Meal plans are great if you want to consistently cook nutritious food at home. And they can be versatile! But sometimes, even the most organized among us don’t have the energy to cook, so here are some steps for easing into an eat-at-home/cooking routine.
- Make a selection of two to three breakfast recipes that don’t need much preparation and alternate them for a week (Monday through Sunday). For example, I like varying breakfast every week by alternating gluten-free oats porridge one day with scrambled eggs and gluten-free toast and my summer favorite, greek yoghurt with berries.
- Keep a selection of healthy gluten-free foods for snacking. My favorites are apples and bananas, which are very filling. I also love a good fruit salad, which I spice with Indian chaat masala or some salt and a dash of lemon juice. Rice, corn or lentil wafers are great snacks too and are usually low-calorie. Do check whether they’re gluten-free, though. I love these wafers made from red lentils that we get at my local organic store in Germany. Although I try to avoid sugary snacks, I do indulge in gluten-free snack granola bars from time to time. These crunchy, gluten-free sesame bars at Aldi are my favorite.
- Make a plan with recipes for dinner from Monday through Sunday (or whichever days work for you). Try this easy-to-prepare dal, which can be made in bulk and stored in the freezer for later. Here’s a chickpea salad if you’re looking for something to cook after a long day’s work.
- Cook in bulk: Like I said, make extra/double portions and use the previous night’s dinner as lunch the next day or freeze for another time. You can also do the same with breakfast dishes like oats porridge, which can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Finally, keep some emergency food/meal ideas handy (so you don’t end up finishing your stash of snacks). Sometimes, I’, in a hurry, starving or simply not in the mood to cook despite having a meal plan in place. For such instances, I keep some supplies handy, like gluten-free sandwich bread, eggs, yoghurt, pasta, gluten-free pesto, cheese, potatoes and salad, basically, stuff I can quickly whip up a delicious meal with.
Stocking your pantry with gluten-free products and foods need not be complicated. Check this article that has a poster with lists of gluten-free staples for your food stores!
Hi, I’m Manasi, owner of Food for Normal People, and a journalist and nutritionist-in-training. Do you have any questions related to starting a gluten-free diet? Write in the comments and I’ll get back to you! You can also follow me on Instagram.
