Easier Meal Planning
 

I'm starting Atkins on Monday and know from past experience that I have to plan my meals and snacks. Does anyone have suggestions to make it easier? I really appreciate any help because right now Atkins seems pretty complicated. :?:

Welcome, Amarillo!

I'm copying a post from Jersey Gyrl; she has this! I apologize for not using the appropriate box for quoting material, but I don't know how it works and don't want to play with it. So here's Jersey Gyrl's post (7-4-2010) on her typical day's menu:

Breakfast: 2 Hard Boiled eggs with mayo, 3 links of breakfast sausage or 3 strips of bacon, low carb/low sugar yogurt (NOT for Induction)
Lunch: Salad with 1 Tbsp sliced almonds (NOT for Induction) & a half can of water packed tuna or grilled chicken with 2 Tbsp Ranch dressing. I often put cold, cooked green beans or broccoli florets in my salad
Dinner:Usually some type of meat, chicken, pork or fish with a small salad & a green veggie (green beans, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, brussel sprouts)

Snacks are typically string cheese, hard boiled eggs, tuna salad and occasionally almonds (NOT for Induction). I also drink A LOT of water....typically 12-14 glasses a day.

If you are condsidering doing Atkins, reading the book before beginning the plan is critical.

You CAN do this!

I felt as if all I did for about a month was shop, cook, and clean up; I was accustomed to a faster, more convenient way of eating, one that had helped me gain 80 pounds. I've found that I can cook for more than one meal at once, stick to simple salads and veggies, chicken salad or ham salad for lunch topping a green salad with Ranch Dressing. I also keep packaged, already grilled chicken breast strips and baked ham for lunch or dinner quick menus.

Breakfast is now a sausage, egg and cheese quiche I cook on Sunday evenings and eat every day during my work week. Fortunately, it's easy, cheap and I love it. Check the recipe section of the Low Carb thread for lots of ideas for induction.

Use Linda's Low Carb site for menus and recipes. Many are fine for induction, but almost all can be adapted. Good luck! Post often wth us.

I make extra when ever I cook something. I saute extra chicken breast meat (and season it) so I have chicken to toss with a salad or make chicken salad with. I steam extra veggies so I can toss them on a salad or eat them with a meal (just need a bit of reheating), I boil eggs in the evening while I am relaxing so that they are readily available. I buy salad "stuff" and mix it all up so I only have to take out a serving and the peppers etc. are all in it and there is no chopping each day.

I DO NOT have a microwave. I found that it was far to easy to heat and eat so I got rid of it. If I want something warmed I heat in a small pot or in a small pan I stick in the oven.

I keep cheese sticks on hand, I do have pepperoni sticks available for snacks. I make a bowl of hummous and fill celery with it (not induction) .....

I'll buy pre-made salads from my deli (when I know I'll be too tired or not have enough time to make lunch/supper) - lettuce, chicken, bacon, cheese, pre-measured ranch dressing / or a greek salad w. lettuce, cucumber, black olive, red onion, feta cheese & balsamic vinegar dressing. They're quite large & fill me up for the night shift without weighing me down.

These are all good ideas. I think I'm trying to make it too hard. Thanks.

I find that I can cook one or two days a week and be set. But I tend to eat the same things over and over for simplicity.

For instance, at the beginning of the week I cook a pan of bacon, and then for breakfast I just zap a few pieces in he microwave to reheat while I scramble a few eggs. I have a freshly cooked breakfast every morning, and it only takes about 10 minutes to make.

For lunch I have salad greens or spinach with meat (chicken, beef, or pork) that is part of a giant batch I have cooked ahead of time in my crockpot (in fact, the beauty of cooking meat in the crackpot is that it can cook while you sleep or are at work). I usually have a hard-boiled egg with my lunch, too. and if I do not have meat cooked, then I eat a can of sardines packed in olive oil with my salad and egg.

For dinner, I have a serving of already cooked meet with more veggies. I usually cook the veggies briefly in some butter or olive oil, season, and then reheat the meat in the same pan. All of this take about 20 minutes including prep.

Honestly, I find that I spend less time preparing food now than I did before, in part because I am keeping it simple. If you have a crockpot, your life will be much easier. You can cook most meats in them, including whole chickens!

Good luck to you!

I grill outside almost every weekend. Whatever I am cooking, I will go ahead and cook extra for me to have a piece of meat each day. Breakfast is my main meal, so I will eat 3 Jimmy Dean sausage patties and 3 eggs. Lunch I have a salad consisting of 1/4 tomato, approx. 2 cups of green leaf lettuce, 1/3 of a cucumber, some sliced ham, a very small amount of cheese and a little bit of ranch dressing. I will have whatever meat I have grilled (and then froze) for that week with another small salad. PLUS lots of water throughout the day. There are many days when I simply am not hungry AT ALL in the evenings.