The Magic of Meal Planning
Meal planning and prepping will revolutionize the way you nourish your body.
It will change the way you feed yourself and set your future self up for success.
It really doesn't take much effort, as you will feed yourself regardless if you plan or not.
Consistently setting a little bit of time each week to grasp the nourishment that will be entering your face is life changing.
We all WANT to eat healthy, but very little are willing to get out of the comfort of their lifestyle to shift and greatly improve the quality of fuel that enters their vessel.
We have to set ourselves up!
Trust me when I say, your future self will LOVE you for it.
IF you are here, I have a feeling that you are willing and that a healthy and vibrant body is worth EVERY ounce of effort.
AND I know it can also be overwhelming to start something new.
Trust me, I get it!
However, spending a little extra time to plan and prep meals actually saves you time AND money!
As you take action, it eases the overwhelming feelings and help us see that it doesn't take that much to plan and prepare your meals to feed your brilliant and miraculous body!
There are many benefits to meal planning like:
- Meal variety!
- Saves you money.
- You eat healthier.
- Helps prevent food waste.
- Preserves your sanity!
- Less meal time stress!
Here are the 6 steps to Meal Planning and Nourishing your beautiful soul-home!
Step 1: Shop in Your Kitchen!
Reduce waste and use what you have in your kitchen first!
Find what fruits & vegetables that need to be eaten soon, or what meat you have in the freezer. Making sure all foods are on the approved list, base your meals on what you already have to help prevent food waste, and use what you already have!
Step 2: Write down meal & snack ideas & inspiration!
If your partner or friend is doing the program with you, have them hop on board in this process!
It can be extremely rewarding when the whole family dives in together!
I always choose meals that my kids will eat too, I may have to make a few changes during the cleanse, but overall keeping it simple and just one meal is key to making this lifestyle sustainable!
Use this list to jot down ideas for meals and snacks!
Get into the Recipes section of the program for recipes & meal inspiration.
Take the Meal Pillars into consideration-
Plants -
Think variety of colors and plants! Plants should take up 75% of your plate! View the list below for top fiber foods to consider adding to your meals!
Dark leafy greens & reds – Easy to garnish with or throw at the bottom of a bowl! Leafy veggies also offer fiber and tons of nutrients that aid in the detoxification process.
Kale- Throw in smoothies or if you put kale in salads, massage it first with EVOO to break down the fibers and make it more palatable.
Swiss chard- Lightly steam, roll with a rolling pin to break down the stem, and use as a wrap!
Arugula- part of the brassica family, this has the most bang for your buck! Put raw into salads, Throw on top of homemade pizza (the healthy kind), on pasture-raised eggs, and (gluten-free) pasta.
Spinach- Super easy to add to the bottom of the plate/bowl of hot dishes/soups, since it wilts quickly. Do it raw to maintain nutrients.
Microgreens- Sprouts are more powerful and nutrient-dense than the older versions AND so easy to throw on top of your meals! Opt for broccoli, arugula, sunflower, or radish sprouts. Avoid alfalfa.
Protein -
Protein is vital to our health and the overall function of our body. It keeps us satiated and fuller longer.
Choose clean animal (or plant) protein that will accompany the stars (plants) of your meal.
Fat -
Healthy fats are SO important to brain and cellular function. Choose a healthy fat to pair with your meal.
Reference this blog post to learn more about what healthy fats to use and what to avoid.
This can be the fat/oil you are cooking with, in your salad dressing, or even drizzling raw extra virgin olive oil to the dish before serving.
Fiber -
Plants contain a lot of fiber so if you are eating lots of plants you are covered!! For gut-healing purposes think prebiotic foods!
Fermented foods!
Add 2 servings of high quality fermented foods if you are doing a gut-healing protocol. Do not add to your meals if on Dieta.
Step 3: Plan & Source Your Meals & Snacks
Using the 14-day calendar below to keep track of meals, when and what to prep, and give you the peace of mind of what you’re eating! You can also note on the calendar when to thaw, soak, or prepare food so that you keep right on track!
Step 4: Shop for those ingredients!
Use the Printable Sourcing & Shopping Resources to buy the foods that are most nourishing to your body!
Step 5: Prep & Create Your Nourishment
Taking a few hours during the weekend can be a life and time saver during the busy week. Doubling or tripling the batch of a meal you are cooking is LIFE-CHANGING!!
When you are making one meal, think about how you can make more for another meal OR just make more of one of the elements that you are using.
Think soups, stews, sauces, salad dressings, grains & rice, bases of salads, and cook or grill extra protein to throw into your next meals!
I always cook more protein like wild-caught salmon, pastured chicken, grass-fed steak than we need for the meal. Having extra protein can be a Godsend during busy weeks. So plan to always make a little extra.
Prepping tips:
- BATCH COOK!!!
- Making your grains ahead of time. Grains like quinoa, wild rice, or millet are great to have on hand so are potatoes! Not only cooking these items early on and cooling them for 24 hours, will make them into resistant starch (food for our good gut bugs), but they are easy to add to salads, soups, stir-fry’s, or other recipes.
- Cutting up and preparing veggies. I always cut up onions and get garlic ready to be put into other dishes and if you are already cutting up veggies for a meal, think about what else you can prep for the next upcoming meal or snacks!
Slicing up peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and celery for a quick snack for you and the kids makes eating healthy easy. My motto, use hunger as leverage and always offer and eat veggies first! - Make Dips! Make your own hummus, cashew garlic dip, guacamole, vegan pesto, or white bean hummus, the options are endless! Dips are great for quick snacks and to add on top of salads.
Step 6: Optimize Digestion & Mindful Eating
Integrate ways to optimize your digestion and be more mindful of when you eat! To learn simple and free ways you can improve your digestion, check out this episode of The Hippie Moms podcast, The MOST Important Steps to Elevate Your Gut Health
Meal Planning Resources:
If this all seems overwhelming, just pick a few things that you CAN do!
Plan 2 meals this week.
Shop in your pantry and find a few things you can use in meals this week.
Include more real foods like fruits, veggies, and clean meats.
It's all about baby steps and getting out of your own way!
Just start!
I hope this information supports just one person on their journey to truly nourishing their beautiful and sacred body!
In love of supporting our future selves,
Becky Wells
The Hippie Moms, LLC
www.thehippiemoms.com
The Hippie Moms Podcast
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