Tools and Tips for Healthy Eating In and Out

Episode #9 of the course How to adopt a flexitarian lifestyle by Alyce Eyster

 

Top of the morning to you! Are you ready to begin putting the plant-based lifestyle to practice? Today we are discussing practical tips and tools that will help along the way. One thing is for sure: the changes you will make toward a healthier lifestyle are going to take a bit more time, but an investment of time on the front end will make adopting the lifestyle so much easier. Learn to plan ahead.

 

Eating In

Say you are the type who enjoys cooking. You are off to a fantastic start. For convenience’s sake, take about 30 minutes one day of the week (I like Saturday) and plan your menu. For each day of the week, list mealtimes and what you will eat. It might look like this:

I typically eat the same thing for breakfast. And for lunch I’ll rotate ideas, for example, salad, sandwich, and perhaps utilize some vegetables from the previous night’s dinner. I try to get creative with dinner, sampling at least one new recipe a week, and allow for dinners out when necessary.

Now that you have your menu planned, gather recipes and go through each day’s meal, making sure you have everything you need, adding items to the list. I like to use up what I have and purchase just the right amount. Plan your list thinking about your typical path through the store, listing by department. My list has sections for:

• Produce

• Seafood/Meat/Deli

• Grocery

• Dairy

• Paper/Cleaning Products/Pharmacy

Trust me, planning pays off in spades. It is so much easier at the end of the day to come home to all the ingredients you need to cook a healthy meal. And this way of list-making is helpful as well, even if you order groceries online.

 

Eating Out (or Ordering In)

Most people enjoy a night off from cooking, and it is always fun to try new restaurants. Prior to visiting, allow yourself time to peruse the menu so you have some sort of idea of what you can eat that will fit within the parameters of your new lifestyle. Check out the vegetable offerings and find out if bread is offered at the table. Again, if this restaurant is known for its amazing, house-made pasta and you LOVE pasta, then take the opportunity to splurge and enjoy in moderation. Know that you will get back on the program tomorrow. Remember, the flexitarian approach allows for splurges because you can jump back into the lifestyle the next day.

Tomorrow: we conclude and wrap up with key points in the journey to becoming a “mostly” vegetarian.

 

Recommended book

Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook by Del Sroufe

 

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