Summer

The summer months bring about many enjoyable activities that get us outside and away from home more often. Backyard barbecues with friends, family vacations, and activities with kids create fun memories that last a lifetime. However, if your goal this summer is to fuel your body to keep up with all the activities of the season, you may want to still prioritize cooking meals at home. Fueling your body for a day of fun activities doesn’t have to be complicated if you have a plan. This will look different for every individual or family, but once you learn what works best for you, planning ahead for healthy meals becomes a simple process that can be easily modified depending on your plans for the week ahead.

Mind Body Connection

Take Inventory

Take a look at your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer for anything that needs to be used in the next few days. Start to build meals around these items first. For example, peppers and onions that are starting to look a little wrinkled, can be made into stir fry, fajitas, or taco soup! Be sure to look in your freezer for frozen leftovers, vegetables, or meat that can be used first to save money during your grocery trip.

If you’re new to meal planning, start by planning ahead for two meals and two or three healthy snacks for the week. As you start to learn how meal planning fits into your schedule, you can adjust things as needed. I like to build my grocery list on my phone using a standard notes app. This allows me to quickly add items as they pop into my brain or if I run out of something. If you utilize a grocery pickup option, you can use the app for the grocery you plan to purchase from instead. Just add items to your cart as you go, most apps will save your active cart until you submit the order.

Meal options

Lasagna

Tacos Chicken stir fry

Know your “Pain Points”

When life gets busy, we each have areas of our nutrition that fall to the wayside first. Spend the most time planning and prepping for the meals, snacks, and beverages that you struggle with the most. Ideally, most people should aim to have a meal or snack at least every four to five hours to fuel your body with enough energy for the day. Drink mostly plain water and if desired, sugar free or unsweetened beverages to help stay hydrated.

Be Flexible

This is where your personal schedule comes into play. If you want to prepare all your meals at the beginning of the week, then set aside the time to do this. Another strategy is to keep a list of meals that you have planned for the week and go to that list when you’re ready to start cooking. This gives you the flexibility to change your mind if one meal sounds better than another at that particular moment. You can also send this list to family members or place it on the counter or fridge in the morning and the family can vote on what sounds best that day! With any strategy, try to prepare fruits and vegetables at the beginning of the week for snacks. When fruits and vegetables are ready to eat you will be much more likely to eat them. The goal is to make healthy options the easy and convenient choice when you’re hungry.

Mind Body Connection

Take Shortcuts

Keep in mind, you don’t have to do all the work yourself! Feel free to use frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables to save time. You can even buy frozen whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa that can save an extra 30 minutes of cooking time. To save time at the grocery store, consider using pick-up and delivery services. Not only will you get an hour or more of your day back, but it also helps ensure you’re only purchasing what you actually need to save money and make healthier choices.

If you have other people living in your household, they should have an opinion too. Especially kids! Start by giving your kids a choice of two or three fruits and vegetables to choose from. They will be more likely to eat them if they have a say in what fruits and vegetables are served. If your kids are old enough to help you prepare the fruits and vegetables, this is even better. Every small task can help get kids excited about eating healthier such as washing fruits and vegetables, choosing their favorite from the freezer, or stirring together a colorful fruit salad!

Healthy On The Go

If this summer has you and your family traveling or just wanting to spend more time outdoors and out of the hot kitchen, it can be helpful to plan ahead for easy and healthy meals to go. To minimize restaurant meals while traveling, consider packing a “snack meal” in your cooler with a variety of healthy foods that don’t require utensils such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables with single serving dips or dressing packets, hard boiled eggs, cheeses, nuts, and whole grain crackers. Grilling can be a great way to stay outdoors with family and friends while getting a quick healthy meal on the table. Consider grilling your vegetables too so you can have the whole meal cooked on the grill. And lastly, don’t forget to hydrate with water and other unsweetened and sugar free beverages. Use sparkling water, sugar free water enhancers, and fresh fruit and herbs to add flavor to your water without added sugars.

There you have it! My ultimate guide to get you started with meal planning during busy seasons of life. Keep in mind your meal planning routine may change often depending on your family’s schedule. You don’t have to keep the same routine every day of the year. Remember, while it can be frustrating in the beginning, it is well worth your efforts. Meal planning is an investment in your health and form of self-care.

Megan Allen is a Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Care and Education Specialist who works one-onone with clients to help them set personalized nutrition goals to improve their health. She became a Dietitian because she believes food is a source of nourishment for disease prevention and treatment, but also enjoyment for your life as well. Food should make you feel happy and energetic, never guilty or stressed. When working with clients one-on-one she helps them set enjoyable, behavior-based goals to improve their health beyond hitting a certain target on the scale.