Meal Planning

coppertop_4

I only plan my salads. I make sure I've got two salads a day prepped with greens, mushrooms peppers and zucchini.
If I eat two good salads a day, then its easier to not worry too much about what my hubby wants for dinner (Since he's not on a diet and does not appreciate healthy meals).
It's become routine for me to prep twice a week 4-6 salads. Then I pick my toppings daily so its not the same boring salad each day.
I always have apples, light string cheese, banana's, and Kashi granola bars or fiber one bars for snacks as well as left over veggies that I didn't add to my salad.

cyclerjenn

I plan all my meals on Sunday for the week. Then I know what to get when grocery shopping and I prepare all my dishes in serving size containers. Then all week it is just grab and go which works the best for my busy schedule.

Breakfast is usually oatmeal
lunch is usually: soup and salad or stir fry with rice depends on if I commute by bike
snack is usually apple with peanut butter, veggies with hummus or fruit and cottage cheese
Dinner: pasta dish, stir fry, soup and salad, or burritos

I try for 300 - 400 calories for every meal.

lbesaw

I do the same ---plan ahead because I do consider my daily wants and desires. If I plan dinner out I adjust the rest of my day to accommodate it. I think of this as my Life Plan so I have to be able to function within my plan daily. It has changed my life and helped me overcome lifetime food issues. I'm a happy girl!!

NattieJoan

I do try to plan in advance but quite often I'll come home and someone has already made me dinner or something so I just have to change my food diary. Even though it is a really nice thought for them to make me something and I do appreciate it, it does get annoying and really difficult for my weight loss

Mjhnbgff

I plan my lunches and dinners for the week. On weekends I will shop and prep and cook enough food for an entire week of lunches and dinners. I always try to have enough variety so that I'm not eating the same meals all week. For example, I roast chicken breasts for sandwiches (with spinach and avocado) and then I bake sweet potatoes and saute bok choy to have with the chicken breasts for dinner, or I'll defrost some salmon and have that with my veggies. I also always make a simple soup like lentil soup or my favorite is a light chicken broth that will be the basis for different kinds of soups. I always eat the same things for breakfast so I just make sure to keep my pantry and fridge stocked. As far as eating out, I prefer to have a day's notice since I pack my lunch everyday and sometimes pack my dinner too if I'm going to be home very late.

I find that planning my meals not only helps me stay on track but it also helps keep down my grocery bill since I'm not wasting any food.

ToBeCountry

I plan 80% of the time. I usually do the next day's diary the evening before. So tonight, I will figure out what food I have for tomorrow (like what left overs I can take for lunch) and then build the rest of my day around that.

Agree.
I plan my next day in advance. However, I have made changes on that day if I don't feel like having that particular snack, etc.

I usually plan my dinners for 3 days ahead of time. Especially if making a recipe. I take time to enter it for calorie count.

missability

Basically I run a tight ship as far as the kitchen goes, cause with 5 adults I have too! So Every Monday I lay out menu suggestions and everyone has until Thursday to circle 2 things they would like to eat. I go through the local store sale ads, then make grocery list accordingly, based on what everyone wants, and what's on sale. (I do all this after everyone is settled in for the night on Thursday evening). Then I decide what are some things I want for the following 7 days, and what I can use of "their" food, and what I need to buy special.
For example if they want tuna noodle casserole, I make myself tuna salad, and mark the container "MOM". If they want BBQ Chicken on the grill, I make myself two seasoned chicken breasts, and bag it up to chop up in salad or make chicken salad with through the week.
If they want Steak on the grill, I do the same.
I make my own Mayo, salad dressing, white sauce, red sauce, etc....and only use specific seasonings, I am following a strict diet that is as much for health as weight loss.
Every Friday night I boil 5 cage free eggs and put them in a container marked MOM, I use them for breakfast, or a quick "Grab n Go" if I have to run out the door, and also I use them for egg salad, and in chef salad.
I also have a HUGE 16 cup Lock & Lock bowl that I fill every Friday with one 5 oz bag of organic girl baby spinach leaves, 1 container of organic grape tomatoes, 1 - 8 oz. package of carrot straws, 1 diced red onion, and 1 diced pepper. I do not cut the tomatoes, (which is why I use the tiny grape ones) This keeps it from getting soggy. Then through-out the week I can measure out 2 cups of the " base salad", and add cheese, chicken, hard boiled egg, steak, turkey, etc...
Another great option, is the crock-pot, (slow-cooker), I make soups, stews, chili, etc....measure out one and two cup servings, and stack the containers in the freezer. (Hint: if you get your hands on some sturdy plastic bags, or better yet a Food saver system, you can freeze the soups, stews, etc, in the bags, then just toss them in boiling water.)...
That's just a couple ideas...there is a saying...."Failing to plan, is planning to fail"....so yes I plan!
Hope I gave you something you can use.

KenosFeoh

I suck at planning. I walk into the kitchen and think "hmmmm, what have we here?"

mwooderson

I found that I usually do really well on breakfast and lunch but would go home at night and just eat everything in sight. I started planning my supper meals on Sunday and then I would do my grocery shopping to get everything I need for the week. It helps me immensely to know what I am going to eat each night. I stay on track more and it's less stressful if I don't have to run to the grocery store after work to buy something to make for supper.

This exact plan has been a key to success for me as well. Knowing what I am having for dinner and it is planned and ready helps when you hit the door in full hunger mode. No unneccessary snacking because you are fully prepped to get dinner ready fast! BTW, my downfall several years ago was eating out too much. You can choose wisely in a restaurant but you are still way way way better off preparing and eating your own food at home.

BamBam125

Do you plan a day, week, month?

Usually I plan about a week ahead, but we have food stuffs for further than that (pantry and freezer), they just don't have a planned date of consumption yet.

Do you plan out all meals and all snacks? Do you plan a certain number of calories for each meal?

Usually just dinner, and sometimes that "plan" is just a basic--Mon Chicken, Tues Fish, Wed Out and About, Thursday Leftovers, Fri--Company possible Option A or B, etc

We're more likely to plan out breakfast and lunch on weekends or to pencil in options if we expect to have company to entertain.

I take a lunch to work each day. I usually pack it the morning of or the night before. It's usually left over or a Hodge podge of sliced veggies, hummus or something else to dip with, and a sandwich or lean cuisine. When I didn't pre-pack a lunch, I get a salad made at Publix on the way to work and have them put the dressing in a cup on the side.

Also, do you plan to have a meal out or do you just work it in your plan when the opportunity arises. Say your spouse comes home and says "lets go out to eat". Or your sister calls and asks to go to lunch. Do you tell them NO because it's not on the plan, or do you go and just make it work?

Usually we just bump the menu plan to fit the situation. If I had planned to cook today and eat out tomorrow then I'll just swap them. The plan usually has some wiggle room in it. For example a day marked "left overs" can be easily deleted because I'll just take the leftovers for lunch instead.

I'm just curious about the HOW of how people do this. I think that's always been my problem. I've never preplanned dinner even. Because it never fails that I'll set something out to thaw and 1) we'll decide to go out to eat instead or 2) whatever I set out will be the LAST thing I'm in the mood for.

Yeah I know that feeling. BUT we just bought a house and planning saves money AND my waistline, so we do our best to stick with it. I think Hubby also enjoys knowing what to expect and what day's he's responsible for.

I need to change the way I think about food. I can't keep living by "what I'm in the mood for". I need to view food as nutrition.

I think that's why we don't write our plan in stone. It has room for a little wiggling--Aka Tonight is Chicken... we planned to grill it but you know I think I was to made fajitas instead... etc. Or, How about we save chicken for tomorrow and tonight have that fish?

How you shop matters too.
Our routine is best for us in the summer:
Saturday AM--farmer's markets "Hey look Eggplants are in season!" "Oohh, tomatoes look good--cheap too."
Saturday Afternoon--Grocery store--We discuss plan possibilities as we shop. "How about I get breadcrumbs since we're almost out and on Monday we'll have eggplant parmessan. We have cheese and sauce already."
Sunday Noonish--Sam's club if applicable. We get frozen fish and chicken, some veggies--especially frozen stir fry, etc. Plus razors and products are often cheaper in bulk.
Sunday Afternoon--Write down the plan on the marker board in the kitchen
Tues-Wednesday-Grocery store again if applicable as the new sales flier is out.

As for MFP, I fill that out in the AM, after I've packed lunch and as I'm eating breakfast (cereal, yogurt, fruit, or a glass of chocolate soy milk). That way I know if I have room for a snack or if I need to plan on skipping the pasta with dinner and just having veggies as a side instead. It doesn't affect the plan for hubby, but it's good for me to know where I stand for the day.