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Easy Meal Plans for Busy Families

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5 Benefits of Getting a Custom Meal Plan

by Stephanie

5 Benefits of Getting a Custom Meal Plan

“Hi Everyone! I’m looking for some new meal ideas! I’m in a cooking rut and I just don’t know what to cook anymore. Help!”

Or maybe this:

“My naturopath just gave me a list of things I can’t eat and now I don’t know what to eat… help!”

Does this sound like you?

I find the Internet a funny place – there are literally thousands (millions?) of recipes to grab online. If you’re anything like my kids looking for a Friday night movie on Netflix…there are just too many options.

Half an hour later, you’re still searching and you’re not anywhere closer to eating (but you are hangrier!)

Some might think custom meal plans are over the top, but they’re not, and here’s why:

  1. Stress levels are at an all-time high and you need to eat. With custom meal plans and recipe books, you have one less thing to think about.

    Let someone else figure out exactly what you need to and want to eat (down to specific ingredients). The investment is worth it (time is money, my friend).
  2. When you get that special food list from your practitioner, the stress can increase. Now you really don’t know what to eat.

    Meal plans can be customized to create meals that fit you. If you can’t have lentils and you hate red peppers, it can be added to your plan so that you only get recipes without those ingredients. You won’t have to think about substituting them on your own.

    Nothing is worse than finding a recipe online and having to make changes to fit your needs.
  3. When you get a custom plan, most times they come with a prep plan that tells you when to cook. Plans are great, but when the heck are you going to cook this stuff?

    Prep plans offer hour-by-hour help to help you cook and prep food so you’re not rushing during the week on your busiest days.
  4. Getting a custom meal plan will help you save money long-term. You likely won’t overbuy food and then let it rot in the back of the fridge (an expensive thing to do right now!).

    Custom plans come with grocery lists so you know what to buy and how much to buy each week.
  5. On that note, you can use up the food you have in the fridge with a custom plan. Your meal planner will ask you what you have in your fridge and cupboard so you can use up the food you have first.

    You’ll also get help with any leftover food you might have at the end of the week so you’re not left with extra food and wasted money.

Custom plans are not just for specialized diets, they’re for anyone who wants a lift of out a cooking rut or for someone looking to amp up their health. 

If this post resonates with you, send me a note to see how we can work together on your next custom meal plan.


P.S.: Follow me on Instagram to get weekly tips and tricks!

P.P.S.: Check out my Easy Slow Cooker Recipes booklet for awesome soup and stew recipes!

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***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still ***EDIT: These are RAMPS! Oops. But you can still read about all the benefits of garlic and green garlic below. Also, you can use ramps in the recipe I gave you!***

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This week I got my first batch of green garlic in the veggie box!⁠
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Green garlic, or spring garlic, is a younger version of the garlic we know well and use in our cooking. It’s milder and can be used in many recipes. You can eat the white and green parts.⁠
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It has a white base like a green onion although it’s a bit bigger and its green stems are more flat than rounded. ⁠
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The younger version of this garlic has the same amazing health benefits as its older version making it an excellent addition to your recipes.⁠
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Not to mention it’s local and can basically be grown anywhere which is fantastic news for our environment.⁠
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Health Benefits of Garlic:⁠
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⚡️Helps to reduce cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure⁠
Garlic’s sulfur-containing compounds can be beneficial to the upper digestive tract.⁠
⚡️We need to eat garlic in our meals at least 2-3 times a week in order to see these health benefits.⁠
⚡️Use it raw and cooked. Raw garlic retains its health benefits more so than when it is cooked.⁠
⚡️Dried garlic doesn’t have the same effect as raw or cooked. Tastes good though!⁠
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⚡️A Quick Recipe: Quinoa (or rice or millet) with Green Garlic⚡️⁠
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Slice the ends off of the green garlic and thinly slice the entire vegetable including the green parts.⁠
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Put a tablespoon of olive oil into a pan and sauté the green garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add quinoa (about 1-2 cups) and stir. Add a bit of salt and pepper and voila! You have a flavourful side dish. ⁠
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#recipe #springrecipes #simplerecipes
My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of o My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of our Christmas dinner sharpening my knives. I was so grateful, but also hesitant that I would cut myself.⁠
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When I started cooking with my newly-sharpened knives, I was in awe.⁠
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Sharp knives make all the difference when it comes to enjoying cooking. It's also safer if you can believe it.⁠
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With a sharp knife, you're less likely to push down harder on the knife trying to get it through an onion, for example.⁠
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It just slices through with little pressure. ⁠
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Dull knives leave room for error and slicing fingers (listen, I've cut a few fingers over the years...).⁠
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If you're having trouble enjoying cooking at home, I encourage you to either get a new knife (it doesn't have to be expensive), or get someone to sharpen your knives for you (call a Steve in your area!).⁠
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Take care of them with a little holder and treat them kindly. Having a sharp knife will bring you one step closer to love cooking at home.⁠
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xo⁠
Steph⁠
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#kitchenskills #cookingtips #easycooking #enjoycooking #inthekitchen
Keep Meals Simple Friends! I’ve said this befor Keep Meals Simple Friends!

I’ve said this before: keep your meals simple. 

Pick meals that take fewer than 20 minutes or less to cook so you’re not scrambling during the week to make dinner and keep the elaborate meals for the weekend.

Another idea is to choose a couple of veggies to roast on Sunday that you can use for various meals during the week. 

Roasted sweet potatoes are great with chicken thighs, but also taste fantastic in a frittata or taco. 

Cook once, eat twice (or three times).

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and nourishing and it get easier over time.

I’m accepting new clients at @onehealthservices! DM me if you’re looking for meal planning and prep help. 

#mealprephelp #mealplanhelp #springrefresh #
Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun!) and my son has soccer. ⁠
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That's why I make sure to make Mondays an easier night for dinner. ⁠
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Enter salads and bowls!⁠
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Last Monday, I made a salad bowl with arugula, leftover rice, olives, tomatoes, chicken, and feta, and wowee it was yummers!⁠
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By prepping ingredients, the kids can take what they want and leave what they don't want (eh-hem, tomatoes) and we have a meal full of elements that will keep us satisfied and nourished.⁠
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Need meal prep and meal plan help?⁠
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I'm currently accepting new clients @onehealthservices! DM me or visit the link in my profile here @lealoucooks to chat about custom meal plans.⁠
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#mealprep #mealplanning #health #naturopath #virtualappointments #realfood #wholefood #foodmatters #holistichealth #culinarynutrition

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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