Organize + Energize: 4 Reasons to Start Planning and Preparing Meals

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalPDX Organizing Expert

Set yourself up for success. Living an organized lifestyle just doesn’t mean having a physically organized space. Another aspect of living this lifestyle is being able to plan and prepare.

How many times have you arrived home late from work and were so hungry that you just grabbed the first thing that caught your eye in the refrigerator? Are you trying to lose weight, but are working in a chaotic kitchen? Are you wasting money at the supermarket on impulse purchases?

Here are 4 reasons you should plan and prepare meals for the week:

Lose weight. Plan and prepare your meals for the week ahead and you will lose weight. Take 15-30 minutes the day before you head to the market and map out your meals for the week ahead. Take a look at your calendar and see what your schedule looks like for the week and plan your meals based on your schedule. Once home from the market, take it one step further and portion your meals in containers so you can grab and go during the week. Having a solid plan in place with healthy options and pre-portioned servings is going to set you up for weight loss and a success story!

Save time. Preparing your meals ahead will allow you to have more free time in the morning before work and will give you more free time in the evening. Take time on a Sunday to prepare your food for the week ahead. Taking an hour on a Sunday will free up time each morning to spend with your kids or just taking time to relax before the day begins. At night, you’ll be able to come home and pop your portions in the oven or microwave, leaving time for you to relax and unwind.

Save money. By making lists and planning and preparing, you’ll save money by not purchasing those impulse items. Do you ever notice that those impulse items are usually not the healthiest and usually sabotage your weight loss? If you have an organized food pantry, take your food list to the pantry and cross off everything that you already have. You’ll never waste money on food again if you plan and make your food list from your organized food pantry. How much expired food have you thrown away? Food thrown away equals money wasted.

Clear the mental clutter. You’ll never have to worry during the week about what you’re cooking for dinner. You won’t have to worry if you’ll be tempted at work with snacks. Clear the mental clutter and plan and prepare your meals and your mind will be free for more important tasks to think about. Imagine not having to think about what you are going to eat every day that week.

Before you can begin to plan and prepare, I advise you to have an organized kitchen. Make a plan to declutter, and re-organize your kitchen and create working organizing systems. It will be much easier to plan and prepare if you are working in an organized space.

When you begin to live an organized lifestyle, you’ll start to realize that you want to tweak your routines to become more efficient and productive. Adding this piece to your lifestyle will get you one step closer to leading an efficient, organized, and productive lifestyle.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on talkstreamradio.com.