Planning and preparing are two actions that people living with diabetes are used to taking in order to live their life as uninterrupted by the disease as possible. The ability to anticipate our needs (accessibility of balanced meals, fast-acting sugar, insulin, a vehicle to get the insulin into the body, and tools to measure blood glucose levels for decision-making data) is what allows us to get after our daily routine, as well as the fun or thrilling activities we have planned in our free time. When it comes to food, we can use our planning and prepping skills to simplify our lives in an effective way.
Why go to the trouble of planning out and preparing meals and snacks ahead of time? Before we get into the “how” of meal planning and preparation, here’s the why:
- What we put in our bodies has a direct effect on how we feel physically, our mood, and of course, our blood sugar. When we are stressed and short on time, it seems that one of the first things we throw out the window is our attention to making healthy food choices.
- Processed, packaged food is all around us, so if we can make it a no-brainer to grab food we have already put thought into selecting and preparing, we might be able to avoid temptation.
- Planning ahead also makes for less waste since we are more intentional about what we purchase, leaving little room for spoiled food or excess spending.
Start Small
The planning stage of meal planning and prepping begins with brainstorming. Give some thought to what meals/snacks you want to prepare in advance. A successful strategy for many people is to start with one or two items to put through the plan/prep process to see if you need to make any tweaks before implementing the process for every meal or every day of the week.
Going from zero meal planning and prepping to every meal for a week in one session sets us up for overwhelming and an unsustainable practice. For example, prepping just your mid-morning snack for the work week and adding afternoon snack, then lunch, then breakfast and/or dinner in the following weeks and months is likely to have a more effective long-term outcome than trying to start with all of those at once.
Brainstorm Meal Ideas
Think about what type of ingredients, flavors, and macronutrient breakdown you would like to incorporate into your meal prep. Ask friends and family for recipes they enjoy that also meet your requirements or look for ways that you can adapt favorites to fit your needs. Pinterest is a great place to search for meal prep ideas that meet all kinds of dietary needs and preferences.
Let balance be your guide — snacks and meals that incorporate protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, in servings in accordance with your individual needs, will be your best bet. Incorporate free foods for low-carb, high quality filler. Enjoy as many vegetables as you desire. A healthy intake of fiber will help you to stay full between mealtimes.
Put an emphasis on fresh foods that are in season for peak nutrient value and pricing (frozen is fine too, just be aware of added sodium or sugars). You can look at what is on special at your preferred grocery store and use coupons to save money while you save time and effort on your eating for the week.
Create Your Meal Plan
Taking the above into account, develop your plan. Choose your recipes, take stock of what ingredients you already have in your kitchen, then make a list of what you need to buy at the store. Utilize a chunk of time, preferably on the weekend or when you aren’t rushed to build your meal prep ritual and get the work done.
Be sure to have all of your measuring utensils nearby, as meal prep is a great way to measure portions ahead of time (and keep those carb counts as accurate as possible for the week ahead). Store the results of your hard work in airtight containers and abide by the rules of food safety for storage and serving.
Know Which Meal Plan Works
Go a step further and evaluate your experience with your meal plan and prep process on a weekly basis. Ask yourself what is working and what needs improvement. Eliminate recipes that unexpectedly wreaked havoc on your blood sugar or that you did not enjoy, and try something new instead. Make notes if you noticed that an extended bolus worked best versus a regular one.
If you feel that you are ready to add in another set of meals or snacks to the prep process, give that a try. If you have bitten off more than you can chew, feel free to step it down until you are ready to try it again. Go at your own pace and try to find joy in the fact that you are developing a delicious plan that will ultimately benefit your overall health and diabetes management.