HOW TO MEAL PLAN IN FOUR EASY STEPS WITHOUT NEEDING TO EAT CHICKEN BREAST FOR 7 DAYS IN A ROW + THREE EASY RECIPES TO GET YOU STARTED.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
We all have those days where we open our fridge, stare, shut the door and proceed to order Uber Eats (or have eggs on toast and call it dinner).<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Properly planning and prepping will do future-you a massive favour! It saves time, money and you end up with a couple of recipes to add to your repertoire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meal Planning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div> <\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n I buy produce from the fruit & veggie shop by uni because it’s cheaper than the supermarket!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step One: Plan (duh)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- Check what you already have<\/strong> that needs to be used up (fridge, pantry and freezer).<\/li>
- Look for deals at your local supermarket<\/strong> – Produce is often cheapest<\/em> at Asian supermarkets & fruit and veggie shops. The Odd Bunch<\/a> range at Countdown is also great value for money that works to reduce food waste (but it comes packaged in plastic which sucks).<\/li>
- Make a rough plan of potential meals you can make – <\/strong>Based on what is cheap and what you have, look for recipes online or in cookbooks (Kmart has a few good ones) and customise them to what you have available.
I\u2019ve created a little meal planning template which you can download here<\/a><\/strong>. I usually just follow that format but on a bit of scrap paper or in Notes on my phone.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nStep Two: Shopping Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- Go with your list (and reusable bags) to buy your produce <\/strong>– try stick to your list!<\/li>
- Sub things out<\/strong> – Produce super expensive or bad quality? It’s time to think on your feet for a substitute. Alternatively, if you spot something really cheap or inspires you, sub it in for something else. It’s all about flexibility.<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Step Three: Unpack and Organise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Instead of just putting everything away, think about when you’re planning on using each item and how you should store it. <\/strong>It\u2019s best to think ahead before you\u2019re faced with sad, wilting greens at the end of the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Freeze meat into portions<\/em> so that it doesn\u2019t become one frozen hunk).<\/li>
- Heaps of vegetables? Chop some up and freeze<\/em> to use in soups and curries.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Step Four: Cook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- Cook on Sundays<\/strong> and have your meals ready for a week.<\/li>
- Cook small batches every few days<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
I usually go for option 2<\/em>. If I make a big batch I\u2019ll eat it over a couple of days and freeze the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSo, here are three of my go-to recipes\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div> <\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Cheap and quick, I literally eat this every single day before my 8am lecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1: Chia Overnight Oats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1 serving<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 1\/3 \u2013 \u00bd cup rolled oats<\/li>
- \u00bd cup milk (whatever kind floats your boat)<\/li>
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds<\/li>
- 1 tablespoon raisins<\/li>
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon<\/li>
- Optional: You could add frozen berries or sugar\/maple syrup\/honey for sweetness, but I find the soaked raisins make the oats sweet!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Quick Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Store in individual containers<\/em>\u00a0if you\u2019re taking it on the go (or want to be pinterest AF). Otherwise just chuck it in a big Tupperware container and portion as you go.<\/li>
- In the morning I tend to\u00a0mix in a splash of milk<\/em>\u00a0if it’s quite thick,\u00a0add yogurt<\/em>and other toppings I fancy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div> <\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Evidence this salad packs well for uni<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2: K\u016bmara and Crunchy Chickpea Salad<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2 servings<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 1-2 medium k\u016bmara (pumpkin works well too when k\u016bmara is expensive)<\/li>
- 1 can chickpeas, drained<\/li>
- Leafy greens (kale, rocket etc.)<\/li>
- Optional: Feta\/pinenuts\/pumpkin seeds\/boiled egg\/pita bread\/chicken<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- K\u016bmara:<\/strong> Chop up the k\u016bmara into cubes, coat with olive oil, salt (garlic salt is great here) and pepper. Roast at 180C until soft, about 20 minutes.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Chickpeas:<\/strong> Coat chickpeas in olive oil, smoked paprika and salt and pepper, and bake until crunchy, about half an hour.<\/li>
- Store:<\/strong> Keep the roast veg, chickpeas and greens separate and pack them together the night before\/in the morning.<\/li>
- Extras:<\/strong> Add extra veggies, meat, cheese, dressing \u2013 all is good.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Nutritional Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something I only learnt recently (despite majoring in human nutrition) is that pumpkin and k\u016bmara are quite different in terms of carbs, fibre and water content. So,\u00a0k\u016bmara will keep you fuller for longer<\/em>\u00a0hence why I choose it for uni lunches, but\u00a0provide a great range of nutrients (ie. A and C)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div> <\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n I love vegetables, can you tell?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3: Pumpkin and Leek Tray Bake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This is great to pack for lunch the next day, and reheats well if you want it as a dinner side over a couple of days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
3-4 servings<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u00bc large pumpkin<\/li>
- 1 large carrot<\/li>
- 1 leek (washed)<\/li>
- 1\/3 block feta<\/li>
- Olive oil<\/li>
- Dried mixed herbs<\/li>
- Salt and pepper<\/li>
- To serve: Leafy greens, protein of choice<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Preparation:<\/strong> Chop the pumpkin into cubes (a battle, I know, but it’s way cheaper than buying pre-cut); wash leeks thoroughly and slice (I use as much of the leek as I can and freeze the tougher green parts at the top to use in stocks in the future); and chop carrot into chunks.<\/li>
- Roast:<\/strong> Put the pumpkin and carrot into a roasting pan, toss with olive oil and season with herbs, salt and pepper. Roast at 180C for about 15 minutes. <\/strong><\/em>Add the leeks for the last 10 minutes and top with feta (either in the last few minutes or once you take it out of the oven).<\/li>
- Chicken:<\/strong> While that’s in the oven, I cooked chicken in the pan.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Quick Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- You can put the chicken in with the vegetables<\/em> and voila, you have an all-in-one meal sorted, but I haven\u2019t tried that myself; google or pinterest can help you there.<\/li>
- To avoid hacking away at a whole pumpkin, roast the whole thing until it’s a little softer<\/em> but not cooked through and then cut it into smaller pieces.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Nutritional Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leave the skin on the pumpkin! It has lots of fibre in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThere we go, some tips for getting a bit more organised and three recipes to get you started! I fully believe any student can eat well (and on a budget) but sometimes it just requires a little time taken out of your week to get ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for reading, check out my page @balanceyourplate<\/a> for more meal ideas and all things food! And let me know what posts you want to see in the future…more recipes? Nutrition-related topics?<\/p>\n\n\n\n