Writing food plans – an easy way to eat more healthily

“Being organized and staying one step ahead makes it so much easier to eat delicious and healthy food. It may sound boring, but it has real benefits in terms of commitment, time, and money.”

One of my most important habits for eating healthily and one which I’d really recommend is writing a food plan for the week. It seemed a bit boring before I started doing it, but I discovered that it’s a simple and effective way to minimise the risk of ending up with an empty fridge and a family of hungry mouths to feed. Or buying food on an empty stomach and letting impulse take over.  By having the food at home that I want to eat, it becomes easier to eat good, fresh food at regular times. Your chances of pleasing everyone are greater, and there’s less temptation to start snacking. In addition, you reduce your food waste substantially, which is kinder to the environment and kinder to your wallet. If you eat a lot of fruit and veg, it’s nice to be able to plan as these don’t always have a long shelf life and can go bad before you’ve had the chance to use them. Annual food waste is breathtaking. This is something that we can all help to reduce through better planning and by using up leftovers. What’s more, you can save money, too.

Have the food at home that you want to eat

It’s a good idea to keep a stock of basic goods for a couple of different breakfasts and lunches if you eat at home. This has become the norm since the onset of the coronavirus, with many people now working from home. I always have what I need for a porridge or yoghurt-based breakfast at home, with different types of fruits and berries. And then I keep lunch foods like eggs, bread, peanut butter, and a variety of veggies. There’s always food at home to cobble a meal together using basic goods, if push comes to shove, so these items are easy to tick off the weekly grocery list. I then make a specific list for dinners and fruit and veg. As for me, I buy what I need for Monday to Thursday, and then for Friday to Sunday once I know what my plans for the weekend are. This saves time and effort. It’s also easy to go back to previous lists for inspiration. It doesn’t take long to write a grocery list, but it can save a lot of time during the week, as some of the preparation can be done beforehand on a stressful day. For example, you can make a double batch and freeze one portion to eat another day. And the leftovers from one day can easily be used for lunch or dinner the day after.

Differentiate between the everyday and special days

The basic idea is that Monday to Thursday are the days for healthy, filling, and delicious food, while Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are a little more special, with things like a homemade dessert, something from the bakery, pizza, or the like. This also makes the days at the end of the week feel special because we really look forward to them, not least the kids. It’s especially fun when the kids come up with a recipe they’ve found and want to try it out at the weekend.

Good basics to always keep at home include:

Yoghurt

Eggs

Oats

Muesli/granola

Almonds and different types of nuts

Peanut butter

Lemons/limes

Garlic

Dried spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, and paprika

Canned tomatoes/tomato sauce

Frozen berries

Frozen green peas

Dried chickpeas and lentils, as well as various canned beans

Wholemeal pasta and wholemeal rice

Quinoa

Honey

Olive oil

Rapeseed oil

Raisins

Dark 70% chocolate

My advice:

If you don’t already make food plans, it’s really worth giving it a try. Keep it simple and find a structure that fits with your lifestyle and enables you to keep one step ahead. And find one or two dishes that can always be made easily using basic ingredients that you always keep at home.