ADHD Meal Planning: 12 Tips to Take the Overwhelm Out of Feeding Yourself
This is the story of a pepper. The pepper is big, shiny and such a lovely shade of red. You see this beautiful pepper displayed on a produce shelf among all the other peppers. You single this pepper out and decide, “I can make something so delicious with this exact pepper!”
You gently place it in your cart, being careful to protect it from being crushed. It takes a ride on the belt, is placed in a bag and arrives safely to the vegetable bin in your refrigerator. Weeks later, you find the once beautiful pepper has morphed into a black and gray puddle in the bottom of your bin. You look at it and wonder, “Why did I buy a pepper?” It is tossed into the trash, never to be thought of again.
How many times has this happened to you? So often, ADHD people go to the grocery store with no plan and no list and haphazardly purchase items that they intend to turn into meals. What usually happens instead is that we become overwhelmed when looking through our refrigerator and cupboards. We see ingredients, but no meal. We know that we “should” make a plan for what we will eat, but how?
Let me show you!
What are the Benefits of Meal Planning?
YOU SAVE MONEY
Meal planning can help you avoid overspending! This means you avoid purchasing duplicates of items you already have on hand and you don’t throw out spoiled, forgotten food as often. You will also save money on eating out and meal delivery! You need your money more than DoorDash does!
YOU REDUCE OVERWHELM
How stressful is it to work all day and then be faced with the momentous task of feeding yourself and your family? Knowing what your options are and that you have everything you need on hand to prepare an easy meal takes the overwhelm out of the equation!
IT IS HEALTHIER
When you’re hungry and don’t know what to prepare, what do you do? If you’re like most ADHD people, you order food for delivery, stop at the drive-thru or eat half a bag of chips and a cheese stick for dinner (am I the only one?). While making a trip to the drive-thru is okay every now and again, a home-cooked meal will usually be a healthier option.
So, How do I meal PLan?
1.Schedule Time To Plan Your Meals
Set aside the time you need to plan!
Just like a work project or important event, scheduling time to plan your meals is essential. As you begin this new habit, try choosing a day and time slot that is less demanding. I choose Friday mornings because there is less of a chance for disruption.
2.Look At Your Calendar
What does your week look like? Do I have a demanding week ahead of me? Ask yourself the important questions.
As you are sitting down to meal plan, take a look at your calendar and ask yourself these questions:
Is it a demanding week or a light week?
-If it is a demanding week at work, maybe it is a good idea to plan easier Crockpot meals instead of meals requiring lots of food prep.
Do I have a dinner out planned that week?
-Maybe you have a dinner planned with friends this week. You might decide to cook one less meal.
How often will I order out this week?
-This is an important decision to make. You are more likely to honor this decision when you make it ahead of time.
How many meals do I plan for this week?
-After you have taken the upcoming week into account, decide how many meals you will prepare.
3.
Plan Meals Around What You Already Have
Save money and prevent food from going to waste!
Check your pantry and freezer. Maybe you have frozen chicken that needs to be used or maybe you bought a dozen cans of black beans because they were on sale. You can plan meals around what you already have. This can save you so much money and can help alleviate overflowing pantries and freezers!
4.
Create A Binder Or List Of Meals You Enjoy
It is easier to plan meals when you have a place to begin!
Create a binder of your family’s favorite recipes! Add a photo of yourself in a chef’s hat…if you’re a little extra (like I am). You can look through all of the recipes and choose what you would like to cook. If I am planning to prepare 4 meals that week, I will usually add 3 trusted recipes from my binder that I know we enjoy and then find a new recipe that I would like to try.
If the new meal is a success, you can add it to your binder! You can print recipes and easily add them to the binder. A folder also works very well for this!
Another option is to keep a list of meals that you enjoy and refer to it when you sit down to meal plan.
5.
Create Your Shopping List
Download the free Focused Femmes Shopping List below!
You have decided what meals you’d like to cook! Now, it is time to create your shopping list! Gather your printed recipes and begin adding the ingredients to your list. If you are not using printed recipes, you can always add items off the top of your head. You are less likely to forget items if you work from a recipe though! To make grocery shopping easier, try dividing your list into sections, like produce, frozen and dairy. You can use paper or a note in your phone. Use what works best for you!
Please click the button below to download the Focused Femmes Shoppin List!
6.
Don’t Forget Other Meals
Meal planning is not just for dinner!
Plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks too! Easier tends to be better when it comes to these meals. Sandwiches, canned soup, frozen meals and leftovers are excellent options!
7.
Take Inventory
Why buy more than you need?
Take your completed grocery list and take inventory! Go through your kitchen and cross out items from your list that you already have stocked. Add staple items to your list that you will need (milk, eggs, bread, etc.).
8.
Buy
Pre-Prepped Food
Save yourself time and energy!
Do you have time and energy to wash and chop loads of vegetables? I know that I don’t! Buy pre-prepped food when possible! They do tend to be a bit more expensive, but can save you on those night when you don’t feel like cooking. Here are some ideas:
Pre-cut Fruits and Vegetables
Canned Vegetables
Fruit Cups
Steam-in-the-Bag Vegetables
Frozen Microwaveable Rice
Frozen Skillet Meals (Bertolli is my favorite!)
Jarred Pasta Sauce
Pre-Washed Greens
Frozen Herbs (garlic, basil, cilantro, etc.)
Flavored Oatmeal Packets
Individually Wrapped Snack Cheeses
9.
Pickup And Delivery Are Your Friends
Save yourself from the grocery store aisles!
If groceries stores are overwhelming to you, try taking advantage of curbside pickup and grocery delivery. It may cost a bit more, but knowing that you don’t have to carve out time in your schedule to go to the grocery store can be priceless!
10.
Make Your Menu Visible
Never forget what you’re cooking again!
We can make a meal plan on Friday, buy the groceries and once Monday comes...we can completely forget why we bought half of the groceries in our refrigerator. I created a menu template on Canva and print a new menu every week. I hang this menu prominently in my kitchen and it reminds me of what I plan to cook for the week. Make your menu visible as a reminder.
You can also use a dry erase board!
11.
Don’t Forget Leftovers
Leftovers take the guesswork out of eating!
How often do you play the “what is in this Tupperware” game? Leftovers can easily be shoved to the back of the refrigerator, never to be seen again. Keep them front and center by storing them in clear storage containers that stack easily. I really like the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers.
12.
Chop Extra And Freeze It
Make future dinners less of a hassle!
Who uses an entire head of celery or a big package of bell peppers? I know I don’t. If you find yourself with extra vegetables, try washing and prepping the entire package and freezing what you don’t use in a freezer-safe bag. That chopped celery can be tossed into a Crockpot for homemade soup. That extra bell pepper can be sautéed and made into fajitas!