Healthy Habit 1: A Plan, A List

As a child, I remember seeing my mother hunched over her wooden recipe box, wracking her brain to come up with yet another family supper. She always said that it was her least favorite part of the day. She didn't like to cook in the first place, but having to think about what to make every single day (my father can only make omelets) made the task ten times more odious.

I didn't like to cook at first, either. My college roommates used to make fun of me because my grocery cart was always full of processed, easy-to-make food. I lived on Pasta Roni my first few years as an undergrad. It wasn't until about eight years ago that I realized that Pasta Roni was not going to maintain my figure, and so I decided to learn about cooking. After all, I had a lovely set of Calphalon Professional Nonstick cookware sitting in boxes from my wedding; it was high time to figure out what to do with all of those lovely pots and pans.

After a few years of half-hearted experimentation, I figured out a system that worked for me and my family. At the heart of this system is The Plan. Each week, usually either on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, I sit down and decide on at least five meals that I will prepare during the week. I try to plan for two vegetarian meals, two chicken meals, and one beef meal, and then I also plan a dessert we can eat through the week. For example, last week the list looked like this:

• Rainbow Pasta Salad
• Black Bean Burritos
• Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Broccoli
• Meatloaf
• Crispy Chicken Tenders with Mixed Vegetables and Potato Salad
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

All of these meals were chosen from what my husband, T, calls "The List of Goodness," which contains all of the meals we enjoy as a family. Every now and again we add something new, but the List of Goodness now contains over 50 meals that we can rotate through the months.

After I decide on the meals for the week, I turn to my grocery list* (pictured below). Several years ago, I made a three-columned grocery list in Word, containing the items that we bought most frequently and the items I used most in the kitchen. I organized the list to match the organization of the grocery store I use most often, and then throughout the week I simply check off the items I need as I remember I need them. After I make the weekly meal plan, I add the ingredients I'll need to this list, and I'm off to the grocery store.

If you can read this list, you'll notice there are several things that aren't on it. First, I included no meat products. This is simply because I buy my meat in bulk when the lean stuff (e.g., 93% lean ground beef) is on sale, and so I don't need to buy it every week. Second, you'll see that there's virtually no junk food on this list. I refuse to buy it because I know that if I do, it will taunt me from the pantry and I WILL EAT IT. For example, I love plain potato chips -- love them, always have -- and every single time I buy them, I end up eating the entire bag. Same with Oreo cookies. These are two items you will never find in my pantry because I have no willpower when it comes to these things. I also don't by any soda, as this is T's weakness. If there is soda in the house (particularly Mountain Dew or Cherry Coke) T will drink it all day long. We also don't buy calorie-rich, nutrient-poor food for ST; he adores fruit snacks and juice boxes, but we save them for special occasions only. (One children's juice box is 100 calories or more!) Honestly, we've found that if these things aren't in the house and readily available, we don't even crave them. We indulge once in awhile (my Fourth of July plans always include plain potato chips and soda), but 98% of the time we avoid junk food.

For us, the list is a calorie-saver and a timesaver, and it puts and end to the nagging questions of "What should I make for dinner?" and "Will I have everything I need to make what I'm hungry for?" I also saves us money, since we do not buy things we will not use. Our refrigerator never looks jam-packed -- by the end of the week it is a sorry sight. But we don't throw any food away, and there are always healthy snacks available. (I don't "plan" for lunches or breakfasts, but they are easy enough for me to ensure I have ingredients for those meals in my pantry and refrigerator.)

So, the first Healthy Task for any and all who are interested is to take stock of your pantry and your refrigerator. What kinds of foods are you eating? What would you like to be eating? Are you throwing a lot of food away because it goes bad in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator? What are your food weaknesses? Maybe it's time to take stock. And maybe, just maybe, it's time to make a plan.

*If you'd like a copy of my grocery list so that you can make your own, I'm happy to oblige. Send me an email at academeblog AT gmail DOT com. Does anyone know how/if I can attach a PDF to a blog post?