My meal-planning pyramid (no, not THAT pyramid!)

Meal planning can feel counter to Intuitive Eating. Aren't we supposed to wait and see what we feel like eating the moment hunger arises? Well, yes and no. You can and should respond to cravings in real time but real life is complicated; most of us need to have a general sense of what we plan to eat in order to live our lives efficiently and while caring for ourselves and others. The following is one way to think about meal planning in terms of costs, frequency, convenience, ease, and variety.

Depending on budget, access, and preference, eating at restaurants or getting take out can be included in your meal planning. I put these at the top of the pyramid because most of the folks I work with don't really enjoy eating from these sources too often. 1-2 times per week might be the appropriate amount for some but you get to decide what works for you.

Cooking from scratch can be a wonderful way of engaging with food and creating a satisfying eating experience. But it definitely doesn't need to be every night. 2-3 times a week might be a good place to start when thinking about meals that require extra time, effort, and attention. Some of my favorite sources for ideas and recipes include Smitten Kitchen, the New York Times cooking app, and the wonderful Julia Turshen (who happens to be an intuitive eater herself!).

For meals that require only assembly and minor preparation, see my next few newsletters in which I offer a few ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to add to your rotation. Some-assembly-required meals can be your go-to for lunches and 4-6 of the week's dinners!

The base of this pyramid is foods that you can simply grab and go: yogurts, kefir, cereal and milk, bars, fruit, cut up veggies, hummus, guacamole, hard boiled eggs, cheese and crackers, trail mix, prepared meals from the supermarket, and basically anything from the trader joes frozen section. Also, intentionally making more of a dish when you cook (whether from scratch or assembly only) could mean you have leftovers to grab and go later in the week! Grab and go can comprise your breakfasts, snacks, and any other meals not covered by the above categories. 

This is by no means the only way to look at meal planning, but perhaps it's a start! Join me on August 23rd for a workshop on meal planning from an Intuitive Eating standpoint. We'll discuss this pyramid and much, much more!