Meal planning is the practice of deciding your meals beforehand, taking into account your diet preferences, schedule, and groceries. Meal planning takes away the stress of constantly deciding what your next meal will be. This practice offers several benefits for men's and women’s wellness, from financial to digestive benefits. Stop stressing about your meals this week, and use this blog as your guide to ultimate meal planning.
Benefits of Meal Planning For Your Week Ahead
Saves Time and Money
Meal planning is the ultimate game-changer for saving time and money. It requires creating a grocery list in advance, meaning you are less likely to spend money on unnecessary items or foods you will not use. Have you ever spent countless minutes trying to decide what to eat to the point of frustration? We have all been there, but meal planning eliminates this added stress and allows you to live your week in peace while still consuming tasty and healthy meals.
This Can Lead to Healthier Choices
On that note, we want to highlight how easy eating a well-balanced diet can be when planning meals. Sometimes, people turn to fast-food chains or unbalanced meals due to their availability and efficiency, but this will negatively impact their overall gut health. Meal planning will help you to maintain a well-balanced diet.
Beneficial for Multi-Person Households
For those who live with loved ones, meal planning can be a social activity. You can even plan your meals alongside your housemates or family members whom you live with. You can collaborate with your loved ones on what meals to cook and even cook them together!
More Confidence in the Kitchen
Are you someone who struggles in the kitchen? Meal planning requires us to step out of our comfort zone and create meals far beyond the average ramen or cereal in our cupboard. While your meals do not need to be complex by any means, meal planning can be a great way to become more familiar with cooking and explore new cuisines. New cuisines also open us up to various ingredients, which is essential in creating a diverse microbiome.
Helps You Avoid Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities can cause a host of digestive issues, such as bloating, irregular bowel movements, and abdominal pain. Still, with meal planning, you can ensure your meals do not have foods that irritate your stomach. When you plan a meal plan, you are more likely to stick to your schedule and avoid eating out at places that might also have your food festivities in their dishes.
Breakfast and Lunch Meal Plan Recommendations for Better Digestion
We have all heard people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why do so many people neglect breakfast? As its name implies, breakfast is the meal that breaks the fast from the day before. It helps replenish essential nutrient levels in our bodies that might have lowered during sleep. It is also the meal that will set you up to have high energy levels for the remainder of your day.
Below are some general recommendations when choosing what meals to plan for breakfast.
- Make sure to have a balance of all macronutrients. Carbohydrates offer energy, protein helps with muscle function, and healthy fats can contribute positively to men's and women’s health.
- Have fruit and vegetables in your meal. Fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients that help with all aspects of one’s health, including energy levels, digestion, skin health, and mental health.
- Include a fibrous ingredient in your breakfast. Fiber helps to clean out waste from your gastrointestinal tract, promotes bowel movements, and helps to stabilize glucose levels throughout the body, making it wonderful to add to your breakfasts.
Lunch is the next meal of the day and can be easily overlooked. Since lunch is usually in the middle of the day, it can be hard to follow at times due to schedules, but meal planning can help with that. Lunch is essential in maintaining your digestive process and your energy levels. When your body goes for an extended period without food, it can lead to issues. That is why eating constantly throughout the day is so important.
Below are some general recommendations when choosing what meals to plan for lunch.
- Focus on light and nutritious ingredients. Since you will need to maintain your energy levels past lunchtime, try and focus your lunch meals on light and easy ingredients on your stomach. Eating heavy meals can cause you to experience fatigue and brain fog.
- Incorporate lean proteins in your meals. Lean proteins are essential in muscle function. You must eat protein throughout your day to fully reap its benefits.
- Condiments are great additions to your lunches. Condiments can be a great way to add flavor to your meals without making your lunch too heavy or overloaded with calories. Opt for light condiments and avoid ones with processed sugars and fats in their ingredient list.
Dinner Meal Plan Recommendations for Better Digestion
Dinner is usually the meal that people have more time to plan for; because of this, you can get creative with your meal planning. Since it is the last meal before bed, avoiding eating too close to your bedtime and eating foods that might impact your digestion is recommended. When you eat too close to bedtime, you are putting yourself at risk for acid reflux, bloating, and stomach pain.
Below are some general recommendations when choosing what meals to plan for lunch.
- Similarly to breakfast, we recommend having a balanced level of all macronutrients in your dinner. Lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats comprise a well-balanced diet.
- Use herbs and spices to reduce your salt intake. Increasing the number of herbs and spices, you use will help limit the amount of salt you want. Low salt intake – especially for dinner – is essential because it can contribute to bloating and dehydration.
- Focus on fluids in the evening. Herbal teas and water are great options to pair with your dinner or as a post-meal treat. It will promote digestion and decrease inflammation in your body.