Making the Most of Your Meal Planning

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Making the Most of Your Meal Planning
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Why Plan Meals?

• Save Time
• Save Money
• Add more variety to meals
• Color
• Texture
• Temperature
• Flavor

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More reasons to plan meals

• Healthier meals and snacks
• Include foods from all food groups
• Use healthy methods of preparation
• Use the food label
• Use less sugar, sodium and fat
• Include more high fiber foods

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Involve the whole family

• Family members are more likely to enjoy the meal
  if they have helped plan it
• Planning and preparing meals can be a fun family
  activity
• Planning meals with children helps teach healthy
  food habits

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Planned Overs

• These used to be called left-oversbut when they
  are part of meal planning, they are planned
  overs
• Give some examples of planned overs and how
  they can be used
• Cook-It-Quick Cook Once, Eat Twice

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Schedule a time

• to plan meals
• when the advertisements come in the newspaper
• a specific day of the week
• to make a shopping list
• when planning meals
• the day before grocery shopping
• to do the shopping
• a certain day of the week
• when the stores are not busy

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Meal Planning Tips

• Have a list of your familys favorite meals to
  choose from
• Develop a list of staples to have on hand
• Stock up on sale items as space and money allow
• Use appliances to save time
• Slow cooker
• Grill (outside or counter top)
• Food processor
• Microwave

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Fast Foods and Meal Planning

• Fast foods and convenience foods can be part of a
  healthy meal plan by adding healthy sides
• How can prepared or convenience foods be part of
  a healthy meal plan?