How to Create Customized Meal Plans
While you can often find meal plans designed by professional dietitians, sometimes you want to create customized meal plans that are just for you. You can design a meal plan to fit in with several dietary lifestyles, such as low carb, vegetarian or low calorie. Whichever plan is chosen, be sure to include nutritious foods and avoid eating junk foods like chips and cookies on a regular basis. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Learn about the specialized diet plan. You probably need to make a meal plan because you're following a new type of diet. No matter what type of diet it is, you'll need to learn about what foods you can and can't eat and how to eat within the bounds of the diet.
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Draw a weekly calendar. Turn the paper sideways so that the width is longer than the height. Divide this into seven columns. Mark each column with a day of the week, then create four rows--one for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
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Write down meals for each day. Using the guidelines set forth by the diet that you're following, plan the types of meals that you will eat for each day. Be sure to consider your schedule when thinking about what you'll eat. For example, if you'll be taking your lunch to work, you'll need items that you can make ahead of time and pack. You also may not have time in the mornings to cook a large breakfast.
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Factor in food likes and dislikes along with the diet plan. Broccoli is a very healthy food, for example, but if you don't like eating it, you shouldn't include it in your meal plan. One of the advantages of a custom meal plan is that you can substitute foods that you like for ones that you don't like. If you're looking at meal suggestions and don't like one food, find a substitute that is similar.
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Make a shopping list for the week's meal plan. If you want to stick to your meal plan, you need to have all ingredients on hand.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're planning meals for the whole family, double recipes and factor in everyone's likes and dislikes.
