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Nutrition Information |
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Meal Planning: Your Ticket to Freedom
It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a long, full day. All of a sudden your mind turns to the daily question, "What's for dinner?" Whether it's just you or whether you're preparing a meal for a whole gang, it's not an energizing prospect to imagine planning, shopping for or cooking a meal from scratch at the end of a long day. That's probably why the fast food businesses are booming and why our health is suffering from the effects of these "easy" foods. If you think meal planning is an unnecessary step, or that it would create a strict regimen that you'd be trapped by, read on about how meal planning can free you from worry and improve your health and well being. REASONS FOR MEAL PLANNING Less time and money spent at the grocery store When you plan your meals out a week at a time, your trips to the grocery store become much more manageable. You know exactly what you'll need and you'll be less susceptible to "impulse" buying. Sometimes, when I'm feeling REALLY efficient, I even write my list in order of where I'll find it in the grocery store. Plus, buying the ingredients to cook a meal from scratch usually costs much less than the ready-made version. Healthier meals = healthier you and your loved ones When you're planning ahead, you'll have much more control over what you eat, and you can consciously choose to improve the health of your meals. Better-timed meals If you BEGIN planning and cooking dinner when you get home, it could be quite late before you're sitting down to eat it. The closer to bedtime it is when you finish dinner, the less likely you'll have time to properly digest and for your body to absorb what you've eaten. For breakfast and lunch, having the meals planned out can help remind you to STOP and EAT them. Variety When we choose our meals in the moment, based on what's fast, easy and enjoyable, we tend to stick to a few standby's and don't branch out very much. Nutritionally, this leaves us lacking. We also risk getting bored with our food and looking to fast food or unhealthier options for "excitement". HOW TO PLAN YOUR MEALS FOR THE WEEK 1. Keep some spontaneity. You could just plan one part of the meal. For instance, if you know that you always have plenty of fresh of frozen vegetables that you can choose from, then simply plan "chicken, potatoes and vegetables". Then you can still have some spontaneity in your meal. 2. When you have time, make "frozen dinners". Make a double or triple recipe; package the leftovers in single (or family-size) servings and freeze. 3. Factor in schedule changes. Maybe the night after the big meeting or the night of the soccer tournament aren't the best nights to cook a meal from scratch. Plan a quick meal, take-out or your own "frozen dinner" for those nights. 4. Aim for balance. With the week spread out before you, look for balance between heavy and light meals, vegetarian and meat-based meals, and a variety of different-coloured fruits and vegetables. 5. Plan while you're in the kitchen. That way you can easily check for the ingredients of the dishes you're planning. If they're not there, add them to your grocery list immediately. 6. Keep an active grocery list through the week. That way, when staples run out you can add them to list. 7. Grow your recipe collection. Use the Internet, the cookbooks of your friends and family, magazines, etc. and find new things to try. One new recipe a week will keep things exciting! 8. Get some expert advice. Consult a trusted source such as Canada's Food Guide, or better still get individualized meal and nutrition suggestions from a registered dietician or a holistic nutritionist. 9. Make it a team effort. If you're feeding others as well as yourself, make the planning a team effort so that everyone gets some of their favourites through the week. 10. Always follow your plan, except when you don't. There are going to be things that come up, days that you just don't feel like eating what you've planned, or days when you've forgotten to do your nightly prep. Create a list of healthy stand-by's that you can throw together with the staples in your own kitchen. If you're on the go, be prepared by having a list of healthy choices at your favourite restaurants. A meal plan is not a rigid "diet" or set of orders. The meal plan serves you, not the other way around. Start now with tomorrow's meals. What can you defrost or partly prepare tonight to make tomorrow's meals easier and healthier? (c) Copyright Linda Dessau, 2005. Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of "The Everyday Self-Care Workbook". For free resources, including your own Meal Planning Worksheet, visit http://www.genuinecoaching.com/resources.html
Look For
MORE RESOURCES: Maui County’s vacation rentals at 49.3% occupancy in June, down double-digits from last year Maui Now Vacation rentals post statewide occupancy drop Honolulu Star-Advertiser Amid housing crisis, Maui commission votes to phase out thousands of short-term rentals Hawaii News Now Maui Moves Closer To Phasing Out Thousands Of Short-Term Rentals To Deal With Housing Crisis Honolulu Civil Beat Astoria weighs licenses for vacation rentals Daily Astorian Hidden cost of vacation rentals skyrockets property taxes for hundreds of local homeowners Yahoo! Voices A treehouse retreat is Kentucky’s most wish-listed Airbnb stay. Take a look inside Lexington Herald Leader Maui takes step toward crackdown on short-term rentals Travel Weekly Business Report: June vacation rentals Hawaii News Now The 8 Best Vrbo Vacation Rentals Next to USA National Parks Hotels Above Par Astoria weighs licenses for vacation rentals The Bulletin Vacation rentals to become a $100bn industry this year TravelDailyNews International Vacation Rentals and Luxury Trips: Travel Startups Raise $106 Million Skift Travel News 10 Vacation Rental Companies to Try If You’re Over Airbnb Hotels Above Par 7,000 West Maui vacation rentals may turn into long-term housing; Planning Commission deliberates Hawaii News Now Maui Planning Commission to take action on phasing out thousands of vacation rentals Hawaii News Now Prominent Hawaii economist apologizes for obscene gesture during short-term rentals hearing Hawaii News Now Hidden cost of vacation rentals skyrockets property taxes for hundreds of local homeowners ActionNewsJax.com Global Short Term Vacation Rentals Business Report GlobeNewswire Five Perfect Parisian Rentals for Your Olympics Vacation Elite Traveler San Diego’s short-term rental rules a year later: Is the city cracking down on scofflaws? The San Diego Union-Tribune The Rise Of Vacation Rentals: How Technology And Preferences Are Shaping The Market Travel And Tour World How to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental Fees The New York Times Vacation Home Openings This Time of Year on Oregon Coast? Yes, Even in Pacific City Oregon Coast Beach Connection How B2B startup Inhaven is reworking vacation rentals Digital Commerce 360 Emerald Coast by Owner (ECBYO) Unveils New Website With Expanded Coverage and Enhanced Features StreetInsider.com Cowboy Country: Rustic Airbnbs for the Cowboy in You TravelAwaits DeSantis vetoes short-term vacation rental bill Florida Phoenix Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill News 13 Orlando Florida Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill that gave state more authority Tallahassee Democrat AG Ashley Moody Warns Floridians About Vacation Rental Scams In Summer Scams Series Tampa Free Press Maui County’s Move Against Vacation Rentals Likely To Bog Down In Court Honolulu Civil Beat Florida Governor Vetoes Bill Regulating Vacation Rentals coastalbreezenews.com A new vacation rental problem travelers need to know about The Seattle Times Global Vacation Rental Market to Hit $100 Billion This Year eTurboNews | eTN Maui Council Budgets $300,000 To Study Impacts Of Eliminating 7,000 Vacation Rentals Honolulu Civil Beat Vacation Rentals Florida Trend Tybee officially passes ban on vacation rentals. Here's what that means for the island WJCL News Savannah One of Michigan's Hottest Resort Towns Are Sick of Tourists & Blame Them For All Their Troubles 1077 WRKR FL lawmakers pass state regulations on short-term vacation rentals; how will it play out? Florida Phoenix Vacation Rentals: How to Shrink Your Carbon Footprint The New York Times Counties differ in approach to regulating vacation rentals Hawaii Tribune-Herald Buckingham Vacation Rentals Visit Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental Prices Come Down From Pandemic High The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News Galveston Central Appraisal district begins treating vacation rentals as businesses Galveston County Daily News Florida’s Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' review. St. Augustine Record Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change - Honolulu Civil Beat Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change Honolulu Civil Beat Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis The Associated Press Editorial: New limits on Marin vacation rentals make sense Marin Independent Journal Governor signs measure giving counties authority to convert vacation rentals into housing Hawaii News Now Short-Term Dwelling and Vacation Rental Licensing Boulder County (.gov) Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announces bill to phase out vacation rentals in apartment districts Maui Now Vrbo's Top Vacation Rentals for 2024 Include Homes in Cabo, the Caribbean, and Sedona Travel + Leisure Vacation rentals, presidential politics in Florida and the financial forecast for abortion amendment WUSF A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires Honolulu Civil Beat Hawaii governor pledges to sign vacation rental regulation bill Courthouse News Service Reconnect With Nature When You Stay At These Charming Rentals In Georgia Only In Your State Vacation rental bill divided lawmakers. Now it's drawing calls for DeSantis to veto it Tallahassee Democrat Ucluelet council removes several vacation rental restrictions Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News Short-term vacation rental bill barely passes Florida House Florida Phoenix Letter: Vacation rental vs. low to middle-class housing The News Guard |
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