Mastering the Meal Plan

A few weeks ago I wrote this blog for Child Care Info (I am their Nutrition Contributor) and I felt it was really important to share with my followers here at Nutrition Concierge. 

Many of my clients consistently struggle with meal planning and this post simplifies it so it doesn't consume too much of your precious time. 

Take a read!

Every week it’s seems to be the same old dilemma.  Like an unexpected curve ball being thrown at you every night (even though we all know that’s not the case).  What should I make for dinner?  And besides that, you dream of having it be a healthy, nutrient dense meal that everyone in the family will love.  Sometimes this seems to be an insurmountable task. 

So let’s make it simple and break it down into smaller pieces so the whole puzzle doesn’t seem so overwhelming.  Oh yeah…we will also make sure it’s healthy AND tasty!

1.     WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE NIGHT?  First things first…what is your favorite night of the week to get settled and plan for the week ahead?  Most people will say Sunday night, which seems the most logical.  The family is settling down from the high-energy weekend and getting ready for the work and school week ahead.  But maybe Friday is your night.  Whatever night it is, use this time to plan your family’s meals for the week ahead.  Browse through your cookbooks, magazines, the Internet, or wherever you gather recipes and begin to feel inspired!

2.     START WITH YOUR PROTEIN!  The easiest way to start the meal planning process is to pick a few different types of protein to use as the main component of your weekly meals.  This will make all the smaller pieces easily fall into place.

o   Buy in Bulk:  The best thing to do is buy your protein in bulk so you can use it a variety of different ways during the week.  Frozen bags of boneless, skinless chicken breasts are great to use at a moments notice.  You can quickly thaw as many as needed and avoid wasting unused chicken.  Same goes for fish and shellfish.  Costco and Sam’s Club have great organic varieties of these frozen foods, in addition to pork, lean red meat, and turkey.  Also check out Trader Joe’s frozen protein selection.

o   Go Vegetarian: To keep down the cost of your main dish, try some vegetarian options.  Beans and legumes are a low cost, nutrient dense choice when putting together the perfect dinner.  These options can also be purchased in bulk, prepared quickly, and stored easily.  Great to have on hand when all else fails or you are much too tired to cook an elaborate meal. 

o   Eggs: The perfect protein:  Don’t be afraid to incorporate eggs into your dinner.  They are simple to make, delicious, and are a complete protein.  Brown rice sautéed with veggies and an over-easy (or over-medium) egg on top is such a healthy dinner and can be made in a snap.  It’s a big hit in our house!

3.     SUPER SIDES! Now that you have the main component of your meal, add some super sides.  This can be as simple as brown rice with steamed broccoli or something more complicated such as a quinoa dish or butternut squash mac & cheese.

o   Great Grains:  Like I said before, buying your grains in bulk is the cheapest and easiest way to always make sure you have it in the kitchen cabinet.  Brown rice, whole wheat pastas, couscous, quinoa, and polenta are some great choices that the whole family will enjoy.  Spice it up with adding veggies or the chosen protein for the night.  Whole Wheat pasta with grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and pesto is a yummy, nutrient-filled dinner.

o   Vary your Veggies:  I know you have all heard it before but mix up your veggies and branch out from the same old trend.  Purchase local produce from your farmer’s market and incorporate it into new dinner ideas.  If you can’t buy fresh, remember that frozen is just as nutritious (sometimes even more so) and is such an easy make!  Most grocery stores sell frozen blends of different veggies, which will be more appetizing for even the pickiest palate.

o    Sauce it up:  Who doesn’t love to “dip”?  Condiments are a kitchen necessity, so make sure you have a few different kinds on hand.  Ketchup (go for the more natural variety), mustards, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, soy sauce (or Bragg’s Amino Acids), Teriyaki sauce, salad dressings (always the lite variety), and/or olive oil & balsamic vinaigrette can spice up any simple meal.  And if your little one doesn’t love the meal in front of them, maybe a little sauce will bring it to life!

All in all, planning is the most important aspect of your weekly dinners.  If you take the time before the week begins, you won’t feel so frazzled during the week and will be able to enjoy the time with your family.  Remember to keep it simple.  The more simple it is, the healthier the meal turns out.  

To be, or not to be Organic

Do you remember when you first started seeing the word ORGANIC at the grocery store?  Did you understand what it meant?  It may have sounded like such a foreign word that you dismissed it, especially when you realized how much more expensive the item was compared to it's non-organic counterpart.  Today, the word ORGANIC is everywhere and not on just high priced produce.  From organic face wash and tissues, to organic beef and crackers, consumers have the choice in purchasing everything organic (and spending a little extra dough) or not.  But what are the health implications of not choosing the organic product?  Let's discuss.

What does "organic" really mean?  The word organic states that the product, whether it be produce or tissues, are grown/manufactured without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMO's), sewage sludge, or ionizing radiation.  Additionally, it stipulates that organic animals may not be given any antibiotics or growth hormones.  The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) has STRINGENT guidelines for becoming an organic food processor and they define it as the following......

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

The real question is whether or not the organic product is a "healthier" version of the non-organic.  And herein is where the debate lies.  Many people (myself included) believe that organic products, ESPECIALLY produce, are healthier for your body than the non-organic.  As is the case with the "DIRTY DOZEN".  Many studies have shown that purchasing the non-organic variety of these 12 can contain extremely high levels of pesticides and synthetic fertilizer residue.  They have a very porous-type skin which easily soaks up the chemicals and is then is absorbed by your body after consumption.  I really love this list on what fruits and veggies make up the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean 15".  By switching over to organic for the Dirty Dozen, the Department of Agriculture estimates that you can reduce your exposure to pesticides by 80%-90%.  I would say that is significant enough to shell out the extra $$$$ for these fruits and veggies.


Another thing to think about regarding the whole organic trend is the nutrition-based science emerging to back up the importance of riding our bodies of these nasty toxins, especially our children's.  A recent study published in the Pediatrics Journal whose focus was the data collected from about 1,140 children that were participating in the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.  The researchers looked at the pesticide-byproducts found in their urine and concluded that children with higher levels of a very common pesticide, neurotoxic organophosphate, were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.  More specifically, 119 children in the study met the criteria for ADHD.


There are about 40 different strains of this dangerous pesticide, neurotoxic organophosphate, that are registered with the EPA and have been linked to colony collapse disorder (the disappearance of our honey bees), childhood leukemia, and a myriad of other health issues that will continue to plague our bodies unless we stop buying foods filled with pesticides.


My advice is to buy the organic variety when you can, especially the fruit and veggies on the Dirty Dozen list.  Remember that highly processed foods still contain a large amount of pesticides if their primary ingredient is corn or soy.  That said, junk food is still junk food regardless if it's organic or conventionally grown.  Don't be fooled by clever marketing.


The most important thing you can do is to become educated on this topic, continue to eat a variety of local fruits & veggies, and always buy what's right for you and your family.