Quick meal and snack planning tips.

Planning our meals and snacks helps us stay on track and make better food choices!  If we have quick and healthy options on hand, we are less tempted to frequent the vending machine, run through the drive-thru, or grab that donut or cookie in the break room, etc.

Meal planning– helps control portion sizes and to make healthier food choices

• Pack your lunch the night before
• Use small containers that offer measurements and snack size Ziploc bags
• Use salad size plates for reminders in bariatric plate distribution of foods (50% protein, 30% non-starchy vegetables, 20% starches)
• If you bite it, you write and/or log it
• Plan your lunches for the work week so that foods are on hand
• Batch cook on Sundays, prepare a couple of dishes and portion out and freeze (if needed) for dinner meals
• Never go to the grocery store hungry or without a shopping list. This will make you less likely to grab “trigger foods”, foods that might trigger you to overconsume

Snack planning– helps to have protein rich options on hand to help with satiation and blood sugar stabilization between meals

• Choose protein rich, portable snacks that help with satiety and portion control. Some examples include: reduced-fat cheese sticks, Carbmaster or light Greek Yogurt, raw, unsalted almonds in 100 calorie pack or portion out in Ziploc bag, hard-boiled eggs,  etc
• Snack mindfully: Sit down while you snack and avoid snacking while on the computer, watching television, using smartphone, and driving. Also, don’t snack just to snack if bored, stressed or out of habit
• Try and eat every 3-5 hours so if you know there might be a large gap between meals, plan to have a snack.

Don’t forget to make that shopping list before heading to the grocery store so that you have healthy options at home and also to take to work!  Remember:  PLANNING equates to being prepared for healthier eating!