Five reasons to get into meal planning

Are you not sure whether to give meal planning a go? There are plenty of reasons to plan your meals out in advance that have nothing to do with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Here are five compelling reasons to get into meal planning.

1. Meal planning is good for your health

If you have to start planning your meal when you are already hungry, you are more likely to make bad choices like ordering a (fatty) pizza or having a highly processed microwave meal from the supermarket. People who plan their meals in advance are more likely to choose healthy foods that meet all their nutritional requirements. It can be great for people who are on a weight loss diet too.

2. It's tasty

If you are taking your time to plan the meals you will eat, say, for the rest of the week, you will probably sit down with a recipe book or look for tasty meals on the internet. When we are in a hurry, the quality of the meal will suffer, and that includes how tasty your food is. What's more, those who are stressed about "what's for dinner" probably can't enjoy their meal properly anyway.

3. Meal planning saves money

Meal planning saves money, because people who meal plan don't buy more than they need. This is particularly important when it comes to fresh produce, but even items that supposedly keep, like pasta and the like, are often thrown away after sitting in the cupboard for a long time. Meal planning saves money because it eliminates the need to buy fast foods or go to a restaurant at the last minute, too.

4. Meal planning can save time

OK, it will not save time if you opt to make complicated multiple course dinners from scratch, but it can save time. That time you spend planning out your meals is redeemed later, when you don't have to stand in the grocery store queue at the last minute or drive to get a meal somewhere else.

5. Meal planning reduces stress

That's right knowing that you will have nice, nutritious meals throughout the week and knowing exactly what you spent on them reduces stress. It makes you feel organized, something that may well produce a ripple effect and carry over into other areas of your life.