MealPlanChecklist
Meal Plan Checklist
Summary
Meal planning is best done every two weeks, assuming you can dock and shop once a week. For longer periods you will have to plan correspondingly. Prepare meals or servings in advance as much as possible.
AAmpere (amp), SI unit of electrical current #template is included.
Meal Planning
1. The first step every week is to check the supplies of staples and similar provisions, to see if they need topping up. The best way to manage this is to have a re-stock threshold for each item. This means that when you have used some, and you only have X amount left, then it is time to re-stock the item. Use up the items based on the First In First Out (FIFOFirst in first out) principle.
2. Next, for the coming two-week period plan the meals for each day. This will depend on the supplies and perishables you have available, the recipes on hand that fit your skill level, and making healthy choices based on a food guide. Every day should have fruit, vegetable, whole grain and protein.
Your approach might differ, but it is probably easiest to plan all the breakfasts first, then all the lunches, and so forth.
3. List the recipes and ingredients needed for each day. There are apps to do this but they require you to key in all of your recipes first. Meh.
4. Do the weekly shopping for missing ingredients and staples to re-stock the provisions.
The grocery list should include vegetables; fruits; whole grains; healthy oils; and healthy proteins like nuts/seeds, beans, fish, and chicken, along with yogurt or milk.
Some especially healthy foods are:
- oatmeal
- flax
- buckwheat
- almonds
- peanuts
- walnuts
- chia seeds
5. Do whatever you can to prepare meals or servings ahead of time. One idea is to have a container for each day of the week in which you can pre-assemble the dry items needed for a day.
6. Every afternoon or evening, prepare for the next day'sSecond meals. Put anything that needs to thaw in the fridge. Make sure the necessary pots, pans, and dishes are clean and ready. Check the recipes and the container of dry foods for the day.
Planning Template
Below is an example of how you might manage planning.
Meal | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Breakfast | |||||||
Fluid | |||||||
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | |||||||
Grain | |||||||
Protein | |||||||
Morning Coffee | |||||||
Fluid | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice |
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Grain | |||||||
Protein | |||||||
Lunch | |||||||
Fluid | |||||||
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | |||||||
Grain | |||||||
Protein | |||||||
Afternoon Tea | |||||||
Fluid | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice | Coffee, tea, juice |
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | |||||||
Grain | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits |
Protein | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Dinner | |||||||
Fluid | |||||||
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | |||||||
Grain | |||||||
Protein | |||||||
Bedtime | |||||||
Fluid | |||||||
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Grain | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits | Biscuits |
Protein | |||||||
Snacks | |||||||
Fluid | |||||||
Fruit | |||||||
Vegetable | |||||||
Grain | |||||||
Protein | |||||||
Recipes | |||||||
Ingredients | |||||||
Shopping |