ginger and herbs like coriander or thyme.

Aside from your meal composition, be mindful of how much you are putting on your plate. Try to get your portion closer to what is recommended in ‘My healthy plate’.

When you get into the habit of planning your meals you will gradually start to make healthier food choices as you become more mindful of the ingredients you are using. So what are you waiting for? Give it a try!

Thank you for joining us this week on our Eat for Our Health page. Look us up on Social Media - Eat for our Health Seychelles on Facebook.

Please get in touch by emailing eat4ourhealth@gmail.com and let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, let us know how we can help you.

Yours in health

The E4OH Team