Meal Planning: Mayhem to Confidence

We all plan our meals, consciously or not. But even when you think you’re not planning, you still follow a plan. Let’s turn that plan into a strategic, stress-busting powerhouse that improves your well-being and saves you precious time and money. Meal planning streamlines grocery shopping reduces time spent in the kitchen and minimizes cleanup. Planning can be a great way to improve the taste and quality of your meals and snacks. It can help you have more balanced nutrition and reduce impulse purchases and wasted food. More importantly, meal planning and prep eliminates regretful food choices due to lack of time or overwhelming hunger. No matter where you eat—whether it’s Commons Dining, in a dorm room, or at home with family—meal planning is essential to support your nutritional needs and budget.

Let’s break down meal planning into 4 simple steps:

1. Take stock of what you already have on hand. Utilize those ingredients in your meal planning or pass them on to someone else if they will never be used. Check freshness and expiration dates. Check your university meal plan and dining dollar balances.

2. Schedule your meals and snacks around your classes and work commitments. Whether dining at Commons, packing, or grabbing lunch on campus, plan your meals to fit your schedule. Be realistic. Plan to eat a meal or snack every 3 to 5 hours.

3. Consider time commitments. Tailor your plan to your unique schedule and lifestyle. Be sure your meals and snacks align with your daily activities and time constraints. When do you have time to cook versus making a sandwich, bowl, or picking something up? What days have more time? Could you possibly do some meal prep one or two days a week?  Have a meal plan? When do you have time to go to Commons versus eating closer to your classes?

4. Discover exciting new recipes for your meals and snacks. Find budget-friendly and nutritious options using ingredients you already have. Plan quick and enjoyable snacks to avoid last-minute vending machine runs.

By following these steps, you can create delicious meals and snacks, even when you’re short on time.

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Get ready to say goodbye to vending machine visits and hello to stress-free, budget-friendly meals. Let’s make meal planning fun and rewarding!

Filling your tummy is one thing; getting the nutrients your body needs is another. Food’s purpose is to supply us with essential nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, and phytonutrients needed for critical functions. These include immunity, brain health, mood support, microbiome support, the ability to think and act, and growth and play.

Food is information for your body. Providing it with the correct information keeps it in prime working order. Fill it with irrelevant information, and it struggles. Your food choices matter. They affect your day, mood, performance, and long-term health.

If I had to describe eating well in just a few words, I’d focus on two essential things.

1. First, limit ultra-processed foods. Simply put, these are foods containing ingredients you would not find in the kitchen—artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, and additives used to create the appearance, texture, and taste that lures you in and keeps you wanting more. Unfortunately, these do not benefit your health
2. Second, make sure your plate is full of color. Color comes from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Aiming for 2-3 colors on your plate will give you needed nutrients and fiber.

By doing both these things you will be gifting yourself good health and well-being.

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Dorm Living – Meal Planning

• Maximize your meal swipes.
  • Look at the menu and plan time for your favorites
  •  Consider a to-go container and enjoy your meal or snack anywhere you like.
• Map out your meals. Plan your meals based on your schedule to maximize your meal swipes and Dining Dollars.
• Balance that plate! Aim for a plate with ¼ proteins, ¼ grains/starchy vegetables, and ½ vegetables and fruits.
  • If your plate lacks this balance try to include missing foods later in the day.
• Remember snacks. These are easy to pick up anywhere but having them in your dorm is super convenient for study sessions and late nights.
  • Include items that don’t spoil quickly.
    • Fruit cups,  nuts and nut butter, crackers, cheese, canned or pouched tuna, and canned hummus are all shelf-stable.  Add some cut veggies, yogurt, and cheese if you have a refrigerator.
  • Include protein, whole grains, and lots of color.
    • Apple and nut butter
    • Greek yogurt (higher in protein) and fruit
    •  Hummus and whole grain crackers or cut-up veggies
    • Cheese and nuts, dried fruit, or crackers
    • Corn chips and black bean salsa (your favorite salsa with canned black beans added)

Snack recipes

Popcorn 50 Ways

Avocado and Cheese Pita Pocket

Fluffy Microwave Eggs video

Bliss Balls

Have a Full Kitchen

• Plan your week and check your schedule to include all meals and snacks
• Check the pantry
  • Make sure to use up foods before they go bad and consider incorporating new ingredients and recipes to keep things exciting.
• Flexibility is key, as plans change. Plan easy backup meals such as frozen leftovers.
• Lastly, remember nutritional balance. Every person’s needs vary slightly, but the plate method mentioned above is generally a quick and easy guide. For most of us, the most challenging part is getting adequate fruits and vegetables. Here are a few suggestions to make that easier.
  • Always include vegetables and fruits in your meal planning
  • Keep a variety of fresh, frozen, and canned on hand.
  • When preparing fresh vegetables for dinner, wash and cut extra for packed lunches, quick snacks, or future meals. This will save you time and effort later.
  •  Include leafy greens in your smoothie.
  • Wash vegetables and fruit when you purchase them to make eating them more convenient.
  • Store them in easily visible containers and easy-to-grab places. Washed apples on the kitchen counter, and washed salad greens in a spinner or clear container on a refrigerator shelf.
  • Try a stir fry, curry, or soup to add flavor and variety, and use up miscellaneous foods.
• Try meal planning assistance.
  • Weekly Planner
  • Grocery List
  • Mealtime—The free version of this app offers recipes, and self-generated grocery lists that you can easily modify. It is straightforward to set up and use. It will help you minimize food waste and customize your meal plan based on your preferences and needs.

Dinner Recipes

Sheet Pan Meals

Healthy and Easy One Pot Meals

Meal Prepping

Is a strategy where you dedicate time to prepping all or part of your meals for the week, typically on the weekend or a day off from work. This makes weekday dinners and lunches faster and easier to prepare.                                             

Meal Prepping could involve one or more of the following

• Veggies and fruits can be washed, chopped, and some of them cooked for later use
  • Grains can be cooked ahead. Rice can be cooked and then frozen or refrigerated.
  • Proteins can be cooked and later used in bowls, salads, pasta, sandwiches, or other dishes. Seared meats or pulled chicken are very versatile and easy to make. See more recipes below.
  • Meals can be fully cooked and stored for later reheating or frozen for later use. Lasagna freezes very well.
  • Plan leftovers – make extra for the next day’s dinner or lunches.
  • A simple switch such as changing rice to quinoa, sweet potatoes, or chicken to shrimp, adds variety and flavor changes.
  • Swap spices in a dish and it can change completely.

 Recipes

Pan Seared Chicken Breast, Rice Pilaf, and Green Beans video

Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken with Ina Gartner Garden Tour

Bowl Method Approach.

This approach goes hand in hand with full or partial meal prepping and using leftovers. Here are the basics:

• Give yourself a base – rice, quinoa, legumes (beans, lentils)
  • Add protein—seared, grilled, or baked chicken or meat. Legumes, edamame, tofu, tempeh. Three to four ounces will do for most of us.
  • Top with veggies; raw, cooked, or both! Stir fry, chopped salad, or slaw. All these can be prepped ahead. Try to get a cruciferous veggie in there; they have important nutrition information for your body. These are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radish, cabbage, and more. Onions and garlic are also powerful veggies and offer a burst of flavor.
  • More flavors – toasted nuts/seeds, fermented foods like yogurt, kimchee or sauerkraut. These add flavor and deep nutrition that supports your health and microbiome.
  • Healthy fats – nuts, seeds, olives, olive oil, avocados
  • Top it off – chopped herbs, drizzle of your favorite oil, vinegar, lemon juice, herbs,  hot sauce, salsa, try a homemade dressing

Bowl Recipes

Allrecipes

Roasted Vegetable and Brown Rice Bowl

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Transforming your meals and snacks is easier than you think with meal planning. It’s not just about improving taste and quality, but also about achieving balanced nutrition and minimizing food waste. This benefits both your health and your finances. With planning, you can incorporate a variety of new foods and flavors, indulge in your favorite dishes, and better manage food cravings. This makes eating more satisfying. By having a truly personalized plan, you can take control of your kitchen and enjoy your meals more.

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For a personalized nutrition consultation, reach out to Salisbury University Dietitian Terry Passano, RDN at thpassano@salisbury.edu or Salisbury Nutrition.

SU College Nutrition Survival Guide

USDA Meal Planning, Shopping and Budgeting

The Zest News Letters