MEAL PLANNING: THE KEY TO MY SANITY AND HEALTH

For most women I talk with, their 40s and 50s are the busiest phase of life. I don’t need to tell you how much you’re juggling, but it usually includes running a home, working, kids activities, social life, looking after parents, and more! Phew. It’s a lot.

Throw into the mix the chaos that perimenopause hormone changes can create in your body and mind, and it can feel like everything is constantly overwhelming you. Hormonal fluctuations can hijack your mood, energy, and overall well-being. But what if I told you that something as simple as meal planning could make these challenges feel, well, less challenging?

MEAL PLANNING: A GAME CHANGER FOR PERIMENOPAUSE HEALTH

Perimenopause brings a rollercoaster of hormonal changes that can affect everything from your anxiety levels to your ability to catch zzzz’s. Integrating meal planning into your daily routine isn't just about staying organised; it's about taking control of your diet to help smooth these fluctuations so the highs and lows aren’t so brutal, and help your body better adapt to the changes, so you can lose the symptoms like that stubborn weight around your middle.

By planning your meals, you're ensuring that your body receives the necessary nutrients to adjust better to the ups and downs of perimenopause, while supporting better balance for all your hormones (eg your thyroid), and enhancing your mood and energy levels.

TRANSFORM YOUR HEALTH AND TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF COOKING WITH MEAL PLANNING

• Simplify your week: Meal planning goes beyond what you’re cooking in the kitchen. It's about freeing up mental space and time — two things we often feel we're running short of during perimenopause. Mastering the art of meal planning is not just about feeding you and your family but about making your life easier and making you feel better by consistently nourishing your body with nutrient-dense food.
• Boost your nutritional intake: Each meal you plan is an opportunity to pack in nutrients essential for supporting your body to adjust to perimenopause hormone changes, so you can say goodbye to those pesky symptoms. Calcium for bone health, omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, protein for healthy muscles, insulin and blood glucose levels, and fibre for digestive health — all these can be easily included in your weekly meal plans.
• Connect with your kids: When the whole family gets involved in meal planning, everyone learns valuable life skills. Each of my 4 kids cooks a dinner meal for the family each week. We’ve been doing that 6 months so far, and it has been life-changing for me! Not only does this reduce your workload, when your kids cook, but it also fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for healthy eating, and the work you do in meal planning and prepping for them. I don’t mind cooking, especially with company, so I enjoy the time spent in the kitchen helping my kids make the meals they’ve chosen to make for us. And with my older two, i really don’t need to help them at all, so I instantly gain 1-2 hours to do something for myself, or get some work done without interruption.
• Economise and minimise waste: Efficient meal planning helps manage your food budget and reduce waste. By purchasing only what you need and using leftovers creatively, you're not just saving money; you're also contributing to a more sustainable household, and caring for our planet. And with the average cost of foods increasing by 30% over the last 12 months, avoiding food waste has never been more important. Food waste is throwing money in the bin!

ADAPTABLE MEAL PLANNING TO FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE

While meal planning brings structure, it doesn’t have to mean rigidity. Life is unpredictable (especially during perimenopause!) The key is to create a meal plan flexible enough to accommodate unexpected changes. For instance, having quick, healthy backup options or choosing recipes that can be easily adjusted to different dietary needs ensures that no matter what the week throws at you, you can stay on track without stress. When creating your plan, considering your calendar and the activities scheduled for the week, and how that may impact the time you have for cooking is key to making sure that what you plan is achievable.

SET-IT-UP SUNDAY: A RITUAL TO REVOLUTIONISE YOUR WEEK

Let me take you through my "Set-it-up Sunday" ritual, which is how I prepare for a stress-free week. This isn't just about food; it's a comprehensive approach that incorporates planning meals, our activities scheduled, and my work load.

1. Set aside 1 hour every Sunday evening to plan the week ahead.
2. Get your calendar out (for me that is on my phone) and have a look at what is coming up this week. We have a big board in our laundry with the calendar for the month and a space for writing the week’s meal plan, and any groceries needed.
3. Have a look in pantry, fridge and freezer to see what you need to use up.
4. Decide who is cooking for each night - we have a regular rhythm to this, so we each tend to cook on the same night each week - and ask them if they have an idea of what they’d like to cook. (Considering what you need to use up of course.)
5. Out of ideas? Use your fave recipe website, search the internet, or flick through your cookbook stash for some inspo. I have also had a list of ‘meals everyone likes’ when my kids were younger that I would draw from.
6. Write the meal plan on the board. Don’t forget a leftovers night to avoid waste!
7. Open supermarket app and create an order for delivery early in the week.
8. I enter who is cooking what and when into my phone calendar, and then schedule when I will be doing my work tasks for the week.

EASY STEPS TO KICKSTART YOUR MEAL PLANNING JOURNEY

Starting your meal planning journey is easier than you think. It doesn’t have to involve prepping meals ahead of time (though if this is what works for you, then definitely do it!), or cooking each and every night.

You might use online tools or apps to create or track your meal plan, or to find recipes that fit your nutritional goals. I don’t use an app for tracking our meal plan - just my phone calendar and the noticeboard in the laundry (next to the kitchen), which means everyone can see what’s for dinner, and i dont get asked that question 5 times per day! If you would love to have the meal planning done for you, my new program, PerimenoGO will give you a family-friendly meal plan for the month, so you don’t need to worry about it!

Maybe you’re also wanting more guidance on what the heck is happening in your body, what it needs to thrive in perimenopause, and how to stop the creeping weight gain. If that’s you, then please check out PerimenoGO. This 4-week program is designed to help you understand what’s changing in your body, and what to do about it, using food and lifestyle changes, that help your body adapt to the changes of perimenopause, and reduce symptoms effectively.

Embracing meal planning is more than just organising your eating habits; it's about reclaiming your energy and making sure your body is nourished to handle the changes that come with perimenopause. The benefits extend beyond health; they spread into your daily life, reducing stress, and increasing your long-term health.

If you're ready to dive deeper into how meal planning can help your journey through perimenopause, listen to the full episode of "Chaos to Calm" below.

By taking control of your meal planning, you’re not just preparing food; you’re supporting and nourishing your body through this phase of life. It's not just about feeding your family; it’s about making life easier and helping you feel better by consistently nourishing your body with nutrient-dense food.