There’s no doubt that stress and a desire for control can contribute to binge eating disorder. Take back the power and stay in charge of your emotions with meal planning.
Meal planning basics
Meal planning is the process of choosing meals in advance and scheduling food preparation to make eating more efficient, nutritious and enjoyable. Anyone can meal plan, but when you’re first getting started you may desire some guidance.
Most individuals take the time to meal plan once a week. The process includes finding recipes, writing down a list of ingredients, grocery shopping and sometimes doing advanced prep work. Many people will plan ahead for leftovers by making extra food and may even plan snacks, drinks and desserts, too.
Benefits of meal planning for binge eating disorder recovery
Meal planning has dozens of benefits. Here are the top pros of organizing your food for binge eating disorder recovery.
Healthy meals: we tend to make impulsive and less nutritious decisions when we’re short on time. Avoid the guilt after a meal by planning in advance and having wholesome ingredients on hand and easily cooked.
More exciting recipes: when you plan your dishes prior to mealtimes, you’re sure to enjoy new recipes more frequently. You’ll no longer find a recipe you’re craving and have none of the ingredients at hand.
Decreased time on food prep: while meal planning takes an initial investment of time, it will save you tons of time in the long run. You can prep several recipes at once and you won’t take extra time running to the store for random ingredients.
Less food waste: When you’re meal planning you’ll find ways to use up everything that you buy. Meal planning can help you use the same ingredient several times during a week so you don’t buy more than you need or throw away extra.
More cost effective: when you’re wasting less food you’re also wasting less money. When you have a diet plan for binge eating disorder you’ll know when you need to buy in lower quantities and which ingredients you’re willing to splurge on.
Get the right amount of calories: with binge eating disorder your body may fluctuate between too few and too many calories. With meal planning you can ensure that your body is getting the right nutrients in the right amounts.
No excess food: when you meal plan and stick to your shopping list, you won’t have to worry as much about self-control because you won’t have unnecessary food in your home. You’ll be less likely to gorge when you know you need those ingredients for dinner tomorrow.
Diet plan for binge eating disorder
If you’re looking for something more specific than an overview of meal planning, here’s what you can do to incorporate all the nutrients you need into a week’s worth of food.
Monday
Breakfast: eggs with salsa and a banana
Lunch: mediterranean wrap
Snack: grapes and cheese
Dinner: chicken parmesan
Tuesday
Breakfast: yogurt with granola
Lunch: avocado egg salad with toast
Snack: carrots and hummus
Dinner: shrimp stir-fry
Wednesday
Breakfast: french toast
Lunch: grilled chicken strawberry salad
Snack: pear and cashews
Dinner: salmon and veggies
Thursday
Breakfast: spinach and feta omelet
Lunch: loaded baked potato
Snack: banana with peanut butter
Dinner: spaghetti and meatballs
Friday
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: southwest sweet potato salad
Snack: trail mix
Dinner: pesto pasta bake
Saturday
Breakfast: cheesy eggs with toast
Lunch: lettuce wraps
Snack: chips and salsa
Dinner: eat out at a restaurant
Sunday
Breakfast: bagel and cream cheese and berries
Lunch: leftovers
Snack: an apple
Dinner: tacos
Meal planning doesn’t have to be tricky. To make a week’s worth of food feasible to ease into, try repeating meals or finding several recipes that use the same ingredients. It will make shopping and preparation quicker so you can spend more time enjoying your food and the rest of your day.
Tips for meal planning
In order to take advantage of all the perks of meal planning for binge eating disorder recovery, you’ll want to make meal planning as efficient as possible. Here are the best tips to make the most of your planning.
Find recipes you actually want to eat: meal planning should never digress into finding recipes that look healthy but aren’t attractive to you. If you only choose recipes because they seem good but don’t actually entice you, then meal planning won’t be sustainable for your lifestyle.
Vary your diet: a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein is essential to successful eating for binge eating disorder recovery. If your body has been depleted of nutrients, the best way to ensure you’re replenishing them is to have a balanced and varied diet.
Write down a grocery list ahead of time: one of the pitfalls of meal planning is failing to plan ahead. Attempting to search recipes and create a list at the store is stressful, so save yourself the trouble and set aside a chunk of time every week to get organized.
Use ingredients that improve your relationship with food: the goal of meal planning is to take the focus off of an obsession with food. Meal planning can continue an unhealthy relationship with food if used incorrectly. Ensure you’re eating foods you enjoy, but that don’t invite guilt.
Get connected with care
Seeds of Hope is an eating disorder recovery treatment center that can help you heal from past wounds and renew your relationship with food. Eliminate the everyday stress of food that burdens you and prevents you from being fully yourself. Get help today.
