Our brains are hardwired to search for the fastest, simplest solution available. This is applicable even when it comes to selecting meals for your family. How likely are you to rush to the store to fetch some vegetables when there’s meat in your refrigerator? How many times have you ended up eating an unhealthy meal simply because it was there and you didn’t want to have to buy something else? Most people end up eating very unhealthy foods because of being trapped in this unplanned meal epidemic. The good news is you can use this same strategy for the better: plan healthy meals and make it as easy as possible to prepare them.
Find some Inspiration
If you and your family are among those who are used to having tasty ‘unhealthy’ meals and less vegetables and fruit, the first thing you need to do is change your mindset. Find and collect healthy recipes that you plan to try. Keep them somewhere visible and if possible have photos of them as well. Pinterest is a great place to do this.
Shop for only healthy stuff
Once you have a weekly healthy menu, you now need to make sure you follow it. Give yourself no choice but to follow it by buying the ingredients only for those dishes. This way, no matter how much you are craving for something unhealthy, your pantry will only have good things.
Make it simple to follow
When you are just starting out a health meal plan for your family, you need to make everything as accessible as possible. Buy frozen or already cut vegetables so you don’t need to worry about spending time cutting them. In time, you won’t mind the extra work but just to gain momentum keep it as easy as possible to cook healthy.
Get the family involved
The worst thing that could happen is you cook a healthy mean and all your family hates it. The decision to embark on a healthier diet should be a family decision. This way, they will know what to expect and be less likely to complain about your menu.
The benefits of planning your meals reaches far beyond your health. The fact is that healthier foods are in fact less expensive and cooking at home is far cheaper than eating outside. Once you and your family start experiencing the benefits of eating healthy, you will have enough motivation to continue to plan your meals. Remember: “Plan your work and work your plan.”
