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The (not sexy) power of meal planning
The expansive feeling of having a plan. A meal plan, that is.
Kristina Todini, RDN
August 11, 2023
It might not be sexy, but it is POWERFUL.
If you would have told me 6-7 years ago that I would be a meal planning guru, who write articles, makes videos, and teaches meal planning courses, I would have laughed at you.
Me? The person who loves to peruse a grocery store and “just see what jumps out at her”? The person who could never follow a weekly plan because “I have no idea what I’ll want to eat in three day, I like to live in the moment.” I could never be so restricted into an eating plan!
Well, times have definitely changed.
Now, making a meal plan, shopping from that meal, and cooking every day from that meal plan feels the opposite of restrictive. It feels EXPANSIVE.
Taking 15 minutes to plan what we eat each week has literally become the foundation of our kitchen. Shopping our fridge and pantry for what we already have reduce waste (and our grocery bill). Planning our meals around what we have going on that week means so much less time trying to piecemeal dinners together. And writing out exactly what we need for each day’s meals means one ONE trip to the store per week, and only buying EXACTLY what we need.
It’s a skill, but it’s so worth learning.
I’ve rounded up meal planning resources for you below, but if you’re ready to to take the next step to master meal planning, you can get 30% my signature course Meal Planning Master with the discount code PLAN30 until Sunday at 11:59pm PT. Simply input the code at checkout, I hope to see you inside!
DID YOU KNOW? 🧐
Expiration date labels were introduced on foods voluntarily in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that “sell by” and “use by” dates were used in most supermarkets. Currently, there’s no national standard for how those dates should be determined, or how they must be described. Instead, there’s a patchwork system — a hodgepodge of state laws, best practices and general guidelines. And for food companies, sell-by dates actually are more about protecting the brand than safety concerns. (source)
LOVELY LINKS 🔗
TRY IT: Scheduling a “use up” day can reduce a household’s food waste by 46%. Fridays are our days to “eat the scraps.” (ScienceDirect)
MAP IT: This interactive US map shows where food waste is highest, but also where recovery programs like donations and composting are available. (EPA)
LEARN IT: How to understand food expiration date labels (Food and Wine)
Imagine walking out of a grocery store with four bags of groceries, dropping one in the parking lot, and just not bothering to pick it up. That’s essentially what we’re doing.
WHEN YOU’RE READY, HERE’S HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER: 👇
1️⃣ Subscribe on YouTube
Follow along with my eco kitchen journey on Youtube, where I share plant-based recipes, tips for reducing food waste, meal planning resources, and more. Click here to subscribe.
2️⃣ Let me plan your meals!
Take the guesswork out of meal planning and cooking plant-based meals and let me plan your meals for you – for only $7/month. Join Plant Powered Kitchen Club!
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