Prepare to nourish with convenient meal planning strategies
By, Johannah Schrader, RD, LD, CDCES
When life gets hectic, it can seem darn near impossible to plan nutritious, healthy meals. When we’re busy and stressed it’s common to reach for those less nutrient dense foods just when our tired bodies require quality nourishment the most. Inconsistent intakes which may lead to undernourishment, or over-consumption of less desirable foods later on are other challenges busy folks face. Instead of reducing our stress load, we add to it, creating a cycle of yuck that no one enjoys.
Finding a convenient nutritious food arsenal that works for you helps make the healthy choice, the easy choice. Sometimes that will include well-balanced meals prepared from scratch, other times it’s some shelf-stable items in the back of the pantry, and well… sometimes it’s a drive-thru. As a Registered Dietitian, I am telling you that’s OK. We want balance, not perfection.
In my practice I regularly see patients struggling to meet their nutrition goals because they don’t have a plan for busier times. Notice I did not say a solid plan. That’s not the goal here… we want to have a couple go-tos lined up so when life is hectic, whether it’s planned, or unplanned, we don’t add to the burden by having to stop and figure out what’s for dinner.
Take a moment to reflect on a busy time in your life. How did that time impact the way you ate. Think travel, holidays, moving, having a baby, big projects at work, hosting house guests, a family emergency, or even bad weather. What worked well? What didn’t? How did you feel? Take a couple mental notes here so you can learn from the past to understand (and, accept!) what does and doesn’t work for you.
In an effort to get you started on creating your own convenient meal planning strategies, I’m going to share some that work for me and my family along with some other tricks I’ve seen put into play successfully by clients I’ve worked with.
Simple go-to recipes
In our house, it’s tacos every single Tuesday. Having this nailed into the rotation keeps things simple and takes away the guess work of planning which is huge on our busier weeks. We keep it simple, but balanced with tortilla shells, meat, beans, veggies, cheese, and salsa. We always have these ingredients on hand, and leftovers can be reutilized in a variety of ways. On busy weeks, I’ll double my prep so we can easily throw together salads, nachos, or burritos at other meals. An American-style chop suey and Spanish rice are two other recipes we always have the ingredients for and resort to on busier weeks.
2. A stocked pantry
While financial resources, storage capacity, and preferences will absolutely alter approaches to this tip, I do recommend determining several items to have well stocked and on hand at all times. A good place to start is the items required for your simple go-to recipes(s) and a couple other prepared items and snacks.
frozen veggies and fruits
whole grain crackers, pastas, and grains such as quinoa and rice
canned fish such as tuna and sardines
no sugar added, low sodium canned pasta sauces and diced tomatoes
nuts and nut butters
no salt added canned and/or dried beans
low sodium broths
canned fermented veggies such as pickles, sauerkraut, and olives
protein powders, shakes, and bars
whole grain granola bars
low-sodium frozen meatballs, sausages, and chicken products made with lean cuts of meat
frozen veggie or bean burgers
oatmeal and whole grain pancake and muffin mixes
extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and mayonnaise
whole grain cereals
3. Frozen or shelf-stable convenience meals
Whether you prepare frozen meals in bulk a couple times per year, or you purchase these items directly from the store, having a handful of meals ready to pull out and heat is a lovely safety net when you’re crunched for time. Oftentimes, purchased products will be higher in things we don’t want such as sodium and added sugars. Reading labels, and being cognizant of portion sizes is recommended. Combining these items with other staple items you have on hand can keep sodium and sugar intakes in check. For example, one serving of canned lentil soup with a Greek yogurt cup, and some frozen veggies comes together quickly and satisfies.
individually portioned frozen meals that include lean proteins, veggies, and whole grains
family sized frozen meals either prepared in advance (such as lasagna or breakfast burritos) or purchased
boxed pasta and whole grain meals
canned chili and soups
4. Go-to meal orders for the drive thru and take out
While I’m a BIG fan of dining at home because we’re more empowered to make healthy choices and it’s easier on the wallet, dining out can and will happen. It’s part of life, it’s delicious, and it’s oh so nice to not mess up the kitchen when we’ve got a million other things to do.
We’re creatures of habit, so often we’re hitting the same restaurants or drive-thru when dining out. Sure, I have places I recommend because the menus offer more nutritious options than others, but let’s approach this realistically. Wherever you dine, having one or two go-to, balanced meals for each establishment that’s convenient for you can take the heat off making an impulse decision when you’re on a time crunch. For me, it’s either a kids meal to keep my portions in check, or I have a healthier items pre-selected. For example, the kale salad, grilled nuggets, and unsweetened tea at Chick-fil-a. Takeout pizza is generally paired with a bag salad at home. And, sometimes this doesn’t happen… I had a busy day, missed lunch, and I’m STARVING. I order the pork tenderloin with fries, enjoy it, and remember that every meal is an opportunity to make a healthy choice… moving on!
5. A short go-to grocery list for perishable items
The staples stocked in your freezer and pantry offer a cushion when there isn’t time for a grocery run, but a go-to grocery list of healthy, convenient items can simplify the trip. Items I often recommend:
cheese sticks, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt cups
bag salads and pre-cut veggies such as baby carrots. Most grocers have a variety of pre-cut veggies in their produce or deli sections.
apples, bananas, and oranges travel well, and require zero prep. Since bananas and oranges have to be peeled, you don’t have to worry about finding a place to wash before consumption.
dips and spreads such as hummus, yogurt-based dips, and low-fat spreadable cheeses.
low sodium deli meats
eggs
At the end of the day, there are a variety of ways to approach meal planning for busy times, but the most important thing is finding what works for you. If you need help creating a personalized plan, nutrition counseling services can help!
