Need help with meal planning pleeeese

  • Hello everyone, I am on a calorie counting plan. I am struggling with dinner time. I do really well with breakfast and lunch but my dinner and snacks are not there. I know about healthy choices and all I am just not sure how to put it together. I would like to have a meal plan that I can post on my fridge and know what I am fixing on a daily basis... If anyone out there has a meal plan for a week or two that would be wonderful... Thanks for listening to me and help or suggestions would be appreciated.
  • When I first started I used the meal plans sparkpeople gave me. You could try that
  • I don't have a meal plan per se but one thing I've started doing is making double and freezing half to use on the days I am busy or just have brain freeze about what to cook. Last night I cooked up ground hamburger and turkey with sliced leeks. I used some to put in a casserole with whole wheat noodles, diced tomatoes, peppers,mushrooms and corn with enough left over to freeze three more dinners from it. Plus, I froze 3 baggies of cooked hamburger/turkey/leek for future meals.

    So, this isn't a meal plan but just a way to get a bunch of meals from one cooking session. Hope this helps you.
  • i agree with Crcossel, i started using the sparkpeople meal plan yesterday, it is very simple, they will set up the meal plan give you recipies, if you dont like a food they gave you,you can substitute it for something similar in calories. it is brilliant and free! i love free!
  • Thank you all very much I am going to check out the sparkspeople and see if that helps me out... I too love free LOL
  • Do you cook for yourself or for a family? It's more difficult to track calories when you are cooking for an entire family (in my opinion).

    I like to buy cookbooks with the calorie counts listed and bookmark the simple ones (easier when coming home from work).
  • I am cooking for a family of 4 and I am trying to calorie count but sometimes it feels a little overwhelming... I just bought a food scale and haven't even used it yet I really want to do this right but I need help
  • Quote: I am cooking for a family of 4 and I am trying to calorie count but sometimes it feels a little overwhelming... I just bought a food scale and haven't even used it yet I really want to do this right but I need help
    Family of 4! Yes, that's difficult. I'd recommend a simple recipe book (or online "healthy/clean" recipes) that are portioned for 4 people. I'm guessing 2 of those are kids? I just hand the leftovers to the husband... LOL.
  • I have 2 teenage boys and my DH. I am a collector of cookbooks.. Can you reccomend any recipe books for me ? My husband says I am crazy I have everything on a list or a spreadsheet... I just find that I have to have order. LOL.. So I am trying to find enough recipes for 2 weeks and then I can just switch them up on the next two weeks that way I will have a variety for everyone or at least that is what I am hoping for... thanks for the help.
  • I personally own Tosca Reno's "Eat Clean" cookbook (I think a new edition is coming out next month).

    Two teen boys eh? I take that back, maybe you'll get some leftover scraps! I know a woman with two teen boys and they are bottomless pits.
  • Yeah pretty much my boys, I have one that can eat anything he wants and never gains an ounce and then my other one is more like me... Just smell sugar and there's another 5 lbs so we are trying our best to make life changes for the entire family.