Whether you are cooking for one or a whole family, preparing healthy weeknight dinners after work can be a challenge, particularly as we edge towards the end of the week when we’re tired.
According to Australian dietitian Melanie McGrice and Katrina Springer, a mother-of-three and the founder of The Organised Housewife, the key is a weekly meal planner.
They said a quick and nutritious meal plan for your family each week can not only save time but money too. It can also help you stay on track with a more nutritionally balanced diet, said Ms McGrice.
‘Everyone in our culture is so busy today and temptation is lurking at our fingertips; unless people plan ahead, we fall into the temptation of fast food,’ explains Ms McGrice.
Dietitian Melanie McGrice (pictured) said because everyone is so busy, we should be meal planning more regularly
‘They say ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ and that is definitely true when it comes to food. You’ll be much more likely to be tempted by expensive, quick and easy high kilojoule foods if you’re not organised,’ she told FEMAIL.
On her website, Mrs Springer said meal planning helps her stick to a budget and takes the stress out of cooking.
‘I know if I didn’t meal plan each week I would waste far too much money on groceries, buying food that I don’t necessarily need and go a little crazy at five o’clock dinner preparation time with wondering what I can cook,’ she said.
‘You’ll be much more likely to be tempted by expensive, quick and easy high kilojoule foods if you’re not organised,’ said dietitian Melanie McGrice
‘Ultimately by planning ahead I can create healthy meals, stay within our grocery budget, eliminate the ‘let’s just get takeaway’ mood and by knowing ahead of time what I am cooking gives me a good indication of what time I need to start dinner.’
Mrs Springer said she does a substantial grocery shop, before organising all of her family’s meals on the weekend.
‘To start meal planning I sit down on a Saturday or Sunday morning before the rest of the family wake up sip my coffee and browse through the specials and magazines to get some inspiration,’ she said.
‘Make double meals so you don’t have to cook the following night, or you could place a meal in the freezer for a busy night the following week,’ she added.
Gold Coast mother-of-three, Katrina Springer, said she organises all of her family’s meals on the weekend
The Gold Coast mum also recommends making a double batch of potato mash so you can use it for meat and vegetable nights or for leftovers on a Shepherd’s pie.
‘Save yourself time, this is the beauty of meal planning,’ she said.
Dietitian Melanie McGrice (pictured) said salads should be made fresh as they can’t be frozen
Ms McGrice, who has created a meal planner, said variety in your diet is important to ensure you’re receiving all the essential nutrients.
‘I always recommend my ‘rule of 3’s’: three red meat meals, three fish meals and three vegetarian meals,’ she said.
‘If you organise a base meal plan, you can then just tweak it each week to add variety.’
‘Salads don’t freeze well so be prepared to make these fresh.’
Research shows that meal prepping can be beneficial for those trying to keep their weight under control because you decide the ingredients and portions sizes.
‘Once you have your basic weekly plan, it’s much easier to think of new ideas than when you’re staring at an empty fridge wondering what to have for dinner,’ Ms Grice said.
‘I’m sure that it will help you feel more organised, healthier and less stressed.’