How to Meal Plan and Prep Using a Non Diet Approach
When you hear the words “meal plan” or “meal prep,” what comes to mind?
If you’re like most people, you might think it has to do with dieting and perfectly portioning out your food, or you might think of Pinterest and its thousands of pictures of food organized in special containers. Maybe you even feel overwhelmed or believe you can’t meal plan or prep while leaving dieting behind and embracing mindful eating.
If your thoughts and feelings are along these lines, it makes complete sense, and you’re not alone! We tend to think of meal planning and prepping as things you might do when dieting, but there is a non diet approach to both these activities.
Meal planning vs meal prepping
Meal planning and prepping are slightly different. Planning is the process of deciding what you’ll eat over a period of time (from a few days to a week, generally). Benefits include saving time and money, as well as improving overall health and wellbeing.
On the other hand, meal prepping is preparing the ingredients, such as protein, veggies, fruits or grains, ahead of time for different meals. It can also save time during the week, as well as minimize stress since there’s ready-to-eat food available each day.
How to meal plan and prep on a budget
Purchasing enough food to eat over a few days can get expensive, so keep these tips in mind in order to cut down on cost.
Buy produce that’s in season
Eat a few meals without meat
Stock up on staples when they’re on sale
Buy canned or frozen options
Figure out what you already have in the house
Create a reasonable, realistic budget
How to use a non diet approach
If you search for tips on meal planning and prepping, you’ll find lots of info about how to minimize calories or counting macros. However, you don’t need to focus on diet tricks and food rules in order to meal plan and prep.
Here are 4 ways you can prepare your meals like a pro using a non diet approach.
Avoid buying foods just because you feel like you “should.” Making yourself eat something you don’t like or eventually throwing it away is unenjoyable and wasteful, and doesn’t help you feel satisfied with what you’re eating.
Think about which foods you can realistically see yourself eating 2-3 times. For some inspiration, look up recipes that use the ingredient that you have available.
Avoid over planning. Don’t feel pressured to meal plan and prep for the whole week. It’s hard to predict what you’ll be in the mood for 5-7 days from now. Instead, focus on meals for the next 2-3 days.
Aim to prepare enough leftovers for 3-4 days maximum. Trying to batch cook for more than 4 days often leads to boredom, resentment and lack of satisfaction with your food. PRO TIP: If you do have a lot of leftovers, freeze the rest of the food so you have an easy option for later!
Meal planning and prepping tips
In Jamie’s “Food and Mood Journal,” she lists questions in order to help you figure out which foods you enjoy and what you have on hand. Consider these tips as you navigate the meal planning and prep process.
First, identify your food preferences. Which protein, carb and fat sources do you like? How can you pair them together for a balanced meal? (Keep in mind that not all meals will have fat, carbs and protein to make them balanced, and that’s ok). Instead, we want to aim for the majority of meals to be balanced, which means that the overall eating pattern will be.
Then, take a look at what you have on hand. Which food groups do they represent? (The “Food and Mood Journal” has a reference list for your convenience). Are the foods you have still good, or have they expired? Do you like what’s available, and can you see yourself eating them?
After that, take a look at your calendar for the next few days. Are you particularly busy one day? That would be a good time to eat something familiar and quick. On the other hand, do you have a lot of free time the next day? Feel free to experiment with a recipe that might take a little longer to cook. Also take note of days when you’ll be eating at a restaurant or somewhere else away from home.
Start your own meal planning routine
Now you know how to use a non diet approach when meal planning and prepping! By taking inventory of what you have, making meals for just 2-3 days and choosing recipes you enjoy, you’re likely to have more success with these self-care activities and reap the benefits without food and body obsession.
If you would like access to the entire “Food & Mood Journal” to help you start your own meal planning routine, you can download it here.
If you would like personalized meal planning support, book a consultation with Jamie. You can work through the Food & Mood Journal together and discover your own meal .
Cheers to having more time, saving money and being less stressed!
