Note about meal planning – Sidney Herald Leader

Do you find yourself overwhelmed when trying to prepare meals at the last minute? Do you stand in front of the fridge or cupboard wondering what you could throw together for dinner? 

This can create tension in addition to creating a negative impact on your wallet AND your diet. Planning meals for the week will save you time, effort, money and improve your eating habits, too!

You’ll eat more healthfully: The Number One reason to plan meals is to set you up for healthy eating. Purchasing your groceries ahead of time and knowing what you will prepare each day reduces the likelihood of eating out or picking up fast food. 

Creating nutritious choices at the beginning of the week and following your meal plan results in healthier eating!

You become an efficient shopper: When you establish the habit of meal planning, your grocery store trips become more efficient. Having a shopping list based on your meal plan ensures you’ll have actually the ingredients you need when preparing a meal. A shopping list likewise reduces the likelihood of buying too much food and wasting what doesn’t get eaten each week. Having a shopping list to go along with your meal plans means you’ll buy just what you need.

You’ll save money: Dining out out less and shopping for groceries is efficient saving you time and money. Track the costs of your meal plans so that you have actually an idea as to how much you can expect to spend. When you know what ingredients you’ll be needing, you can decide ahead of time where to shop for the most effective prices.

You’ll create variety in your meals: It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut and eat the same foods over and over again. Creating your weekly meal plan and finding brand-new recipes eliminates the boredom of “mono-eating,” helps you get more creative along with meals and adds more nutrition as well!

Avocado lime shrimp salad

    14 ounces jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped

    1 1/2 cup tomato, diced

    4 1/2 ounces avocado, diced

    1/4 cup jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine

    1/4 cup chopped green onion

    2 tablespoons lime juice

    1 tbsp chopped cilantro

    ¼ teaspoon fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine green onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion. In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeno. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 servings – serving Includes: 1 Leanest protein, 2 vegetables, 2 condiments, 2 fats