Last week, my husband and I were looking for something new to make for dinner (as we had gotten stuck on the same old dinner meal rotation). We had some older cook books lying around and decided to take a peek inside for some "new" ideas. Inside the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book copyright 1989 (I couldn't believe we had a cook book that old floating around), I found a write-up on Meal Planning. Although more than 20 years old, I found the information contained in it still to be quite relevant and nicely simplified. Here is what it read (my thoughts in relation to your eating disorder recovery are highlighted).
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Meal Planning
Spending a little time each week planning meals can save you lots of time and money at the grocery store, as well as help you put more nutritious meals on the table faster.
As stated in my blog post I wrote about a year ago titled, Plan Ahead: Meal Plan Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery, "make a grocery list. I know it sounds simple, but it will help more than you now. There are isles and isles of food in the grocery store and it's easy to get caught up in one food item's health halo or get triggered by seeing a certain food item. How many times have you gone to the grocery store, wasted an hour, and come out with a smorgasbord of random food items that don't go together, just to discover you have to go back to the store the next day? Make a grocery list and stick to it. It will keep your eating disorder urges in check and save you time and money at the store."
Seven Steps to Nutritious Meals
Paying attention to these seven steps as well as the Basic Food Groups (see page 428), makes planning delicious, attractive, and nutritious meals easy.
Main message = focus on an entree with a variety of sides from different food groups. Plain and simple. We don't necessarily need to focus so much on the nutty gritty of nutrition each and every time we plan our meals out. Sometimes, being so precise can get too overwhelming as it can be easy to get too caught up in trying to put together a perfect meal, and we can get discouraged if it contains an item that isn't considered a nutrient power house. By keeping the basics in mind, we will likely adequately nourish ourselves and end up with an overall intake that is actually a nutrient power house once it is all put together.
I realize that for many people who struggle with an eating disorder, over simplified guidelines as described in my cook book are not enough structure for recovery. That is where your meal plan comes in. Sure, a meal plan requires more rigidity than the general tips suggested by Better Homes and Gardens. However, thinking through the basics as described can be a good starting point when menu planning for eating disorder recovery. Think through the basics of your meal plan first (ex: food groups if you are using an exchange based meal plan). Then, figure out the exact details, such as the amount of each food that your meal plan requires.
I also believe that desserts can be incorporated into a normal and healthful eating pattern. The trick is consuming desserts in moderation within a balanced and varied intake. Incorporating desserts is also important for eating disorder recovery and something that I do recommend that my clients challenge themselves to (which I will probably cover in more detail at some point in an upcoming blog post).
I do not totally agree with the example provided in my cook book that discusses eating one egg at breakfast and then only needing to eat one other protein source during the day. For many people, this may not be enough. Most eating disorder recovery meal plans require a 2-4 ounce serving size of a protein source at lunch and dinner, many times also having a small protein source at breakfast as well. However, aside from this section, I thought the info provided by Better Homes and Gardens in 1989, provided some helpful tips and information.
Meals That Sparkle
Solving the Time Bind
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Meal Planning
Spending a little time each week planning meals can save you lots of time and money at the grocery store, as well as help you put more nutritious meals on the table faster.
As stated in my blog post I wrote about a year ago titled, Plan Ahead: Meal Plan Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery, "make a grocery list. I know it sounds simple, but it will help more than you now. There are isles and isles of food in the grocery store and it's easy to get caught up in one food item's health halo or get triggered by seeing a certain food item. How many times have you gone to the grocery store, wasted an hour, and come out with a smorgasbord of random food items that don't go together, just to discover you have to go back to the store the next day? Make a grocery list and stick to it. It will keep your eating disorder urges in check and save you time and money at the store."
Seven Steps to Nutritious Meals
Paying attention to these seven steps as well as the Basic Food Groups (see page 428), makes planning delicious, attractive, and nutritious meals easy.
- Select a main dish from the Meat Group, one that includes beef, pork, poultry or fish.
- Add bread or cereal, say rolls or rice pilaf, to compliment the main dish.
- Choose a hot or cold vegetable.
- Select a fruit or vegetable salad to compliment the main dish.
- Choose a beverage. This is an excellent place for a serving from the Milk Group.
- If desired, add a dessert. Fruits and milk-based desserts, such as pudding, can help you meet your quotas from the Basic Food Groups.
- After you've met the first four food group requirements, add extras, if you like from the fifth group, fats and sweets. Remember to include these foods only in moderation.
Main message = focus on an entree with a variety of sides from different food groups. Plain and simple. We don't necessarily need to focus so much on the nutty gritty of nutrition each and every time we plan our meals out. Sometimes, being so precise can get too overwhelming as it can be easy to get too caught up in trying to put together a perfect meal, and we can get discouraged if it contains an item that isn't considered a nutrient power house. By keeping the basics in mind, we will likely adequately nourish ourselves and end up with an overall intake that is actually a nutrient power house once it is all put together.
I realize that for many people who struggle with an eating disorder, over simplified guidelines as described in my cook book are not enough structure for recovery. That is where your meal plan comes in. Sure, a meal plan requires more rigidity than the general tips suggested by Better Homes and Gardens. However, thinking through the basics as described can be a good starting point when menu planning for eating disorder recovery. Think through the basics of your meal plan first (ex: food groups if you are using an exchange based meal plan). Then, figure out the exact details, such as the amount of each food that your meal plan requires.
I also believe that desserts can be incorporated into a normal and healthful eating pattern. The trick is consuming desserts in moderation within a balanced and varied intake. Incorporating desserts is also important for eating disorder recovery and something that I do recommend that my clients challenge themselves to (which I will probably cover in more detail at some point in an upcoming blog post).
I do not totally agree with the example provided in my cook book that discusses eating one egg at breakfast and then only needing to eat one other protein source during the day. For many people, this may not be enough. Most eating disorder recovery meal plans require a 2-4 ounce serving size of a protein source at lunch and dinner, many times also having a small protein source at breakfast as well. However, aside from this section, I thought the info provided by Better Homes and Gardens in 1989, provided some helpful tips and information.
Meals That Sparkle
Keep meals exciting by planning menus with a variety of colors, forms, flavors, textures, and temperatures. Proper seasoning also is important. To jazz up your meals:
The more appetizing your meals look, the more likely you will be to stick to your meal plan. If you see a boring and colorless meal that is all of the same consistency in front of you, you might be more likely to skip it (which can lead to more restricting or other eating disorder behaviors later on).
- Choose dishes whose colors complement each other. Avoid choosing foods of the same color. A meal of chicken, fried potatoes, and baked beans, for example, would be pretty drab. Dress up plain foods with sprigs of parsley, bright red radishes, ripe olives, or slices crab apples.
- Vary the sizes and shapes of the foods you serve. Leave some foods whole and serve others sliced, cubed, mashed, or cut into strips.
- Provide a combination of mild and no-so-mild flavors. For example, serve sweet-and-sour Oriental dishes with rice and chili with corn bread.
- Serve crisp foods with soft ones. Good foods for adding crunch include breadsticks, croutons, and lettuce.
- Plan a balance of hot and cold foods.
The more appetizing your meals look, the more likely you will be to stick to your meal plan. If you see a boring and colorless meal that is all of the same consistency in front of you, you might be more likely to skip it (which can lead to more restricting or other eating disorder behaviors later on).
Color = nutrition. A variety of colors on your plate will make it more likely that you are getting a variety of nutrients as different colored foods contain different vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Furthermore, mixing up your meals as stated above with "mild and not-so-mild" flavors amidst a balance of hot and cold foods, will keep you from feeling bored and deprived with your meal plan. Eating the same thing too often can keep you stuck in rigid disordered eating patterns as well as be a trigger for a binge later on (as people tend to crave what they do not allow ourselves to eat).
Solving the Time Bind
When you're short on time, depend on fast-cooking or convenience foods. Choose one of the recipes in this book marked "fast," then plan the rest of the meal around it. Make the other courses simple. Lettuce with bottled dressing and ice cream or sherbet with prepared toppings are tasty time savers.
Save the more-involved menus for days when you have the time to spare and feel like cooking. You may also want to set aside a day to prepare several meals at one time to have on hand for future busy days.
Cooking doesn't always have to be complicated and take a lot of time. Choosing "fast" recipes as described, as well as batch cooking (where you freeze the left overs for later use) or using a crock pot can also be helpful tips for cooking well balanced meals when you are in a time crunch. I also agree with the suggestion to use some prepackaged items at times. Heck, it's even a-ok to forgo the cooking and make a frozen meal from time to time.
Write It Down
Equipped with recipes and newspaper food ads, sit down and write menus for several days or a week at a time. At the same time, write your shopping list. Be sure to list everything you need to make the recipes you've selected, including staples you're low on and nonfood items. The more planning you do, the less time you'll spend at the grocery store and over the stove.
Finally, take note of the menus your family especially likes. Then save your menu plans and use them again. Once you've collected several favorites, your meal planning will be easier and faster.
Also as described in a blog post I wrote about a year ago titled, Plan Ahead: Meal Panning Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery, "save your menu planners each week and rotate them. Variety is important within your food intake, but you do not necessarily need to come up with a new recipe for each meal. Get a good base of meals and snacks going and rotate them, throwing new items in every so often."
Save the more-involved menus for days when you have the time to spare and feel like cooking. You may also want to set aside a day to prepare several meals at one time to have on hand for future busy days.
Cooking doesn't always have to be complicated and take a lot of time. Choosing "fast" recipes as described, as well as batch cooking (where you freeze the left overs for later use) or using a crock pot can also be helpful tips for cooking well balanced meals when you are in a time crunch. I also agree with the suggestion to use some prepackaged items at times. Heck, it's even a-ok to forgo the cooking and make a frozen meal from time to time.
Write It Down
Equipped with recipes and newspaper food ads, sit down and write menus for several days or a week at a time. At the same time, write your shopping list. Be sure to list everything you need to make the recipes you've selected, including staples you're low on and nonfood items. The more planning you do, the less time you'll spend at the grocery store and over the stove.
Finally, take note of the menus your family especially likes. Then save your menu plans and use them again. Once you've collected several favorites, your meal planning will be easier and faster.
Also as described in a blog post I wrote about a year ago titled, Plan Ahead: Meal Panning Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery, "save your menu planners each week and rotate them. Variety is important within your food intake, but you do not necessarily need to come up with a new recipe for each meal. Get a good base of meals and snacks going and rotate them, throwing new items in every so often."