What you need to know...
Pick a day of the week to shop and prep
These don't need to be the same day, but each step of the process takes at least an hour. Beginner meal planners can expect shopping and prepping to take between 2-3 hours.
Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store
Organize your list by macro group
Organize your ingredients by recipe
This will help you quickly move through the grocery store as your list will be organized with everything in the same area of the store. Craft the following categories in your grocery list. Fruits/veggies, carbohydrates, proteins and fats/other items.
Spending most of you time around the perimeter of the store will also help you move quickly as well as reduce the likelihood of 'impulse' purchases.
When prepping your meal preps, organize your ingredients by each recipe you're preparing. This will make your meal planning more efficient and help you organize your space.
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Meal planning might seem like a daunting task, but it can actually be a breeze once you get some practice. By organizing your meals ahead of time, you can save time, money, and stress. Try these tips to streamline the steps of shopping and prepping your meal preps.
Planning and building your grocery list
The first step in meal planning is deciding what you want to eat for the week. Picking your menu can depend on a lot of factors, here are some questions to consider when deciding what to eat.
Do you have busy days where you’ll need quick meals? Or will there be time for more elaborate recipes? Make a list of your meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After you've come up with an initial plan, check what ingredients you already have in your pantry and fridge. This can prevent duplicate buys and waste. Then you can craft the list of ingredients you'll need when you go grocery shopping.
The grocery list
As you build your grocery list, organize it into macronutrient categories to streamline your shopping time. Here is an example of the categories to include on your list.
Fruits and Vegetables: Include all fresh, frozen and shelf-stable fruits and veggies.
Proteins: Include all plant-based and animal proteins.
Carbohydrates: Include grains like pasta, rice, quinoa, bread and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.
Fats and other: Include fats like oils, butter, nuts, seeds and any other foods that don't fit into your meal planning macro groups (like paper products and other groceries you need to purchase).
Grocery shopping tips
Shopping can be stressful and overwhelming. Try these tips while you're at the store to help make your shopping experience fast and reduce impulse purchasing. A majority of these tips are adapted from Slim by Design by Brian Wansink if you're looking to learn more about how our environment impacts what we eat and buy.
Don't shop when hungry: This one may seem like a no-brainer, but if we shop when hungry, we tend to make more impulse purchases.
Compartmentalize your shopping cart: Use either a two tier cart or place the 'healthier' items closest to you in the cart. This will help you subconsciously choose healthier options.
Shop the produce department first: The longer you spend shopping in an area, the more you buy. Spending more time in the areas of the store with healthier items, helps you purchase more of these items.
Stick to the perimeter of the store: Similar to the concept of shopping the produce department first, the perimeter of the store is typically where less processed foods are.
Tips for picking produce: When shopping for fruits and vegetables, look for vivid colors and firm textures. Seasonal produce is often fresher and more affordable.
Tips for picking meats and dairy: Do your research and don't be swayed by label claims. When it comes to dairy, the percentage outlined on labels refers to the fat content only, it does not impact the protein amount in the dairy product.
Tips for picking frozen and processed foods: Compare nutrition labels for fiber, sodium and added sugars. Additionally see how many ingredients are in the item, the less, the better (ideally <5 total ingredients, and ingredients you can actually spell!).
Options when shopping are important, consider trying different stores or even a farmers' market. Find a store that you like and perfect your shopping experience.
Meal prep tips
After you’ve brought home your groceries, it’s time to prep! Meal prepping can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Here are some tips for organizing your meal prep space to make this process quick and easy.
Start by washing and chopping your fruits and veggies, and consider cooking grains and proteins in bulk. Portion everything into containers for grab-and-go meals throughout the week. Remember, the goal is to make your life easier, so find a rhythm that works for you. Whether it's a few hours on Sunday or a bit each night, prepping in advance will eliminate the daily question of “What’s for dinner?”
Clean, prep and organize your groceries: Wash all your produce and organize all the ingredients for each recipe in areas by each other. This way you can target one recipe at a time to start prepping.
Layer your recipes based on cooking time: If you have something that takes a long time to make (like cooking rice or baking potatoes) start those recipes right away and set a timer. As the longer recipes cook, you can prep and cook the shorter duration recipes.
Portion recipes into single serving meal prep containers: As you finish making your recipes organize them into their respective meal prep containers so they're ready to grab and go.
