Meal Planning for Your Health

Meal planning is a useful tool to have in your healthy lifestyle toolbox. It consists of writing down meal options to assist in grocery shopping and weekly food preparation.
 
Meal planning can help increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in our diets and reduce intake of added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.
 
How to Start Meal Planning:

Choose a guide to help organize your meals

• Create your own or find a meal planning template online.

Need help? Try this one to help plan weekly meals (this one focuses on planning dinner).

Check your fridge, freezer, and pantry for items to incorporate in your weekly plan

• Look in your fridge for perishable foods that you need to use up.
• Consider frozen items (like frozen chicken breast) and canned items (like beans).

Get inspired and make a menu 

• Use online sources to help create a menu you'll look forward to - check out this registered dietitian resource for recipe ideas (this one is also great for families).
• Think about what you can prepare ahead of time or use as leftovers for the next meal.  Ideas include:

1. Overnight oats with nuts and berries 
2. Grain bowl using dinner leftovers (click here for suggestions)
3. Turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread with a piece of fruit (click here for more sandwich ideas)

Feeling overwhelmed? Start by selecting a protein (like peanut butter, eggs, beans, or chicken); grain (like oatmeal, whole wheat tortilla, or quinoa); and fruit or vegetable.

Time to grocery shop

• Once you have outlined a menu, compare the ingredients with those in your pantry to streamline your grocery list and shop efficiently.

REFERENCES:
Gordon, Barbara. 3 Strategies for Successful Meal Planning. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Reviewed August 2022. Accessed October 3, 2022.
U.S. Department of Agricultural and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Accessed October 2022.   

By Taylor Klein, MGH Dietetic Intern