TIP #1: DON'T FORGET - YOUR FOOD DIARY IS ALSO A SHOPPING LIST
STEP 1: Ideally, aim to complete your food diary in advance for a week.
STEP 2: Choose the best day in the week that suits you and keep it consistent (For example, add into your schedule "Saturday morning shopping list").
STEP 3: Set aside up to half an hour to plan the shopping list (that's all it should take on average).
And remember: If you really don't like adding your own meals, you can use daily meal plans as suggested by Vision to make things as easy as possible.
TIP #2: SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY DOING A "BIG SHOP" IN STORE OR ONLINE
STEP 1: Similarly, set aside a day in the week that best suits you for doing a "big shop" (for example, add to your schedule "Saturday afternoon shopping"), with the aim being to shop once a week for everything on the shopping list.
STEP 2: Your big shop should only take approximately half an hour to do simply by following the shopping list.
If you happen to find shopping itself very tedious to do and hate being tempted by what you see on the shelves, you can try "click and collect".
"Click and collect", as the name suggests, involves ordering your groceries online before picking up your order at your local store.
TIP #3: FOOD PREP FOR WORK LUNCHES BY BRINGING LEFTOVERS
STEP 1: During your shopping list prep, simply multiply the quantities or serves per the recipe to function as leftovers (for example, if you want to make 3 meals, you would triple the amount of ingredients to keep it in proportion).
STEP 2: Ensure to make full use of microwaveable and freezer safe containers to store your leftovers and "food prep as you go".
TIP #4: MEASURING PORTION SIZES DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOO PRECISE
Estimating portion sizes by using our hands is a handy visual tool (particularly if you are not fond of measuring quantities).
This method will also help enable you to positively "see" the serving plate in other "real life" situations or scenarios (for example, when you are not at home and eating out at a restaurant).
The general method is as follows:
• Palm and fingers = approx. 200g serve (e.g. fish)
• Palm = approx. 150g serve (e.g. meat)
• Cupped hand = approx. ½ cup (e.g. serve of vegetables, serve of pasta)
• 2 cupped hands = approx. 1 cup (e.g. serve of cereal)
• Clenched fist = piece or serve of fruit (e.g. medium sized apple, serve of berries)
• Thumb = approx. 1 tablespoon (e.g. serve of mayonnaise)
• Fingertip = approx. 1 teaspoon (e.g. serve of butter)
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.