Formulating a nutritious diet plan

[Dazedandconfused28]

I'm looking for some help - my life for the past 18 months has descended into chaos - I have a toddler undergoing a diagnosis for ASD, my mother is under investigation for dementia amongst other health problems & my job is incredibly demanding. As a result I've resorted to eating utter crap & I don't even have the brain space to meal plan, shop, cook etc. I've put on 2 stone, but I'm trying not to make weight loss my primary goal (just another area of my life to fail at....)

I have an underactive thyroid & am constantly exhausted - I just want an easy to follow meal plan that helps nourish me rather than exacerbate the way I'm feeling. I know cooking from scratch is the ideal - but a few balanced ready meals would be great on particularly difficult days, if anyone has recommendations?

That sounds tough, but more nutritious meals would help the way you are feeling. Try and include more veg and whole grains into your diet. Can you spend a couple of hours at the weekend preparing if DH is around to help? Chop up a load of different veg, roast in a pan with salt, pepper and olive oil and any other seasoning. Then add a tin of chickpeas towards the end. I usually mix some harissa into the chickpeas to give a lovely flavour. Portion out for a few days, then you can add some chicken/ other meat if you like.

If you make small changes, they will be easier to maintain- add a few berries to your breakfast (frozen defrosted in the microwave will do), add a handful of spinach/ salad to your sandwich. Make a batch of soup then you have a filling quick lunch. Have 3 decent meals rather than something light which will encourage snacking.

That sounds so tough.

If you’re not on a tight budget, hello fresh or similar sounds like it might be pretty good for your situation. You just choose what meals you want as the ingredients all arrive with instructions what to do. It might help getting back in to cooking and most do healthier/rapid options.

I do loads of batch cooking so I can just get something out of the freezer to go with a portion of fresh cooked pasta/rice. Ready chopped up stir fry packs of veg again aren’t the cheapest but you can have a colourful meal very quickly with minimal effort. Same for frozen bags of steam fresh veg type things.

Could you make a soup that will last for a few days for lunch , lentil & carrot is so filling.

I'm going through similar and have just this week started trying to nourish myself. Today I'm having boiled eggs on wholemeal toast. Lunch is a slice of tortilla I made yesterday with potato, broccoli and asparagus in it, 8 eggs makes 8 portions. I also make up big batches of hummus that last around 5 days in the fridge. Dinner will be fresh fish with veg and a small carb portion. I usually batch cook a carb like quinoa, cous cous, rice, pasta, potatoes with veg and herbs mixed in. Keep in a large container in the fridge. Gets used fresh for tea on the first night then in lunch boxes the rest of the week.
Maybe we can keep posting our meals?

I'm also learning about the gut-brain connection and I'm eating probiotic food such as kefir and sauerkraut and taking a tablet probiotic

@JumpLeadsForTwo

That sounds tough, but more nutritious meals would help the way you are feeling. Try and include more veg and whole grains into your diet. Can you spend a couple of hours at the weekend preparing if DH is around to help? Chop up a load of different veg, roast in a pan with salt, pepper and olive oil and any other seasoning. Then add a tin of chickpeas towards the end. I usually mix some harissa into the chickpeas to give a lovely flavour. Portion out for a few days, then you can add some chicken/ other meat if you like.

That is a great idea - I need to have something ready, so I don't immediately reach for a mars bar/ order pizza

I had an occupational therapist helping me with a similar health issue recently. Her suggestion was to buy already prepared fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned) so you don't have to wash, peel and chop. A slow cooker takes some effort out of cooking as pre frying meat isn't compulsory, just throw everything in (root veg/meat in first) and switch on. Great for soups, stews, curries and chilli. I make batches and freeze portions. Asda and Sainsbury's do prepared joints of meat with a sachet of glaze in disposable foil trays ready to put in the oven if you fancy a nice roast, just put the meat in it's container in the oven on the same tray as some frozen roast potatoes and microwave some frozen veg. For ready meals, a lot are short on veg, but you get a portion of peas and carrots with supermarket own brand roast dinner ones. Sainsbury's has a nice range I've forgotten the name of, in the chilled section in clear bowls. A personal favourite ready meal as a treat is Birdseye fish and chips with peas, which cooks in the oven in about half an hour in its own tray.

Thank you for the responses - all really helpful. I know I need to batch cook - annoyingly my freezer has capacity for a box of fish fingers and some frozen peas.

I'd love to share ideas though, if anyone is up for that? I managed porridge for breakfast, alongside my toddler - added flaxseed and blueberries & stirred in an egg (sounds weird) for extra protein - so at least I know I've ticked some nutritional boxes!

My problem seems to be that I'm desperate to eat by 11am, eating feels like the only pleasurable thing that punctuates my days at the moment.

I try to push my breakfast back a little, so that I eat about 10ish rather than first thing. I also bring dinner forward a little so that I don’t snack beforehand (and you could move it later if post-dinner snacking is your issue).

In terms of meal plans today I’m having Greek yoghurt with granola and berries, leek and potato soup for lunch, and vegetable kebabs for dinner. I’ll probably have a cheese string as a snack if I get hungry. I find focusing on protein and veg helps me feel fuller for longer.

My problem seems to be that I'm desperate to eat by 11am, eating feels like the only pleasurable thing that punctuates my days at the moment.

I would plan to eat something at 11am. I would just find some either healthy or low calorie things that you enjoy. I have a small packet of crisps/couple of biscuits/small choc bar type of thing mid morning and afternoon. 200 calories of happiness that’s totally worth it.

Maybe instead of freezer batch cooking stuff that can be kept in the fridge for a few days instead. My lunch today is a tomato based sauce made as a double batch on Sunday, roasted Mediterranean veg made as a double batch last night, half a tin of butter beans and some lidl mixed sun dried veg heated up and salad from a bag on the side. Toasted pine nuts (did the whole bag at once and put in a jar) on top. Much nicer than it sounds and very little effort.

I often do a big lentil bolognese type sauce that becomes chilli, keema, cottage pie, moussaka etc through the week.

An egg in porridge sounds interesting! At which stage do you put it in? I like hemp hearts in my porridge too.
Greek yogurt and fruit is a good breakfast or snack.

I find skipping breakfast altogether makes me less hungry mid-morning, certainly than eating a sweet or carby breakfast (even porridge - though your egg might help!).

Fasting is probably not what you're after if you are looking for nourishment rather than weight loss though! In that case I'd have breakfast as late as possible, so you don't have as long to wait for lunch.

How about making yourself a big salad for workday lunch while you've got stuff out for dinner prep? Or making a batch of soup to last a few days?

Morning.
I had porridge with banana for breakfast. I wasn't brave enough to try the egg...
lunch is going to be another slice of tortilla with hummus and roasted beetroot.
Dinner might be a seafood pasta with some veg stirred through.
What's everyone else eating today?