Heart Healthy Meal Planning & Grocery List Tips

Creating healthy weekly meal plans can be a daunting task. Not only do you need to create a delicious menu to satisfy everyone in your family, you also have a budget to follow and only so much time. Fortunately, with a strategic game plan and a few simple tips you can navigate the grocery store with ease and confidence.

Strategize Your Healthy Meal Plans for the Week

Start off by creating your healthy meal plans for the week. When your goal is to feed your family daily healthy meals and snacks every day of the week, planning is your best friend. Not only does healthy menu planning allow you and your family to anticipate variety in your meals, it’s also the only way to shop with a budget. While outlining your menu, take stock of your kitchen and make the grocery list as you go. Organize your grocery list by department. Make it easy to get in, get your groceries, and get out by sorting your list according to department. This simple strategy will help you shop more efficiently, saving you both time and the hassles of backtracking and wandering the aisles. Stick to your list. While it can be tempting to grab “just a thing or two” while you’re out, try to avoid the temptation. Remember, you’ve already prepared delicious easy healthy meal plans and snacks for your family’s health and satisfaction!

Follow the Rules for Heart Healthy Meal Plans

Shop the perimeter. Ever notice how when you run into a store for staples like milk and eggs they are at opposite ends of the store? That’s because the back and sides are where they keep the basics, and that’s where you are better off shopping. With some exceptions, center aisles contain the boxed and packaged items you want to avoid. Choose whole grains. When buying rice, bread and pasta, don’t be fooled by a listing of “whole wheat” on the label. Whole wheat products are usually just as unhealthy as those made with bleached and enriched flour. What you really want to buy is whole grain, which retains the naturally healthy vitamins and minerals. Read the labels. If a package has more than 5 ingredients or anything you cannot pronounce, don’t buy it. Sometimes these items are the cheaper alternatives to what you might otherwise buy. While they might seem budget- friendly in the moment, remember the long-term toll on your family’s health and wellness and pass them over in favor of healthier options. In addition to following these strategies and rules, it is vitally important to keep your kitchen well-stocked with staples so you avoid making that call for takeout. These lists are suggestions. You will want to tailor them to suit your culinary tastes and dietary preferences.

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