A Dozen Meal Planning Myths Debunked

 

Meal planning doesn’t have to be hard. Together we learn what works for you, then do more of that.

I’ll help you curate a collection of easy, affordable meals and side dishes. You’ll also learn how to efficiently make the most of the time spent grocery shopping and in the kitchen.

Here are some meal planning myths you can disregard.

Myth – planning meals takes hours each week.

It shouldn’t. I’ll show you a system that works quickly and efficiently.

Myth – I’ll have to spend my Sundays cooking all day.

Only if that makes you happy. I’m going to show you how to make the most effective use of your time in the kitchen, whenever that may be. If you have 15 minutes, any day of the week, you can use it to prep. Have 30 minutes? We can do a lot! If you can swing an hour, we can do a lot of preparation to make your whole week easier.

Myth – I have to make a different recipe, every meal, every night of the week.

Only if you insist. I sure don’t. Doing so is impractical. It’s time consuming, and expensive because you have to buy so many ingredients. I can show you better ways of planning meals.

Myth – Everything has to be made daily from scratch.

While I am an advocate for scratch cooking, in the real world it’s not always practical.

We live in a fast-paced world that runs on convenience. If you eliminate the worst of the prepackaged convenience meals (looking at you – mystery meat sausage, sugared cereals, microwave ready frozen meals, ramen, sugared drinks in colors not found in nature), you still have a host of convenient products that make mealtime easier. They aren’t the least expensive options but compared to opting for a restaurant meal, they’re bargains.

For example, pre-washed lettuces and salad kits, steam-in-bag frozen produce, canned beans and tomatoes, stocks and broths, frozen fish and seafood, simmer sauces and curries, hummus, fresh salsa, and vinaigrette salad dressings.

Myth – I’ll have to buy a bunch of square glass containers and eat my meals from them.

I would laugh but this is a concern I’ve heard more than once. No. You can do whatever you want. I’m providing you tools to plan meals, I’m not the Tupperware gestapo.

Myth – I can’t meal prep because I have a tiny fridge.

Well, you will need to store food in the fridge but how much is up to you. Of course, meat, poultry, fish, fresh dairy, and some fresh vegetables are non-negotiable. However, you can opt to favor items that don’t require refrigeration, like pasta, rice, canned goods, soups, sauces.

You can also shop more than once a week if that’s a better fit for your circumstance. Maybe the money you save can go toward a bigger fridge?

Myth – I’ll be stuck eating what I planned even if I don’t want to eat it.

First, don’t prep meals you don’t love. The system you’ll create doesn’t have to be rigid. Switch things up as you like. I suggest writing meals on small post-it notes so they can easily be moved around your calendar.

Myth – Grocery shopping for meal prep is difficult, time consuming and overwhelming.

Well, it’s certainly easier than wandering the aisles without a plan, buying random stuff that gets thrown out in two weeks because you didn’t use it. I’ll even give you tips on how to streamline your grocery shopping.

Myth – I should only buy fresh organic produce.

If it’s really important to you, and you can afford it, then great. But if you can’t – don’t. And no guilt!

There’s a ton of research showing that conventionally grown fresh, frozen, and canned produce are nutritious and healthful options. Just read your labels looking for additives or unnecessary stuff and do the best you can.

If being organic is important to you, but cost is also in issue, we can focus on the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen to help you choose where your money is best spent.

Myth – I can’t plan meals because I’m not a great cook.

So, what. Everyone has to start somewhere. You’ll cook, you’ll get better. Cooking is a life skill that gets easier the more it’s practiced. If you are new to cooking then start with easy dishes, like soups, sandwiches, and salads and progress from there. Recipes on my website have difficulty ratings as do many other recipe sources. Stick with easy recipes and you’ll be just fine.

Myth: Meal planning won’t work because my family doesn’t like everything I cook.

Join the club! It does sting, especially when we’ve spent hours and poured our hearts into cooking something. But they can’t all be winners. If you’ve had a mishap and the food is inedible, bust out the PB&J and laugh together.

Myth – Home cooked meals are the most important thing you can do for your family.

Nope. Making meals is just one way you care for your family. There are so many things fighting for our focus and they all must be considered. Right now, one in eight Americans suffers with food insecurity. Some of us have to make tough choices, like between paying rent, utilities, medical expenses, transportation expenses, and buying groceries.

Food is expensive, and if your situation is such that you can’t afford to meal plan as you would wish, that’s ok.

Do the best you can.

You need to be extremely frugal with your food spending, and I can help with that, too. Right now, let’s just get you through this and when your finances improve, so will your choices. And please get any and all help you qualify for.

But know this – if you’re doing the best you can, then get up and do it again tomorrow, you are a rockstar!

You will also love Exploring the Science: The Importance of Meal Planning for Health and Best Healthy Foods on a Budget.