We’ve all been there: you get off work, pick up the kids, get home, and realize you haven’t even had a chance to think about dinner. This leads to unhealthy quick and easy options like fast food or pizza, as well as unnecessary spending. Here at Closet and Storage Concepts of Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, we believe that a well-organized life can lead to nothing but less stress and more time. That’s why we brought you this post with all of the reasons that you should build your own meal planner today!
Save Money
It may seem more convenient to grab a quick take out than to prepare a whole meal, but you’ll still take a hit to your wallet. Chicken costs as little as $1.50 per lb, Rice about $0.70 per lb, and broccoli about $1.70 per lb. Throw the chicken in the oven and the rice in the pot when you get home, steam or grill your broccoli, and you have a super cheap, easy, and healthy meal. Think that sounds a little boring? Spice it up with srirarcha or cook the rice in chicken broth for extra flavor. Grill your broccoli and dust it with olive oil and Parmesan rather than steaming it. Compare that to a medium pepperoni pizza at about $20.00 and it’s easy to see which one is the winner. By planning your meals in advance, you’ll have a plan when you hit the super market, and you won’t be swayed by unnecessary purchases.
Planning is Healthy
The reason that people go for fast food is right there in the name. It’s fast! In our go-go-go culture today, we do everything in a hurry. This can make it tempting to hit the drive through rather than actually making a meal, but those choices have consequences. The more we race, the wider our waistlines are getting, since it’s easy to ignore what and how much we’re eating when we’re in a hurry. But when was the last time you checked the nutritional information on that fast food? A Big Mac with medium fries and soda is 1070 calories. That’s more than half the daily amount recommended for the average woman in one meal! By planning your meals in advance you can be sure you’ll know exactly what you’re eating and putting into your body. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard as long as you have a plan! Try substitutions like sweet potato for fries and mashed potatoes, greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and healthy salsa instead of heavy dip. Most items have a light or healthy version if you take the time to make the right choices in the super market, rather than putting your trust in unknown ingredients. Try recipes like this one for creamy fettuccine with brussels sprouts and mushrooms. It takes 30 minutes tops and only has 385 calories a serving, meaning you can go back for seconds guilt free!
Dietary Variety
Do you ever get bored of eating the same thing day after day? We sure do. If you find yourself making spaghetti every night because it’s a low effort option that requires little time, it might be time to change it up. By planning in advance, you can prepare yourself to try new things, without the trouble of rushing to the grocery store at the last minute because you didn’t realize that recipe called for cumin. By preparing your recipes the week before, and making a shopping list based on what you’ll be making, as well as choosing low effort recipes, you’ll be able to bring a little spice back into your diet. Dining and cooking should be fun! Try making a meal from a different country once a week. A couple of options that you could start with are this 20-minute homemade ramen recipe, half-hour chicken Milano, 5 ingredient enchiladas, slow cooker pork tacos, or super simple shrimp scampi.
With a well organized meal planner you’ll be happier, healthier, and ready to focus on more important things, than what topping you’ll get on your pizza. For more organizational goodness, visit Closet and Storage Concepts of Las Vegas, Nevada today!