planning meals for the week. anyone doing that?

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balloongirlagain
balloongirlagain Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
hi there. i was wondering if anyone plans their meals for the week and would you say that makes things easier/more manageable for you? it's a big deal for me as i'm a working mum and end up eating all sorts of rubbish because i'm constantly running around. so was thinking perhaps planning would make all the difference as i would know exactly what i'm eating and when. is that doable do you think? thanks
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Replies

  • maureenec
    maureenec Posts: 34 Member
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    I'm a working mom also, and I've found meal planning to be a big help. Here's what I do:
    On Saturday morning, I look at the Skinnytaste blog to get some ideas for meals for the week. I write down everything I'll need from the grocery store and I shop on Saturday afternoon. I will freeze foods if I'm not sure which day they'll work into the menu. Every three or four weeks, I'll hit Trader Joes to stock up on frozen "emergency" meals and side dishes, so that even if my plan doesn't work out, I don't have to scramble and I never, ever have the need to just grab something yucky.

    I also post the plan on the fridge so I'm accountable. Last week was (Edited to add that I tried to just remember which is stupid cause I have my diary & discovered I mixed up days and meals, but you get the idea):
    Monday - grilled chicken breast, roasted potatoes, veg
    Tuesday - Greek style turkey meatballs on flat out bread with skinny tzatziki sauce & basmati rice with edamame
    Wednesday - I had a meeting so we all ate leftovers or something frozen
    Thursday - chicken sausage with low fat pesto on penne and a salad
    Friday - buffalo chicken lettuce wraps with garlic and parmesan potatoes
    Saturday - tonight- we're making chili
    Sunday - tomorrow- lots of dips and junk for a football party (oh well, so much for my good week)

    Hope that helps! I've found meal planning to be a major bonus for my family's health.
  • Nina2503
    Nina2503 Posts: 172 Member
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    Definatley! I work a rough 7 day plan and make sure I have the food in. i may need to nip out and to top up in the week on real fresh sutff that doesnt keep but I believe if you fail to plan you plan to fail. I am not rigid as in I will eat this on Monday etc but I know from experience how many times I didnt have breakfast to find myself runnig to the vending machines to get something and our vding machines at work are full of chocolae bars and crisps)

    Planning seems like a hard chore but really 20 or 30 mins once a week is a lot less stressful than spending time kicking myself for eating rubbish when I failed to plan. I think of it as 'investing' in myself!
  • NyimaR
    NyimaR Posts: 108 Member
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    I do! It makes the shopping easier as I don't have to keep popping out for things mid-week and I'm not throwing as much away that I haven't used.
  • CyeRyn
    CyeRyn Posts: 389 Member
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    The only reason I don't plan my meals is because it gives me an excuse to walk to the grocery store (40min of cardio) so for me it encourages me to get out more. Sad but true.. especially true in winter. I do however try to plan a couple nights in a row if that counts.
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
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    I make a rough plan of what I'm going to have so know shat I have to buy or prepare. As I've been doing it so long its good because I can plan my bad stuff in too, so I don't really NEED to have cheat days I eat cake most days lol
  • charl2712
    charl2712 Posts: 38 Member
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    I've actually been doing this for the last 2 weeks and I have dropped alot more weight in these 2 weeks, then I did when I wasn't. It really helps me to stay focussed by planning my meals and stop me from being tempted by that "bit of chocolate" that I'm being offered when at work, as I know that I don't have enough calories. So it definitely works for me!
  • jaimeteague
    jaimeteague Posts: 95 Member
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    I always plan, put the plan on the fridge and pretty much stick to it. It takes me about 30 minutes, but then I'm never thinking "what shall I cook tonight" which can be an advantage with 3 kids saying "mum, mum, mum" lol
  • HelenDootson
    HelenDootson Posts: 443 Member
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    As a working mum of two, planning meals is the only way I don't stray - Don't throw food away either so saves my waistline and my purse
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Totally doable! Microsoft word has a "menu planner" in their templates (2008 version for MAC) but I'm sure you can find one online.
  • Graceious1
    Graceious1 Posts: 716 Member
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    I'm a working mum too and I tend to plan for a couple of days in advance. I always have nutritious food in the house that I can fling together in an instant. My son is 7 and he is an influence when it comes to meal planning because he tends to eat lots of veg and likes fish.
  • GeekyGoddess
    GeekyGoddess Posts: 119
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    I always plan out my week and shop on Sunday. I try and cook something on Sunday night that will feed us (there are only 2 of us) for a few nights during the week also. I also live by the motto if you fail to plan you plan to fail. I'm trying to save money for a new car, so doing this is helping a lot. Also, with planning and shopping I have stared using these things called coupons and guess what, they save you even more money lol! (sarcasm in case someone actually thinks I don't know what coupons are).
  • januadiaboli
    januadiaboli Posts: 117 Member
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    I plan out most of our meals well in advance, although I don't always make them on the day I had them scheduled for ... depends on what's happening and how much time I have. I buy most of my groceries for the week on the weekend (just came back from the city where we hit the farmers' market, organic food store, and our favourite butcher), but do leave highly perishable items to be picked up on the way home.

    I also tend to cook ahead a bit ... I know that Wednesday is going to be crazy, so I put together homemade soup this morning, then will freeze it and defrost it Wednesday morning. With two small boys, two jobs, and my husband out of town a lot for work, I find we need a bit of structure or we'd end up eating macaroni and hot dogs way too often.
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I used to plan for the week. I didn't have a set meals for each day but I'd make sure to have a variety of dinners planned to make and all the groceries to make each one. Then each night I'd plan for the next day, most often lunch was leftovers and breakfasts are just cereal etc so really I needed to buy stuff for 7 dinners and stick to the plan.

    It was easier to stay on track with eating and on budget. I kinda fell off track with this but slowly I am starting to do it again. I can usually shave 200$ a month off my grocery bill by doing the meal plans.
  • marysue1965
    marysue1965 Posts: 63 Member
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    good for you, i also plan my meals & snacks, usually by the day, but for the week would probably save me some time, i beleive its very doable if we discipline ourselves. Keep up the good work.
  • tvanhooser
    tvanhooser Posts: 326 Member
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    Yes, I do make a list of what to have for dinner, as well as flexible quick breakfast and lunch options. I use that to make my shopping list. That way if I am trying any new recipes, I can enter them into the recipe calculator for quick calculations on how it will affect my numbers for the day or make any adjustments to the original recipe to make it healthier for my purposes such as use fat-free sour cream, low-fat milk, lite mayo or unsalted butter or remove any unnecessary added salt, use whole wheat breads and flours and so on. So I can make classic family faves without completely blowing my diet plan. Then I have the recipes saved for future reference for quick adds to any meal. At this point 3 1/2 months into MFP, I have enough of our common recipes saved that it saves time in planning meals for the family that will also fit my diet plan because I don't have time to cook twice and if it's good for me, then it's good for them too even if they aren't needing to watch their calories as closely as I am. The whole family benefits from the healthier choices that come from meal planning.
  • davidjohnb17
    davidjohnb17 Posts: 36 Member
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    I tried it but it just didn't work for me. I found myself wanting things that weren't allocated for that day so gave up. Unless you are severely pushed for time everyday or are just a super organised person I don't see how planning meals in advance will help. You can't know what you feel like eating a week in advance. I had a friend that did it aswel and stuck with it and she became super annoying and wouldn't come out for meals with us incase she couldn't order what she had planned for that day and it's like your bodies not gonna punish you by going "NO! That soup was for friday you B!tch! Right i'm adding a pound on"
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    I plan my day, but not my week. It's just me and my bf, no kids. I add everything to my diary in the morning, and if I don't eat something I've added, I just delete it.
  • CindyLHare66
    CindyLHare66 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have been a working mom my whole life so I know what the struggles are. I recently opted to stay home and raise my second family of which are only 16 months apart, the oldest are in college.

    Soooooo I dont have alot of time to think about meals with two little ones hanging on me needing my time. Feels like I had more time when I worked...LOL. Anyway, what I have found works is buying in bulk the frozen items that are so time consuming to add to your meal but make it REALLY good. Love the 3 pepper and onion frozen veggies, also broccoli and cauliflower, asparagus. I have a steamer or I roast them in the oven and I always make extra and store in the fridge.

    I buy individually frozen chicken breast and fish fillets to keep things easy. I keep things on hand that are fast. For example Jennie-o lean trukey pastrami, also fully cooked jennie-o sausage patties which I grind up in my food prcessor, throw in the pepper and onion mix and viola, omelette filling in a flash. I have individually frozen 4-5 oz steaks as well.I buy all that in bulk from a wholesale restaurant food service supply. Therefore the only things I need to shop for on a regular basis are the perishables. I plan each day ahead, cause I find it hard to plan the whole week. But with everything I keep on hand, theres enough to get thru each week and then some.
    Planning has been key for me. I recenly started planning all three meals for the next day and that has helped me not go over my goal. Also been implementing a 1200-1500 rotation plan concentration on 40 30 30. It has been a huge eye opener!
    Good luck!
  • Leeannboswell
    Leeannboswell Posts: 63
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    Hey that's a great idea! I'm going to check out the online versions of menu planner! Thanks
  • JlenniferL
    JlenniferL Posts: 48 Member
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    Plan out meals ahead of time. My hubby & I are using this app and have been successful losing weight. Shop on Saturday for what meals we are eating during the week. 2 days a week (work days) we have a salad in our lunch. Have eaten far more fruit & veggies since using this diet. I have cut back on the sugar and eliminated soft drinks all together. So planning is a good idea.:smile:

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