Menu Planning Will Change Your Life and Health Span

Menu plan like a pro

Few things changed my family’s health trajectory as intensely as menu planning did. I equate menu planning to fasting. When you master fasting you master the ability to think and focus on something other than food. Menu planning does the same thing.

For years I would spend my in between meals thinking and planning out what the next meal was going to be. Wondering if I had enough of an item to make that meal happen. Recalling what we ate last to avoid repetition. Making endless trips to the grocery stores. And the ultimate disappointment of crashing under the stress of coming up with something and fixing it on time, too many times to count, to then give up and buy food from a fast food chain. And the worst was throwing away all those ingredients at the end of the week because I never got to use them. What a waste of time, money, and a terrible contribution to food waste.

I want to challenge you to make a menu plan for one month. This might seem complicated but I am going to give your four strategies to help you make it through. You can try each strategy for one week of the menu planning and see which one fits you best.

Meal prepping can seem overwhelming but once you master meal planning the prep part will come much easier.

Strategy Number 1: Plan out for your meat

With this strategy all you have to do is place what meat you will be eating at dinner time for the week. You can “free think” your side each evening. Don’t over complicate it.

• Monday- Chicken breast

• Tuesday- Pork chops

• Wednesday- Ground Beef

• Thursday- Lamb

• Friday- Fish

• Saturday- Turkey

• Sunday- Shellfish

Buy 5 vegetables options, have starches available at the house and cook whatever side feels good to have the day of.

Strategy Number 2: Plan out for a particular cuisine

With this strategy all you do is write down a cuisine you’d like to eat and pick a meal that aligns with it. This would give you more specific meals and set sides. It would look like this:

• Monday- Italian (Pizza, pasta dish, etc.)

• Tuesday- American (Burgers, meat & vegetable , etc.

• Wednesday- Mexican (Tacos, pozole, burritos, etc.)

• Thursday- Latin (Rice & beans, stewed rice, etc.)

• Friday- Asian (Beef & broccoli, fried rice, etc.)

• Saturday- Thai (Pho, Bah-Mi, etc.)

• Sunday- Texan (Smoked-meat, meats & potatoes, etc.)

This strategy also allows for experimentation. While during the week you’d want to stick with recipes you feel comfortable making you can choose new recipes to try during the weekend and really master them to add them to your usual's.

Strategy Number 3: Plan for food items or food types

With this strategy you will pick food types. Sometimes these types of foods will give you your sides, other times it leaves them open to whatever you feel like that day.

• Monday- Pasta

• Tuesday- Burger

• Wednesday- Salad

• Thursday- Chili

• Friday- Stir-Fry

• Saturday- Sandwich

• Sunday- Soup

Strategy Number 4: Plan for leftovers

With this strategy you double plan your meat and have leftovers to use as lunches or to re-invent for next day’s dinner.

• Monday- Soup (leftovers used for lunches)

• Tuesday- Country style pork ribs with e=vegetables (leftover used for second dinner)

• Wednesday- While chicken with rice ( leftover used for chicken salad in lunches & a dinner)

• Thursday- Tacos-with leftover pork and rice

• Friday- Spaghetti and meatballs (leftover meatballs used for second dinner)

• Saturday- Chicken noodle soup with broth made from while chicken carcass)

• Sunday- Meatball sandwiches with leftover meatballs

This strategy is very helpful to get you started on what it is like to have prepped meals and/or items in your fridge. This technique is extremely beneficial for households where both parents work and/or where kids are in sports. Eliminating the stress of fixing every single dinner item every week will alleviate the pressure and encourage you to continue making meals at home.

Stop thinking about food and start cooking it

Making your food at home is the best way you can achieve positive change in your family’s health span. Even if you cannot purchase all organic, pasture raised meats, and buy any of the “expensive” ingredients. Cooking at home does give you the power to remove preservatives, damaging oils, sugar, salt, and the power to control your portions. You will save money, time, and reduce food waste. It is also empowering to know that you and only you are in control of the information being delivered to your body. You are your own doctor and by providing your own food you are providing your own medicine. Take advantage of this immense power sitting at your fingertips, literally, get in the kitchen and start cooking.