More often than not we leave our work with a growling stomach and zero energy. At that time, we go for instant, pre-cooked, calories and preservatives laden food that we can heat up and consume instantly OR we just buy cheap take out on our way to give a rest to the hungry monster in our stomach. Now, if you had your meal planned and prepared ahead of time you wouldn’t have to resort to such unhealthy options.
Talking about meal plans conjures up the image of containers upon containers stacked with glossy greens, luscious cuts of proteins and juicy fruits gracing our refrigerators with their beauty.
Or that image can be the complete opposite.
We can see ourselves slaving the day away in grocery shopping, cooking, refrigerating the meals and then eating the same thing 3 days in a row.
In my opinion meal planning is advantageous in many ways.
Benefits of Meal Planning:
- Meal planning allows you to eat healthier. You don’t have to think about your meals and then wander off to la-la land where you see yourself buying greasy goodness or indulging in something extremely unhealthy. It lets you know exactly what you will be eating and help in avoiding all kinds of additional chemicals, grease, and carbs.
- It saves your money. When you prep your meals, you have a focused ingredient list that helps you in bulk buying and avoid adding unnecessary items in your cart.
- Meal prepping reduces the chances of irregular snacking. With your fridge stacked with fulfilling foods that will keep you satiated for a long time and you’ll be less likely to indulge in midnight cravings.
- It helps you in maintaining your calorie intake.
- It motivates you towards healthy eating and lets you control your portions.
While these are the most compelling reasons to start meal planning each week, there are some undeniable drawbacks of meal planning.
Cons of Meal Planning:
- Meal prepping can be very boring if you have to eat the same thing for each meal throughout the day. The lack of variety is enough for me to throw in the towel.
- Cooking food a week in advance screams high maintenance and I have no intention of being that orderly.
While the pros outweigh the cons, eating boring, dry, tasteless food that requires a lot of time and energy doesn’t seem productive at all.
So, to take things up a notch and make meal prepping a bit exciting we have designed a 5-day healthy meal plan in Dubai to help you in your pursuit of staying fit.
Five Day Healthy Meal Plan:
Monday
Breakfast: Go 2 One Toast (Sliced avocado, roasted cherry tomatoes, red pepper macadamia hummus, low-fat feta cheese, encapsulated balsamic bubbles)
Lunch: TBO Chicken (Herbed grilled chicken breast, roasted portobello mushroom, sesame avocado, picked carrots, kale & cauliflower rice, with house preserved lemon)
Dinner: Zucchini noodles with meatballs, topped with cream sauce.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Baked hash brown cups as toast for avocado toast.
Lunch: Thai Salad + Prawn (Mixed greens, kale, capsicum, shredded carrot, mango, crushed peanuts, special Thai dressing)
Dinner: House Salmon (Lemongrass miso salmon, capsicum ragout, grilled zucchini, tzatziki dressing, Matsuhisa dressed couscous, sago cracker, ginger bubbles, chargrilled broccoli).
Wednesday
Breakfast: TBO Shakshuka (Sriracha macadamia tomato base, panko-crusted tofu, poached eggs, capsicum ragout, crispy kale, sourdough)
Lunch: Spiced shrimp with kimchi, cauliflower rice, cheese, herbs, avocado and salsa.
Dinner: Beef steak with cheesy broccoli.
Thursday
Breakfast: Salmon Avocado Situation (Smoked salmon, smashed avocado, vegan aioli, baby radish coins, balsamic bubbles, chives, zesty dressing)
Lunch: Salad bowl made with kale, mixed greens, almond vegan ranch dressing, avocado, cucumber, toasted pumpkins seed, and sourdough croutons.
Dinner: Stuffed chicken with cream cheese and sautéed vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: Shakshuka with poached eggs, crispy kale and sourdough.
Lunch: Keasar Salad (Kale, mixed greens, almond vegan ranch dressing, avocado, cucumber, house toasted pumpkins seed, sourdough croutons)
Dinner: Prawn Bowl (Smashed avocado, tobanjan spiced shrimp, mango, brown coconut rice, sesame, radish, capsicum, house kimchi)
Some Tips For Meal Planning:
Start Small: Pick recipes you want to cook for the rest of the week and go with prepping 2-3 recipes per week if you’re just starting out.
Make a focused grocery list: List out the ingredients according to your meals and how much of each would you need.
Choose good quality food containers: Get good quality microwavable, airtight, and dishwasher safe containers of various sizes so that you can store your food easily and keep it fresh.
Keep it simple: Choose recipes that include protein, whole grains, vegetables with a minimal amount of sugar, salt and oil. Go for recipes that have colourful ingredients and different textures so that you don’t get bored with your meals. Don’t prep too many meals or cook food in bulk because either you’ll get sick of eating the same thing or your food will go bad by residing in the fridge for too long.
Be Consistent: Have a goal in mind. When you’re feeling down and unmotivated to carry through with meal prepping, think of the long-term goals you wanted to achieve when you first started out. If you stay consistent and dedicated throughout, things will start getting easier.
If you think cooking is not your forte or meal planning is just not for you, you can always opt for The Bowl One’s healthy meal plan in Dubai.
The Bowl One is a Dubai based restaurant that provides healthy diet meal plans that cater to everyone from meat lovers, vegetarians, to vegans and keto fans. From using fibre-rich ingredients, slow-burning carbs, to essential fats and lean proteins, every dish in their menu is carefully prepared to provide you with all the nutrients necessary for your wellness and health.
The main motto of The Bowl One is to revive the joy in eating by eliminating the restrictions we put on ourselves in the name of dieting or healthy eating and let the body have what it needs. If you find yourself struggling to keep a track of your diet or have trouble with prepping your meals then leave it to The Bowl One. They have a wide range of healthy meal plans that they deliver all over Dubai right at your doorstep anytime you want.
