I have found that
one of the major factors to succeeding on a plant-based lifestyle, or any
healthy eating lifestyle for that matter, is to plan ahead. When you make last
minute food decisions, you usually end up choosing something quick and easy
like take-out food or processed ready-meals. However, if you plan your grocery
shopping and meals ahead of time, you will set yourself up for success. I
typically do my big grocery shopping trip on the weekends and then do a couple
small trips during the week to pick up a few things. I also prepare my lunches
for Monday through Friday on the weekends so that I already have them ready for
the work week. By preparing your meals at home, versus eating out, you can
better control the ingredients and nutrients you are consuming. Fast food and
restaurant food has a ton of added salt, sugar and oil which, if you consume on
a regular basis, can be extremely unhealthy and lead to weight gain and other
health issues.
Not only is
preparing meals at home more healthy, but it also saves money over time by not
eating out as much. On average, people spend approximately $7-$10 when they eat
out for lunch and approximately $15-$20 when they eat out for dinner.
Therefore, if you just eat out for lunch 3 days a week you are spending about
$21-$30. However, I have calculated that I spend about $3 per lunch, which is
only $15 for 5 days, a savings of $4-$7 per day. So not only are you saving
money on the food you consume but you are investing in better health in the
future which will save you money on healthcare as well. It seems like a win-win
to me.
I would recommend
that if you are just starting out on this lifestyle or are just trying to eat
healthier, then you should take the time to plan your grocery shopping and meal
planning each week. This will ensure that you stick to eating healthy and not
make last-minute unhealthy food decisions for convenience purposes. This may
seem like a daunting task at first but once you start getting into the habit of
buying and preparing your own food it will become easier, more enjoyable and
more fulfilling.
Today was my big
grocery shopping day and here is what I picked up.
I also made my
lunches for Tuesday-Friday.
Recipe (makes 4
servings)
2 cans organic
chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 bell peppers,
chopped
2 cucumbers,
chopped
2 cartons of
cherry tomatoes, halved
I add all
ingredients to my glass lunch containers and store. The morning before work, I take
one container and add about a ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
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