Welcome to the 7-Day Simple Meal Plans Kickstarter training!
I’m super excited to be taking you on a little journey over the next week.
This training will help you make the most of your Simple Meal Plans.
Meal planning is such a game-changing habit when it comes to eating well.
It will save you time and energy planning and shopping.
It’s also going to make it really simple and fun to nourish yourself with delicious, fresh real food on a daily basis.
Your future self is going to thank you!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN TODAY:
- What to expect over the next 7 days
- 5 tips to set yourself up for meal planning success.
What to Expect
Over the next 7 days I’m going to take your hand and walk you though everything you need to know and do to get the most out of your Simple Meal Plans.
Step-by-step.
I promise I’ll be gentle.
You might even have some fun!
The biggest thing you need to be aware of is you’re building a new habit.
Like all new things, it’s going to feel a bit clunky and awkward in the beginning.
This is totally normal.
If you feel yourself getting frustrated or annoyed, remember ‘nothing has gone wrong’.
It’s only going to get easier from here.
5 Tips to Set Yourself Up for Meal Planning Success
1. Decide.
The first step is to decide to develop your new meal planning habit.
Really commit to yourself that you’re going to make meal planning work for you.
No matter what.
2. Start small – make it as EASY as possible.
Forming or changing habits is HARD WORK to begin with.
The best way to guarantee success is to make it as small, manageable and easy as possible.
I recommend starting with only using 1-2 new recipes from the meal plan in the first week.
Then build up from there.
3. Expect changes to your schedule.
In modern life there are always things that come up that will interfere with your meal plan.
Rather than get upset by them, remember changes are normal.
Change is supposed to happen.
4. Use the ‘Waste Avoidance Strategy’.
When your schedule changes and you can’t cook something you had originally planned, you won’t be on your own!
Follow the instructions in the ‘Waste Avoidance Strategy’ on each recipe to ‘preserve’ your ingredients for another night.
Too easy.
5. Don’t expect to be ‘perfect’ from the first week.
When starting something new it’s normal for it to be hard in the beginning.
It’s going to take a bit more time when you’re getting started.
But like all good habits, the more you do it the quicker and easier it’s going to get.
I promise 🙂
ACTIVITY
STEP 1. Decide to commit to making meal planning work for you.
STEP 2. Leave a comment below sharing why you want to simplify meal planning.
Looking forward to hearing your ‘why’.
Tomorrow we’re going to be looking at when you’re going to fit this new habit into your schedule. And why scheduling time is so important.
In the mean time have some fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x
ps. If you need help with anything, leave a comment below.
I check them every day 🙂
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I want to meal plan so I’m not stressed in the afternoons wondering “what to cook for dinner” and do I can do my best for our health too.
LOVE it Olivia – you’re going to have to decide what to have at some point – think how much more fun it will be to have it already done so you aren’t stressing int he afternoons 🙂
I’m going to work on this habit of simplified meal planning because, even though my husband usually makes dinner, we get in ruts and sometimes don’t have any ideas. If I plan meals, then I can say “I’ll make dinner tonight!” and be ready to go. If he has other ideas for the ingredients, that’s fine too!
Sounds like an excellent strategy Suzanne!
Trying to come up with something healthy, quick, really tasty and different is exhausting me. So I cook the same things over and over. I’m in a rut and hope you can pull me out.
You’re in the right place Elaine 🙂
Just take it one dish at a time.
I want to simplify meal planning because we are a couple on our own now. Thankfully back doing all the things before all those pesky lockdowns in VIC over the last 2 years. Don’t want to be cooking a meal from scratch every night and want to be able to repurpose leftovers/ingredients used so not as much goes to waste as it has in the past.
You’re totally in the right place Bronwyn 🙂
I’m wanting to simplify my downtime and not always take on anything too complicated. Hopefully mean planning will result in a simplified schedule for cooking.
Excellent Monica!
I get hangry so I like to have a plan for food to eat
Me too Ruth!
Having a plan will definitely help (and so will the thought ‘I can wait’)
My planning is nearly non-existent, mainly because I live on my own, so my eating is a bit random. I try to eat healthily but feel I need a bit more structure to achieve this. The difficulty for me with being a Stonesoup member is the online aspect! How do you cook with an iPad!!! You are an inspiration though Jules, keep up the good work 😎
I have an ipad stand that I use in the kitchen Patricia!
Building the habit of meal planning is going to help bring that structure. You’re totally in the right place 🙂
But how do you avoid splatter and/or greasy marks on the screen?!!!
I don’t have it right next to the stove! It’s in a safe place next to my ice cream machine.
Hi Jules, thanks for your help in training me to meal plan.
As I’m used to cater for a large family and used to stock up on fresh ingredients, to cater for at least 4 people, now being on my own, I am faced with a great wastage problem, having been unable to shake the habit. I’m hoping to be able to take advantage of your valuable advice. and buy only enough food items for the week to avoid wastage. due to having a meal plan. Thanks and best regards Lene.
You can do it Lene 🙂
+ Reduce mental load of deciding what we’ll eat every day.
+ Have varied diet
+ Reduce amount of trips to the supermarket each week
+ Expose kids to different diet
You’re totally in the right place Lisa. Just trust the process 🙂
I want to prioritize meal planning so that my family eats healthier and is less strapped for time! Also, meal-planning is appealing because decision fatigue is REAL.
Yes I hear you on decision fatigue Brenna 🙂
I second Diana F.- but no junk food in the house.
Thanks Carol. Great aeeitude…
Changing your thoughts is key Marian! Are you on board for that part?
Ha. How’s this for change , I’m gradually trying recipes to see if they should go on the menu…. 🙂
Sometimes the entree isn’t enough for a meal…
Working up to something tho.
” I’m gradually trying recipes to see if they should go on the menu”
What a great thought Marian! It’s actually better to do this slowly and to keep going.
When you find yourself losing momentum – remind yourself of this thought.
And when you think an entree isn’t enough for a meal – have you actually tried it to see? Most people find they don’t need as much as they originally thought.
I find myself wishing for salad or toast.
For many months I’ve been satisfied with meals at 11 and 4, give or take, and am not hungry until I begin to eat!
The puzzle is, how would you plan 7 days when you have 3 days of leftovers to work in!?
If eating at 11am and 4pm is working for you keep doing it Marian! Our bodies like regular meals that keep in flow with our circadian rythmns.
With the leftovers – is there a reason you can’t plan them for some days? Or if you want a break from them pop them in the freezer and use for future weeks?
Love it! Thanks Jules
I live alone so cooking for myself is something I don’t do. I just go to the fridge and grab whatever is easiest to eat being junk food most of the time.
Great that you’ve noticed that pattern Diana – How would you feel about practicing the belief ‘It’s worth cooking for myself’ or ‘It’s better when I cook for myself’?
Changing your thoughts about cooking is the key to sustainable change 🙂
I want to plan because I have a lot of food in the kitchen but nothing to eat. Same issue in my closet — lots of clothes, nothing to wear so for both areas, I think I need simplification and select only the things I really like and that work for me.
Simplification will help Paula, but focus on building your repertoire of plan-b meals first so you always have the ingredients for at least one meal in the house.
I want to be a meal planner because that will be one less decision to make on a daily basis ?
Brilliant Amy!