meal planning and preparation · 4. have cloth shopping bags ready in your car and handbag. 5....

©Nutrition Sustain 2019 1

MEAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION As Alan Lakein says, “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. Meal planning and preparation is one of the most powerful tools you can use to launch yourself onto a sustainable path of amazing nutrition, energy, and longevity. It really is the key when it comes to reaching your health goals and can absolutely be the make or break skill when it comes to your success. By investing in meal planning and preparation you’ll develop a weekly routine that works best for you, and you’ll be amazed at how it truly serves and saves you. You’ll save extra time to do soul-satisfying hobbies and you’ll have more money in your pocket to put towards your new set of yoga pants (you’ll wonder why you hadn’t invested in planning and prep before "#$%). PLUS you’ll be putting more nutrients into your body, have more energy, perform better at work (and in the bedroom!), and reduce your risk of chronic disease (like heart disease and diabetes). The benefits are endless!

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” ADVANTAGES TO MEAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION Planning and preparing your meals routinely, will help you to:

• Reach your health goals quicker and maintain them for longer; • Always have nutritious choices on hand, especially when you have a busy schedule; • Enjoy a wider variety of wholefoods, increasing your intake of nutrients; • Reduce the amount of processed foods you eat (that are high in added sugars and fats); • Lose body fat and maintain a healthy weight sustainably; • Save time and money by avoiding sporadic food and takeaway purchases; • Have more free time to do activities you enjoy rather than thinking of what to eat; and • Have less food wastage which is great for keeping our planet healthy too.

These are just a handful of benefits that become obvious once you start embracing meal planning and preparation. And don’t forget the other far-reaching benefits of eating well that come with time, like: having the energy to do nature walks and play your weekend tennis game, being able to keep up with the kids or grandkids (and passing on your love for food and food prep skills to them), having a better relationship with food and your body, and being in a space where you’re in control of your food choices, rather than letting outside circumstances control those choices for you. KEY STEPS TO MEAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION

1. Planning: This is where you get creative and you’ll organise your meal ideas, choose your recipes, and create your shopping list (coloured textas not optional - make it fun!). Appropriate planning saves you time, money, and precious energy.

2. Shopping: Planning allows you to complete your shopping in a timely manner, sticking to your list, checking food labels, and choosing the most nutritious foods for your body.


3. Preparation: Once you have your key food ingredients, you can chop, cook, and create delicious meals! Once your meals are prepared you can place them into containers to go into the fridge or freezer.

HOW TO STRATEGICALLY PLAN AND PREPARE MEALS Planning 1. Schedule a routine time each week for planning meals, grocery shopping, and cooking. A few

hours on a weekend morning or weekday afternoon will work well (whatever time suits best!). The key is to make this time routine, so it becomes a habit. Note: Your planning and shopping, and food preparation times can be on two different days if you wish to break it up.

2. Choose 2-3 meals for your week that are easy to pre-prepare and store in the fridge or freezer (such as a curry, pasta sauce, chilli con carne, soup, lasagne, or patties), and choose 2-3 other recipes you are happy to prepare on the day of eating (i.e. a stir-fry, or a protein with sweet potato and cooked broccolini). Make a list of all the ingredients that you require to create your chosen recipes, and also consider what extra lunch (i.e. wraps) or snack ingredients (i.e. fruit, yoghurts, or nuts) you may require for your week too.

3. A few things to keep in mind when planning your meals: • When choosing your recipes, aim to include a protein, wholegrain carbohydrates, and

lots of colourful veggies (ask your dietitian if you’re unsure). • Create a go-to recipe folder, and slowly add your favourite recipes as you go. It turns out

adulting and scrapbooking are not mutually exclusive! • When starting off, it’s best to keep your recipes easy and simple. Once you form a

routine, you’re welcome to try new and more complex recipes if desired. • The easiest way to plan lunches is to pre-pack leftovers from the night before, or use the

protein from dinner to add to a wrap and salad for the next day. • When planning, be mindful that cooked meat, chicken, or fish can only be kept in the

fridge for 3 days (in a well-sealed container), otherwise place in the freezer. 4. Check what ingredients you already have available in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Then

highlight the ingredients from your list above that you’re low on and need to purchase from your local supermarket for your recipes and snacks.


Shopping 1. Ensure you have eaten a balanced meal (or a banana) before heading out to the shops to avoid

impulse purchases! (Just because it’s on special, doesn’t mean it’s healthy or fits into your budget!)

2. Don’t forget to pack your reusable shopping bags (or keep them stored and ready-to-go in your car).

3. If you don’t have quality containers and a lunch-box at home, consider purchasing some. Quality Pyrex or BPA-free containers that are an appropriate size for meals (about a 2-3 cup volume) can be a great long-term investment.

4. When grocery shopping, stick to your shopping list! Preparation 1. Turn on your favourite music or pod cast "#$%. 2. Use your designated time to prepare your ingredients and cook your 2-3 meals. 3. Place your cooked dish (i.e. curry or pasta sauce) into individual portions (if preparing for

yourself) or large container (if preparing for a family) for easy access and refrigeration (or for freezing).

4. On the planned day, heat up pre-prepared meal (i.e. curry) and quickly prepare extras (i.e. brown rice and side salad).

5. After dinner and washing-up, pack your lunch and snacks for the following day so you can “grab and go” in the morning.

TOOLS TO MAKE PLANNING AND PREPARATION SIMPLE

1. Diary to schedule in planning, shopping, and preparation. 2. Recipe inspiration folder with your favourite quick recipes. 3. Laminated shopping list with tick boxes to save time. 4. Have cloth shopping bags ready in your car and handbag. 5. Sharpened knives and chopping boards. 6. Quality non-stick pans for easy cleaning. 7. Easy to use Pyrex or BPA-free reusable containers.

EXTRA TIPS AND HINTS

• Utilise leftovers: Make extra at dinner, you can always pack it in for lunch the next day or freeze it for later.

• Keep things simple: Have easy go-to recipes and snacks so you’re not spending hours searching the internet for new ideas.

• Choose simple preparation: Oven baking is a great ‘set and forget’ method for things like casseroles, one pot dinners, or a protein and baked veggies (just don’t forget to set a timer!).

• Frozen ingredients are super handy: Ingredients like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and capsicum can be found in the freezer section and are chopped and ready to use. Stir-fried frozen veggies and frozen spinach can be useful too! They are often cheaper than their fresh counterparts and have a similar (if not better) nutritional quality.

• Find overlap: That quinoa you’re cooking up for tonight’s dinner can also form the base of your pattie recipe or tomorrow’s morning porridge!


• Keep track of your storing times: To keep you and your family safe, label your containers (especially if your meal schedule doesn’t always go to plan) so you know your food is safe to eat. As a rule of thumb, 3 days in the fridge for cooked meats, and 4-5 days for legumes, veggies and grains.

• Have fun! Make meal planning and preparation enjoyable so you and your family can adopt healthy habits long term. We already mentioned listening to music, but you could also enlist some help from a family member, multitask and catch up on podcasts, or stick on your favourite sitcom in the background to keep you laughing. Just be sure to pay attention to those sharp knives!

Planning and preparation is - and should be - a normal part of your life, because nurturing your body with healthy foods is an honourable task and responsibility. It will take a bit more effort when you start, but as you persevere, you’ll find that your planning and preparation skills will become stronger, quick, and second nature.

“Nurturing your body with healthy foods is an

honourable task and responsibility.”


QUICK MEAL IDEAS

Everyone has experienced the unplanned dinner where you get home from a busy day, need to feed the family, and have 20 minutes to throw something together. Hold the phone, and the pizza order! The following ideas are precisely what you need for those days.

Ingredient Meal Ideas Tinned beans • Mexican Chili: Fry onion, garlic, paprika, cumin and chili

powder. Add tomato puree and tinned beans of choice. Serve over brown rice (use pre-cooked cups) or in tortillas.

• Curry: Fry onion in curry paste of your choice. Add tinned beans, vegetables, and lite coconut milk. Serve over brown rice.

• All day breakfast: Cook up baked beans, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach and serve over brown grainy bread.

Tinned tomatoes • Minestrone soup: Cook onions and lots of garlic in olive oil. Add diced potatoes, diced carrot, celery, 2x tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock and Italian herbs. Cook 10mins, then add kidney/cannellini beans, pasta shapes and zucchini, cook until pasta is al dente.

• Pasta sauce: See Pulse pasta section. Tortillas/breads

(choose brown and grainy)

• Wraps: With last night’s leftover protein, hommus, avocado, and salad veggies.

• Quesadillas: Grainy wraps with baby spinach, red onion, cheese, and 4-beans toasted in-between (use your sandwich press).

• Toasted tomato, onion, hommus/cheese, and rocket sandwiches.

• Lentil burgers: Made with a wholegrain burger bun and a cooked lentil patty, tomato sauce, hommus, grated carrot, tomato, tinned beetroot ,and lettuce. Delicious!

Pulse Pasta (pasta made with legumes, found in your regular

pasta section)

• Pasta Napolitana: Cook onion, garlic, herbs and Quorn vegetarian mince in olive oil. Stir through a jar of pre-prepared pasta sauce. Serve over cooked pulse pasta and top with basil.

• Pesto pasta: Add pesto, frozen green beans to cooked pasta. Root vegetables (sweet potato, potato, carrot, beetroot, parsnip etc)

• Warm salad: Cut root vegetables into small chunks, drizzle with olive oil and roast. Serve with mixed salad leaves and tinned lentils, dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey.

• Leek and potato soup: Cook onion, garlic, potato, and leek with olive oil. Add red lentils and stock.

• Pumpkin soup: Cook potatoes and carrot with onion, garlic, pumpkin and stock. Blend until smooth.

Frozen vegetables • Stir fry: In a wok, fry onion, garlic and ginger. Add marinated tofu, frozen stir-fry vegetables and reduced salt soy sauce. Serve over brown rice.

• Fried cous cous or rice: Fry onion. Add garlic and ground coriander. Add frozen vegetables and then egg. Prepare your cous cous with stock. Cook and mix all ingredients in pan.

S.O.S. Items • Pre-cooked rice cups, frozen lentil patties, frozen falafel, canned legumes, four bean mix, baked beans, frozen sweet potato chips, frozen vegetables/stir fry mixes.


REDUCING FOOD WASTE

Wasted food equals wasted nutrition and money. It also means extra greenhouse gases for our earth, as food in landfill ends up fermenting and producing methane, a greenhouse gas which does 20x more damage than carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming. Keep in mind all the extra resources which have been lost, like the water and fertilisers used to grow the food, and fossil fuels used for food transportation. Reducing food waste starts with intelligent planning and preparation, so that you’re using up the last of the veggies in the fridge before they start to go off. Here are some extra tips on how to reduce food wastage, and what you can do with any excess food you may have.

• Follow the top tips and expert advice in this document!! • Shelf life: Choose foods with a long shelf life if you’re unsure when you’ll be cooking them,

such as tinned legumes or frozen vegetables. • Revisit the dates on the packaging: “Best before” means it can still be safely eaten after this

date. You can push the boundaries here! “Use by” means it needs to be consumed on or before that date and cannot be touched within a ten-foot pole afterwards.

• Store foods correctly: Use the correct sections of your fridge, such as the vegetable crisper drawers, and seal foods in containers instead of open to the air where they decay faster.

• Freeze foods: The dinner was good, but you don’t feel like the same meal two nights in a row? Freeze it for a rainy day.

• Know your serving sizes: You may be eating excess food for your body. Speak to your dietitian to learn how much food you need to nurture your body and help support your health goals.

• Use a compost bin or worm farm: You would be amazed at how much room you have in your green bin when you compost your food scraps! The additional bonus is this food is being broken down properly by microbes rather than fermenting, and is the perfect (and cheapest) food for your garden.

• Search for your local food swap: If you have too many lemons from your lemon tree, an abundance of chicken eggs from your backyard chooks, or have extra fresh produce that you can share, check-in with your neighbours (great for building your community spirit) or find out where your nearest food swap is. Check it out on The Local Harvest - based on honesty, you can take home what you believe is a fair swap.


RECIPE RESOURCES Here are some great places to go to find some fantastic recipes! Of course, the first place to check is our Nutrition Sustain blog but we’ve also included some of our favourite go-to’s here. Definitely print off your most-loved recipes and keep them handy in your recipe folder for easy access "#$%.

• Taste has a variety of yummy recipes. Check out the ‘healthy tab’ or type in a legume or grain in the ‘search’ box to get some new meal ideas.

• Australian Healthy Food Guide is an awesome dietitian inspired resource that provides accurate and unbiased nutrition news, ideas, and recipes. Highly recommend you subscribe to their monthly magazine.

• LiveLighter has down-to-earth, easy recipe ideas that will help you make your family favourites healthier. LiveLighter is a Western Australian initiative that aims to support adults and families to live a healthier lifestyle. A great resource!

• Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council keep a close eye on the latest research on wholegrains and legumes and constantly keep us updated on their nutritional benefits (definitely follow them on Facebook or Instagram!). They have some fantastic recipes that give some inspo on how to use more wholegrains and legumes in your meals.

• Donna Hay has done it again with her beautiful ‘Light and Fresh’ selection of recipes and magazines. We absolutely love them!

• The Healthy Chef has a beautiful earthy and wholefoody feel. Great recipe inspirations. • Sanitarium‘s recipe section is full of quick, easy, and real meal ideas. We love their plant-

food emphasis. • The Minimalist Baker has a great love affair with food, and will make any foodie’s mouth

water.


SAMPLE SHOPPING LIST

Vegetables Fresh, frozen, and in jars.

Greens Reds/Purples Yellows/Oranges/Whites � Asian greens � Asparagus � Broccoli � Brussel Sprouts � Cabbage � Capers � Celery � Cucumbers � Green Beans � Kale � Lettuce � Okra � Spinach � Zucchini

� Beetroot � Cabbage � Capsicum � Eggplant � Lettuce � Olives � Onion � Tomatoes � Sundried tomatoes

� Carrots � Cauliflower � Mushrooms � Potatoes � Pumpkin � Sweet potato

Fruits Fresh, dried (sulphate free), and frozen varieties.

� Apples � Apricots � Avocadoes � Bananas � Blackberries � Blueberries � Cherries � Dates (Medjool) � Figs

� Grapes � Grapefruit � Kiwi fruit � Lemons � Limes � Mango � Melon � Nectarines � Oranges

� Peaches � Pears � Pineapple � Plums � Pomegranate � Raspberries � Strawberries � Watermelon

Wholegrains and Flours Brown and grainy is best.

� Amaranth � Barley � Brown grainy

sourdough breads � Brown grainy wraps

and tortillas � Buckwheat � Bulghur (cracked

wheat) � Carmen’s Bircher Style

Muesli

� Corn (non-GM) � Freekeh � Long-grain brown, red,

green, and black rice � Polenta � Quinoa � Ryvita � Sanitarium Hi-Bran

Weet-Bix � Semolina

� Sorghum � Teff � Traditional oats � Vitawheats (9 seeds) � Farro (Wheat berries) � Wholemeal Israeli

cous cous � Wholegrain pasta � Wholewheat flour � Wild rice


Nuts/Seeds Unsalted and unroasted varieties

� Almonds � Almond flour � Brazil Nuts � Cashews � Chestnuts � Chia seeds � Linseeds (flaxseeds)

� Hazelnuts � Hemp seeds � Peanuts � Pecans � Pine nuts � Pistachios � Walnuts

� Pumpkin seeds � Sesame seeds � Sunflower seeds � Nut butters (peanut

butter, almond butter) � Tahini butter

Legumes Dry and tinned

� Adzuki � Black beans � Black-eyed beans � Brown lentils � Cannellini beans � Chickpeas � Edamame

� Fava beans � Lima beans (butter

beans) � Mung beans � Navy beans � Puy French lentils � Red kidney beans

� Red lentils � Split peas � Visasoy soy milk � Tofu � Tempeh � San Remo Pulse Pasta

Other Proteins Lean, free-range, and organic if possible

� Free-range eggs � Quorn mushroom

mince (in frozen section)

� Vegetarian sausages � Lentil patties (frozen)

� Wild caught or local caught fish

� Skin-free chicken � Lean lamb or beef

Dairy Low fat and organic if possible

� Low fat milk � Low fat yoghurt, like

Chobani

� Hard cheese � Cottage cheese

Fats and Oils Ensure all oils are cold pressed and extra virgin Store in cool dry place Refrigerate hemp and linseed oils

� Avocado oil � Hemp seed oil

� Linseed/flaxseed oil � Macadamia oil

� Olive oil � Sesame oil


Probiotics � Low fat yoghurt, like

Chobani and Jalna � Kefir

� Kimchi � Saurkraut

� Miso � Tempeh

Sweeteners Use in small amounts on porridge, smoothies, or homemade muffins and loafs

� Blackstrap molasses � Dates (Medjool) � Homemade date paste

or sauce

� Homemade applesauce

� Local honey � Pure maple syrup

� Frozen banana � Pureed banana � Rapadura sugar � Stevia

Herbs and Spices Fresh or dried

� Basil � Cardamom � Chilli � Chives � Cinnamon � Clove � Coriander

� Cumin � Dill � Garlic � Ginger � Mint � Mustard Seeds � Oregano

� Paprika � Parsley � Peppercorn � Rosemary � Saffron � Thyme � Turmeric

Miscellaneous

� Apple cider vinegar � Balsamic vinegar � Dijon mustard � Soy sauce (salt

reduced) � Sea salt � Pink salt

� Massel’s stock � Yeast flakes � Hummus � Tzaziki � Tomato sauce � Dark chocolate (70%)

� Raw cacao nibs and powder

� Carob powder � Plant protein powder � Spirulina � Bee pollen


SAMPLE MEAL PLANNER Below is a sample meal plan which shows you in bold where one recipe is used multiple times across the week. Changing how you use one prepared item or recipe keeps things interesting and boosts your nutrient intake by pairing the recipes with an array of different coloured fruits and veggies, grains, proteins, nuts and seeds. Doing a meal plan helps you stay nourished, sustained, and supported. It allows you to have the energy you need to do and serve what you love! For this week as an example, on Sunday you would have planned and prepared to make;

1. Hommus 2. Quinoa 3. Freekeh and Lentil Balsamic Salad 4. Chickpea Curry

Then, on Thursday night, make the Beautiful Rainbow Salad so that you can take leftovers to work on Friday (Note: you might want to cook extra brown rice on Tuesday for Thursday’s Rainbow Salad!).

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Hommus and avocado on brown grainy toast

Traditional oat porridge topped with seeds and banana

Quinoa porridge with strawberries and linseeds

Carmen’s fruit-free muesli

Baked beans and spinach on brown grainy toast

Apple slices and celery sticks

Handful of mixed unsalted nuts

Avocado and tomato on Vita-Weat crackers

Low fat yoghurt with strawberries

Apple slices with peanut butter

Freekeh and Lentil Balsamic Salad

Quinoa vegetable tabbouleh with olive oil and lemon with leftover salmon or lentil pattie

Chickpea Curry with brown rice

Hommus and salad brown grainy wrap

Beautiful Rainbow Salad

Low fat yoghurt with blueberries

Hommus and veggie sticks

Pear and berries Banana and nut butter wrap

Avocado on Vita-Weat crackers

Quinoa with roasted vegetables, baked salmon or lentil pattie, and tahini dressing

Chickpea Curry with brown rice and side salad

Freekeh and Lentil Balsamic Salad

Beautiful Rainbow Salad on its own or with protein of choice

Meal out with friends

Seasonal fruit or herbal tea

2-3 dates filled with nut butter

Seasonal fruit or herbal tea

2-3 dates and herbal tea

Dark chocolate and herbal tea

Other recipes we love from the Nutrition Sustain blog which are perrrfect for meal planning are:

1. Creamy Traditional Oat Porridge (with a twist!) 2. Chocolate Chia Pudding


3. Blueberry Pecan Bircher Muesli 4. Brown Lentil, Carrot and Kale Stew 5. Sexy Sandwich Spreads 6. Persian Celery Stew 7. Homemade Laksa 8. 4 Bean Soup 9. Potato and Leek Soup


MEAL PLANNER

It’s time for you to leave the nest! Use the information in this document to spread your wings and create your own exciting weekday meal planner!

Remember to have fun and invest in meal planning and prep for the long-term – we promise you’ll LOVE the results!

Wishing you the very best in your planning and prep journey.

Love the Nutrition Sustain Team xx

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

meal planning and preparation · 4. have cloth shopping bags ready in your car and handbag. 5....

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