Plan Your Meals in Advance

The key to meal planning is obviously planning your meals ahead of time. Unfortunately, many parents come home each night, ready to cook a easy dinner and have absolutely no idea what to make. With your family getting hungry and a little cranky, most families give up and drive to the nearest fast food or casual dining establishment. If you want to make sure that you stay home for dinner and that you and your family are all eating healthy, you must plan ahead.

Usually, the best way to organize your meals is to plan them out a week ahead of time. Determine a budget, determine which foods you and your family would like to eat, add in some of your family’s favorites and then create a shopping list. One of the best ways to meal plan is to make a calendar. Start out with a main dish for each night and then add in a side dish, desert and soup/salad.

Main Dish
Main dishes are obviously an awesome place to start. Usually the majority of main dishes consist of protein such as poultry, beef, pork or fish. Any one of these make a great option and by changing it around during the week, your family won’t be bored and you can please almost everyone’s favorite foods. For families that are trying to lose weight or have a history of disease such as heart disease and diabetes, the main dish is the main area you should focus on creating meals that fit your dietary requirements and lifestyle. You can easily choose lean meats, choose to eat more fish and for vegetarian eaters, substitute meat dishes with soy and main vegetable dishes.

Side Dishes
Side dishes are very critical to planning meals. This is your best chance to introduce vegetables into your family’s diet. Be sure you have at least one vegetable in the rotation each night. For best results two or more types of vegetables each meal is optimal.

Soup & Salad
For those watching your weight, a soup or salad is an ideal option to fill up in the beginning of the meal and enjoy smaller main dish portions later on. Soups are excellent during the winter months when the weather is cold outside and salads are an awesome way to get a healthy blend of fresh seasonal fruits or vegetables.

Desserts
If you are trying to get everyone to stay until the end of the meal, desserts are your best bet. Yummy desserts are very popular; you can also choose healthy fare such as fruit salads, fruit smoothies, and Jell-o.

For those looking to save time and money throughout the month on meals, your best option is through meal planning.

For a free meal planning worksheet and shopping list check out http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/ShoppingList.pdf

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

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