Before you start your meal planning, it is important to note the ingredients you have on hand. You also need to note any ingredients that have a short shelf life. Once you have a list, you can start looking for recipes. You’ll also want to think about the side dishes you’ll serve. Some quick and easy side dishes include roasted vegetables and salads.
Recipes
Meal plans are a great way to ensure proper nutrition and calorie intake. They come complete with recipe photos, ingredients, and instructions. They also feature calorie goals and weighted recipes that correspond to your specific workouts. You can also use meal plans to track your progress with the major muscle groups.
In addition to the recipes, meal plans also offer a grocery list. You can customize your list by adding or removing ingredients, as well as changing quantities and amounts of ingredients. The calendar is also customizable, and you can easily move recipes to different days. It can be viewed on a month, week, or day-by-day basis. The recipes are color-coded according to meal type.
Prep work
You can use meal plans to make your meal prep work easier. They can be created in advance and reused over again. Start with four menu plans and rotate them regularly. Over time, you can add more plans as needed. Or, you can hire a graduate to create a meal plan for you. Either way, you should make sure you have the right tools and supplies for meal prep.
Costs
Meal plans can be an expensive way to get through college. Depending on your school, the cost can range anywhere from $1714 a year to $4,800 a year. Some colleges have mandatory meal plans, while others allow students to opt out of them. The University of Utah, for example, requires residential students to purchase a meal plan to eat on campus. The cost of a meal plan can range anywhere from $1714 per year to $4,800 per year, depending on whether you are enrolled in the campus dining halls.
University dining has been raising meal plan prices lately. Virginia Tech, for example, recently announced an increase of between $100 and $215 per semester for their spring semester meal plan. In addition to these increases, the University of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $2.7 billion operating budget that includes a 4% increase in meal plan prices for the 2022-2023 academic year. Similarly, Clemson University recently announced a tuition increase for the first time in three years, and a 4.5% increase for dining.
Variety
Meal planning involves preparing meals ahead of time and following the nutritional guidelines. This can be beneficial to those who lack time or the desire to prepare complex meals. Studies have linked home meal preparation with improved diet quality. However, the relationship between meal planning and diet quality has received little attention in the scientific literature. The aim of this study was to examine the association between meal planning and diet quality, including food variety, adherence to nutritional guidelines, and weight status.
Adding variety to your meal plans can make your diet more interesting. Try experimenting with new spices and foods. For example, add chili powder or cayenne pepper to your favorite dishes. You can also use ground cinnamon to make sweet potato fries. Another idea is to make your own salad dressings, using olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and fresh herbs.
Commitment
There are a few ways to save money with meal plans. One option is to choose a plan that covers four weeks. This plan will be automatically billed each week, but you can cancel at any time. You can also make your own meal plan by using the “create your own menu” option.
