Forward Planning MEALS
Where and how to start
Meals
Check what food you have in so that you avoid buying in food what you don’t need.
Allow yourself some time every week – 15 mins- 30 mins in order to plan what you are going to cook and therefore what you will need to buy.
Go to the library and hire some recipe books (there’s lots) or look through the ones you have gathering dust on the book shelf.
What to include?
Protein aim to have meals that are ideally 20-30 g of protein but if by adding some chick peas you can bump up what’s you have planned then try to think about including more to recipes that are lower than that.
We should be eating 5 portions of fruit and veg a day so check to see if there’s some colour on your plate – try and avoid a plate of beige.
Avoid high saturated fats – so if your recipe needs mince buy in lean steak mince 5% or use turkey mince, limit fatty cuts of meat and if cooking fattier meats such as bacon, cut off the fat or buy medallions and grill rather than fry.
I know you know that dominoes is going to hold more calories to your home made pizza or that your curry will be more than likely cheaper than for you to make than to buy one from the takeaway, if you cook too much you can also freeze and then use again at a later date or take to work the following day (make sure meat is piping hot if your re warming)
Add in foods you enjoy – if you search high protein curry then one with lentils or lean meat will pop up, or search healthy curry and you might see a korma that uses yogurt rather than cream and ghee. 99 % of us know the healthy options that we can replace foods with
Air fry rather than deep fat fry
Wholemeal pasta rather than white etc
We often don’t stick to diets because we think its about restricting foods rather than making little swaps.
if you make a meal and it contains 600 cals rather than 800 and fat loss if your goal that’s a win, if you can include 12 G protein rather than 8 g then that’s a win – stop thinking because its not 200 cals with 30 g of protein its a fail (yes that’s impossible! 😂)
Look in the fridge, what’s close to the sell by date? When your cooking food check what you need to use the following day, or write down on a food weekly diary/blackboard.
Can you add in yesterdays food? left over veggies brought for a recipie you had the night before in a omelette or add left over meat to a stir fry…(eat leftovers within 2-3 days)
Or cook twice what you need and freeze it, a lasagna or pasta bake in the freezer for when ur off colour can be a lifesaver
Start off one recipe book, many chefs tend to use similar ingredients and these can become staples eg – pinch of nom.
here’s a few some of mine
ASAIN / WORLD FOODS
SOY SAUCE – LIGHT AND DARK
OYSTER SAUCE
FISH SAUCE
MIRIN
SESAME OIL
RICE VINEGAR
HOISIN SAUCE
SRIRACHA CHILLI SAUCE
LIGHT COCONUT MILK
Everyday cooking
Worcestershire sauce
Tomato puree
Tinned tomatoes
beans
tinned veg – sweetcorn, peas whatever you like
stock cubes
chick peas
tinned tomatoes
honey
olive oil
packets –
rice
lentils
pasta
cous cous
noodles
vinegar -red white and balsamic
herbs
basil
smoked paprika
chilli
cumin
cinamon
five spice
curry powder/garam masala
coriander
oregano
turmeric
misc
Oats
Plain flour and self raising
nuts seeds – add crunch and protein to yogurts salads etc
peanut butter
micro rice – take to work or have as a day option
local fruit and veg – dont forget garlic and ginger!
frozen fruit and veg
Plan some meals
Buy what you need
be adventurous and try and cook some simple meals using simple ingredients
TOP TIP
Invest in something like this
B x