Being in our (early) twenties, it's safe to say that we've reached that point in life during which the word 'adult' suddenly becomes a verb. As soon as you move out - be it full-time or, if you're a fellow Gozitan, for a few days a week - one of the biggest tasks on your 'adulting' to-do list will be planning out and cooking your own meals. And if you don't think it's that big of a deal, trust me, you will be tempted to fill your freezer up with pizzas, burgers, chips, and other easy-to-cook-but-not-so-healthy meals.
When I first started living on my own, I tried to wing it. So everyday, as the clock approached 6pm, I'd start thinking about what I was going to have for dinner. Luckily, my mum would sometimes give me a frozen home-cooked meal that I'd just need to pop in the microwave, but when that ran out, I'd be at a loss. Planning out meals beforehand is something I have found to be extremely helpful. Here's why...
Benefits of Meal Planning
Removes the everyday guessing game of what you're going to have for lunch/dinner.
Makes it easier to eat healthy.
Allows you to include variety in your meals.
You can try out new recipes as often as you want.
Reduces the chance of food going bad.
Helps you save money, especially on takeaways.
Reduces the amount of times during the week you go to the supermarket, thus saving you time.
Doesn't that sound great?
If you're on board (let's face it, why shouldn't you be?), here are some of my tips to make your meal planning quicker, easier, and more effective!
Tips and Tricks
Decide when (ideally Sunday night or Monday morning) to plan out the meals for your entire week, and make it part of your weekly routine.
Check your fridge/freezer/pantry for any food that is about to expire, and choose recipes that you can incorporate them into. If something has already gone bad, throw it out right away.
Look for recipe inspiration on Pinterest, google, or in a recipe book.
Create a single shopping list for everything you'll need that week, and try and get it all in one trip to the supermarket.
Each morning, check your list to see if there's anything you need to take out of the freezer to thaw for later.
If you're making a new dish, read the recipe through beforehand to make sure you have all the utensils/appliances required.
Be flexible. You might have planned lasagna for Wednesday and find yourself craving the omelette you'd planned for Friday, instead. Simply switch it up - you have all the ingredients anyway, because you went shopping at the beginning of the week ;)
Keep a few snacks handy in your cupboard in case you get peckish some afternoons, or to munch on while you're studying or working.
I truly hope you give meal planning a shot. It's not as time-consuming as you'd think, and it ends up saving you way more time and money throughout the week than you'd expect. Let us know in the comments whether you'd like more adulting content from us!
Comments