Meal Planning for adults is hard enough.. part I

 ​In my gastro clinic the topic of 'meal planning' comes up almost as regularly as discussions about 'bowel habits'. When patients are embarking on a radical shift to their dietary intake to improve their health, meal planning can be a helpful tool to navigate the first few weeks and months of meal times. Certainly in the early days it can be stressful for patients to not only deal with a new diagnosis but also to have to  think carefully every time they open the fridge or go to the supermarket to ensure they are eating the right foods!

An example of this is patients newly diagnosed with coeliac disease. They have a lot to contend with in terms of understanding this autoimmune condition and it may be the first time they have ever heard the word 'gluten' which needs to be removed from their diet (for life!) as their body deems it a toxin. As part of the introductory clinic session we talk extensively about the condition and what it means to them, but the session also includes information about the benefits of meal planning and getting organised at home. My article 'Going Gluten-free' published in CN Magazine in a couple of years ago (available in an earlier post) talks a little bit about this.


I have to admit meal planning when you do not have a dietary restriction can be difficult enough. We have tried several times to meal plan at home and it makes our life so much easier! But it is just as easy to fall into old habits and shop several times a week based on what we 'feel' like eating.

However, more recent times involving weaning Max has forced me to become more organised! Although still the early stages of exploration, he is fast approaching the need to have three set meals a day (albeit in very small portions). I'm certainly an advocate of not making 'special meals' as we want Max to enjoy the meals we eat eventually. However, when I'm in a rush and quickly make a cheese sandwich, Max certainly isn't at the stage to have something this convenient. The range of nutrients he requires (in particular iron) now that his milk intake is reducing requires a bit more thought and planning. And so I hear the echos of my own voice in clinic stating the benefits of meal planning! Ah here we go!
In an attempt to get organised I have been compiling a list of the foods max has tried so far for each meal and am attempting to add to them as time goes by and rotate them accordingly!
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Breakfast is by far the easiest! Currently I make my normal portion of breakfast and give him some teaspoons of it (though I will add my dried figs and whole nuts and seeds separately). Initially I blitzed the oats in the NutriBullet to make them more fine but now Max seems to take whole oats on board fine.  The breakfasts we have tried so far are listed in the bubble below. I tend to rotate these in the week. I'm now adding ground down linseed into the yoghurt for some additional good fats. Luckily max loves banana and berries and he has not reacted to nuts and seeds (phew!).

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So now I just need to refine lunches and evening meals..which I will endeavour to explore in part II