The Unconsidered Psychological Benefits Of Meal Planning?

Ok so it might sound like a bit of a yawn worthy subject, but since deciding to plan my daily meals I have saved my self alot more than just time and stress.

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I have actually discovered some serious feel good benefits to this 1 simple lifestyle change. I had been toying with the idea of meal planning for a while now but decided to finally go ahead and trial it about 6 months ago and i have done so every week without fail since!  

Besides saving your precious time and money it has improved others areas of my mental wellbeing and here’s why…

Reduced Stress

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One of the biggest influences on this lifestyle change is without a doubt decreased stress. I remember a time when I would stumble home after a long shift at work tired and hungry only to open the fridge and go completely blank.

There was a plethora of  ingredients but what to do with them, I had no idea! 

I would then reach for that frozen pizza because i was so tired and simply had zero motivation to plan and prepare a meal. 

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The result was an unhealthy lifestyle with more food and money wasted. Sharpens Your Organisation Skills 

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When you meal plan you have to think ahead of what to buy and what meals would best be suited for what days.Working late on Wednesday evening? Pherhaps this day would best be suited to a simple pasta meal thats easy and creates less washing up. 

Thinking this way on a regular basis will mean you are more likely to better organise other aspects of your daily life. 

I have found It has even improved my organisation and planning at work! 

Increases Fun! 

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When me and my husband stumble home from a hard days graft the first thing we jump to is food.Because we know exactly what we are doing and that the ingredients are fresh we are much more motivated to get the job done and create a delicious healthy meal from scratch. 

Therefore we work together as a team with my hubby starting straight away on veg prep, where as i prepare equipment and start any cooking.

We often turn it into a fun game and chat about our days.

We find it only increases our bond further! 

Fun While Shopping? 

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We also enjoy shopping for the ingredients much more as we have a direct focus on what we need. We often split the list in half and race to see who can get there half done first! 

Reduced Anxiety 

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Healthy eating and a balanced diet has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety. As part of my meal plan i make sure i have simple homemade smoothies every morning and vegetables every night. Please check out ‘Liquid Positivity’ below for this fun and easy recipe. 

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When you plan your meals you are much more likely to include fresh vegteables and more balanced options. 

Doing so has vastly improved my mental wellbeing as i feel more focused, more energetic and less anxious. 

Before meal planning i would often grab sugary cereal or cereal bars which only accentuated agitation more. 

So why meal plan to increase your mental wellbeing? Increased motivation, better organisation, more fun and a healthier lifestyle!  

Happy cooking! 

 

LSD ♡