One of life’s greatest joys is cooking and exploring healthy foods, especially when family or friends are in the kitchen, too. Every meal, simple or elaborate, involves planning to some degree. When we’re too busy to plan a meal, we find ourselves randomly choosing foods that are fast or convenient, rather than economical and healthy.

Meal prep includes a variety of tasks to save time including batch cooking and freezing, pre-portioning meals, and preparing ingredients in advance.

Once in the habit, planning a meal can be just as pleasurable as sitting at the table to enjoy your meal.

Life moves expectedly and fast. Maybe it’s dinner time and you’ve opened the refrigerator to find a few choices. Or maybe shopping is a weekly challenge. Either way, real challenges prevent us from keeping a meal-prep routine. On the other hand, the benefits to planning are real and lasting. Let’s look at how planning ahead helps.

• Greater focus on healthier foods
• Creating more variety in a meal
• Spending less money on food
• Less time spent grocery shopping and cooking
• Preventing stress and anxiety

Understanding a few simple strategies can go a long way in the kitchen when thinking about planning a meal. If any of these steps are a challenge due to lack of transportation or limited budget, talk to a loved one or visit your primary care doctor if losing weight or poor diet has become a problem.

Spend time taking inventory of the refrigerator or pantry. Are the ingredients basic enough to make a meal? By having basic ingredients from the five food groups on hand, you’ll discover meal prep becomes much more versatile. Be sure to stock up on:

• Vegetables
• Protein
• Fruits and nuts
• Grains
• Milk and dairy

Make it visible. Keep your grocery list in an area that is easy to see and quickly accessible. You can keep a list on your fridge, on a board in your kitchen or on your mobile phone.

Sort by market or store section. Organize your list by department  to help you and save time while grocery shopping. You can even sort your list by market if you shop at different stores for certain items.

Update as you go. Keep your grocery list up to date by writing it as  you find things you need. Try to avoid rushing   and compiling a list right before heading to the grocery store to help prevent forgetting items.

Start by listing your daily meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Plan by the week or month, whichever fits your schedule best. If this feels like too much, start small and plan one meal each day. Make meal planning fun by creating a themed week like Italian or Mexican.

• Research recipes for new ideas and inspiration
• Choose simple recipes for the busier days
• Explore and try new recipes when you have more time
• Cook more and plan to use leftovers

Think about these tips and tricks to save time while preparing food.

• Stick to a routine
  
• Organize your kitchen for quick and easy use
• Prioritize cooking times
• Change up your cooking methods
• Clean as you cook
• Find ways to have fun! Play music, grow herbs, or invite friends

When cooking and storing meals, it’s important to know how to safely manage your food to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Follow these 4 basic rules for food safety:

• Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate. Do not cross-contaminate foods.
• Cook. Cook food to a safe internal temperature
• Chill. Refrigerate food quickly

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Veterans Services Organizations

Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

Feeding America Network of Food Banks

Meals on Wheels

USDA National Hunger Hotline

1-866-348-6479 (TTY: 711)

7 a.m. – 10 p.m. EST  

Eldercare and Area Agencies on Aging

 1-800-677-1116 (TTY: 711)

Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST

If you’d like to learn more about health living and senior nutrition, visit our CenterWell Online Programs library and enjoy a wide variety of videos.

Sources:

Food Insecurity Screening/Referral Toolkit

Health benefits of meal planning

The Core Four Practices

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Make a Plan

Safe Food Handling and Preparation