Meal planning tools?

nrheasley
nrheasley Posts: 78 Member
edited November 7 in Food and Nutrition
I would really like to start planning the majority of my meals for the week in order to better pace my calorie consumption and manage my nutrition goals. Does anyone know of any meal planning tools, such as apps, that may help me do that? I'm trying to find ones that will let me enter foods I like and create meal plans for me from that. Thanks!

Replies

  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I just use MFP for my meal planning.
  • nrheasley
    nrheasley Posts: 78 Member
    I do too, but I would like some more variety. I find myself eating the same stuff every day. I feel like a generator might help me add variety to my diet, help me plan more long term (like weekly instead of daily), and help me plan my shopping trips better.
  • Megatwin07
    Megatwin07 Posts: 7 Member
    I use a meal planning service called Emeals. They have a variety of different types of meal plans. They also include a grocery list. You can usually find a Groupon for them as well. When logging, I just use the recipe builder to get the calorie count if it is not there.

    It has helped me alot because I dont have the time to sit down and plan, and it adds quite a variety!

    Also, I just started using Once a Month Meals which are a monthish worth of cooking in one day and freezing them. So far, I have loved it! Plus they have breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    Just a couple of options :)
  • them_and_me
    them_and_me Posts: 60 Member
    Give this a whirl?

    http://www.eatthismuch.com/
  • tehboxingkitteh
    tehboxingkitteh Posts: 1,574 Member
    Look for friends with open diaries, for posts about open diaries, or there's plenty of recipes on the boards for ideas.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1260521-friends-with-open-diaries?hl=open+diary

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1252736-calling-everyone-with-open-diaries?hl=open+diary

    I get a lot of my meal ideas from lurking through diaries, the recipe posts, my cook book, and pinterest. I just use a spreadsheet to make my grocery list.

    ETA I have an open diary, but have only been back for the last few days. Feel free to check mine out.
  • nrheasley
    nrheasley Posts: 78 Member
    Great ideas! Thank you, all!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Bumping this thread because I was discussing this topic this morning with my friends list. I am looking for an app or website to use - not so much for the calorie tracking, that's what I use MFP for - but just for the selection of meals from various options to help keep me organized. Bonus points if it would help me make a grocery list as well.

    I have about a gazillion Pinterest recipes, a Recipe Box on AllRecipes, and have also used PepperPlate in the past. I know there are lots of handy meal planning tools out there, but I am always put off by the daunting task of entering the recipes/meals in the first place. Just wondering if anyone knows of any good apps or tools that aren't so clunky to get started. I'd even think it was cool if some site could randomly spit out meal suggestions from recipes I have saved - I am open to trying new things but usually I time out before finding a weeks worth of things to make.

    I also was wondering if there are any Meal Planning groups on MFP? I agree with the suggestions above about perusing open diaries, and I do that, but if there was a group of people who wanted to share their weekly meal plans (dinners is what I'm really concerned with) and maybe we could flag things like "Freezer Meal" or "Kid Friendly" or something like that, to give people ideas? I'm considering starting a group, but wanted to find a good tool for myself first before subjecting others to my random meal planning disorganization...
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
    I have set up a board on Pintrest. I like how you can search meal ideas based on what you want to eat and lower cal versions...etc.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    http://www.plantoeat.com/

    I just started using Plan to Eat. So far I like it. You can add in recipes you find around the web or add your own, then pop them in the planner and it will give you a shopping list.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Eating well has preset meal plans for different calorie levels and restrictions but also has a build you own also. It can get cumbersome though. I actually use a paper week planner and write it out the old fashion way and post on my fridge.
  • cjohn2278
    cjohn2278 Posts: 65 Member
    Bump....want to check out some of these websites when I get home
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    Find out your required macro nutrients, eat whatever you want that fits them.
  • lauraedu
    lauraedu Posts: 24 Member
    bump
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