Make time to eat
Book an appointment in your diary each day for lunch – not negotiable. No matter how busy you are you will be far more productive in the afternoon if you make time for a lunch break. Get out of your work or home environment and go for a walk or sit in a park but get out of the routine and enjoy your lunch.
Make appointments with others to eat
Meet a friend or family member to share a meal. It is such a wonderful way to relax and get to know people over a meal. Include this in your social activity each month and you will increase your social life and enjoy meal times even more.
Create a weekly food plan
Buy a chalkboard for your kitchen and list the weeks evening meals. If you do this on a Sunday night you will know what you are going to make for the week and what ingredients you may need to pick up during the week to make those meals. This will also let the family and your partner know so you don’t have to answer the regular daily question “what is for dinner?” This simple task will save you having to think of something new each day and will ensure you have a variety of choices in your evening meals.
Share the food preparation and cooking
Recruit your partner, your flat mates or the family to help you prepare and cook meals. Everyone is capable to prepare foodsome people’s talents vary, but everyone can chip in. Delegate this daily activity to others in the home.
If you live by yourself share the cooking with a friend
When you cook, prepare for two and share half with someone else. Find someone you can swap with and then you have variety in your diet too.
Create an atmosphere at meal times
Encourage your partner and the family or flat mates to sit and eat together. Set the table, put on some music and light a candle or soften the lighting so you can enjoy relaxing atmospheres while you eat. Too often we eat separately or distracted and we miss out on quality time together.
Turn off the TV at meal times.
Did you know you are more likely to eat quicker with the TV on and sometimes you won’t even notice you have eaten and will go looking for more food later as you didn’t allow your brain to register you have eaten. If someone is insistent on watching the news or their Favourite program change the mealtime to a suitable time that everyone agrees to so avoiding arguments.
Use on-line shopping services
If you have access to on-line shopping this can save you time and money. Most deliver to your kitchen benches so you can shop at a time convenient to you and someone carries the bags inside for youit doesn’t get better than that. Make the most of you time and consider these services.
Shop regularly for fresh food
If you like variety and fresh ingredients every day visit your local fruit store or butcher regularly. This allows you to have all the specific ingredients for your weekly plan.
Shop monthly for pantry items
For items in cans or packets don’t waste your time in the supermarket each weekdo this monthlyyou will find you save time and money doing this.
Try new food and flavors
Keep you taste buds tantalized with a variety of foods and flavors. Try new exotic fruits or international flavoringsthis will ensure your diet is varied and you keep interested in food.
Look forward to meal times
Take a break, enjoy the flavor and the company when you eat
