Meal planning is one of the cornerstones of what I do as a private chef, because I’m planning weekly meals for clients; but on the homefront meal planning has saved my ass countless times.
Case in point…
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When I was sick as a dog and could barely move.
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The week when I was filming DNA Dinners (my episode airing in the Spring!)
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The week when laziness prevailed.
In all of these instances having done the meal planning and prep meant that I ate well, despite life getting in the way. And this, THIS, is why we meal plan.
But the thing about meal planning is it’s often rife with overwhelm and unrealized expectations, but I believe this is because people don’t know where to start.
Top Three Tips for Successful Meal Planning
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Know thyself. Know thy whims. Know thy skill level. And be honest about juuuust how much time you want to spend meal planning and prepping. Meet yourself at your absolute lowest; this is not the time for over ambition.
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Clean and Organize your kitchen. I’ve not once met someone who was able to successfully meal plan and prep in a cluttered kitchen, so do yourself and this endeavour a favour and tidy and organize.
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Know what to prep and when. Honestly, we waste so much food in North America, and I don’t say this to shame you- I’m guilty of it too; but this is attributed to the stuff in the back of the pantry that never gets seen and thus thrown out; or it’s the slimy cucumber at the bottom of the crisper that you just missed. Knowing what to prep and when will save you money- trust me.
Meal Planning Made Easy Cheat Sheet
I know I keep saying it, but here goes…I plan a lot meals, some would even call me an expert- so I KNOW of what I speak; which is why I created this cheat sheet for you.
This Meal Planning Made Easy Cheat Sheet is a day-by-day, week-by-week guide to help you take the guesswork out of consistent meal planning.
