That love-hate relationship with menu planning

Planning to succeed 

Recently I have had a couple of phone calls that went something like this: 'I'm really struggling with menu planning and making healthy meals', from lovely folk who contacted me via my Facebook page. Their stories were ones I could relate to well. Dietary restrictions or health goals were seemingly overwhelming amidst the demands of family life and other commitments...how could they make the changes needed or come up with meals that will be eaten?

These conversations were mutually encouraging and touched on two key elements that I have been learning:

1) Energy - You need an energy source for positive steps, and usually, when you most need help you are most energy depleted.

2) Abundance - menu planning from an abundance of ideas on a brainstorming page really helps. Having an abundance of the right foods and ingredients stocked up is wonderful.

Firstly, the issue of energy is really important. Instead of judging yourself for not being more motivated or successful, accept that menu planning to adapt dietary needs takes mental energy that you may not have to spare. You need to create the energy. The folks who called were smart, the phone conversations energised them. So might a cooking class, or brainstorming session with a friend in a similar situation. I remember the early and super draining days of the elimination diet I called a wonderful friend and just sobbed on the phone while she comforted and prayed for me. It is good to be cared for! Then she shared with me the stories of change for their family which gave me the energy to hang in there. So what do you think would energise you with your menu planning? Do you need to be more kind to yourself?

Then to abundance. Language is important, words like 'nourishing' instantly feeds into our psyche of 'the good old days' and our need to be cared for. Working on the principle of abundance is good psychology for approaching a menu planning session. If I'm just looking at a list of days to write meal ideas beside, I usually get stuck by about Wednesday. But if a cover a page with 'potential options' in a brainstorm session, and then just pull out choices, I can fill a week much more easily. It's good to have a brainstorm page available somewhere that you can add new ideas as you see them on the net or in books.

You also make better choices when you have an abundance of helpful foods and ingredients. My recent call was about healthy eating with a preference for whole foods and lots of fruit and veg.

I think these photos would make a Tupperware consultant weep, but whatever you use,it's much easier to succeed when you have containers of seeds in the cupboard, and containers of cooked brown rice, mesclun, veggies and herbs in the fridge. All you need to do for lunch is a quick chopped salad with lots of seeds thrown in for protein, and stir it through the baby spinach or mesclun. Loads of veggies, colour, flavour and speed. Keep left over bits and pieces of veg for soups, and leaves of greens for smoothies. Have the materials to make change easier.

Thank you to my callers, and to my friend who saved my sanity! Let's be kind to ourselves and brainstorm away.

Stay tuned for my next post about menu planning to use up ingredients and rethink the lunch box with healthy winter options. For now....I would love to hear about your brainstorming for your menu planning.

Saving Money with the Thermomix

Making the Thermomix work for you and your wallet

                                       

Enjoyment is the key!

The most common question I am asked is exactly how I got the Thermomix to take money off my grocery bill! I am a ‘hunt for the cheapest groceries’ kind of gal, choosing fewer options to save…and yet the Thermomix saves us 25-$30 each week! How?

1. Focus on the greatest need the Thermomix is meeting. Is it speed? Then choose the simplest meals and enjoy the freshness of the food and the simple preparation. Let yourself get the time back while having fun!

Is it meeting specific dietary needs? Then find meals that rejuvenate your eating. Thermomix allows you to use whole foods more easily. Buying whole grains means cheaper, bulk buying without your food going rancid. If it is creativity, allow yourself to re-energise with the incredible creativeness you can now enjoy! The sky is the limit.

2. Once you have started to gain some fun and time back in the kitchen – focus on the big ticket items in your food expenditure. Is it take-away? Look at the recipe community and try at least 3 times some yummy recipes that take less than a ½ hour to prepare. You will develop the habit and expand your repertoire quickly. Is it a staple in your grocery bill? Ours was yoghurt, and it only took four times for it to become routine and even something our children can make. Now we get to enjoy much healthier yoghurt for 1/5^th of the price! If it is special grains and milks – you will soon love the fresh taste of your produce, and the savings start to add up quickly. Almond meal costs me $7/kilo now! Let me know if you need help finding bulk suppliers.

3. Let the little things start stacking up. Make your own vegetable stock concentrate instead of chucking the wilting veggies,  easily make Jam out of the in-season fruit from your neighbor or market. Make coconut milk and cream instead of buying it. So easy! 

4. You can have your cake and eat the sorbet too! Sorbet is one of our biggest money savers. Ice, seasonal fruit and an egg white, 2 minutes later a $7 container of sorbet is made for less than $1.50. Instead of buying naughty’s, we enjoy custards and easy ice-creams.

5. Do yourself out of a job. It is FUN to use the Thermomix and my children love preparing the spreads or treats that save money. A little bit of chopping for them and they can make your Tuesday night dinner for you.

6. Use your consultant’s resources. Come along to a cooking class, or book another demo. This was what helped my confidence soar. My consultant picked up on the easy things that I could be cooking to save us money.

7. Plan! Use the meal plans from the Thermomix App, or ThermoNerd's or Quirky Cooking’s menu plans .

8. Enjoy cutting down on waste and energy costs. 

Well, now I have owned a thermomix for a couple of years and started to experience what a long lasting and quality tool it is, I need to do a little Thermomaths with you so that you do not put yourself under pressure that it should pay for itself in a few months but appreciate what a good money investment it is.

Cost per week over a twenty year life span - $1.80 (should last longer but being conservative)

Just making two items each week that regularly replace grocery items (e.g. for us, yoghurt and a sorbet treat, taking ingredients into account) - $8.00 saved per week.

That's more than four times the cost. At that super conservative rate, it's paid for itself in just under 5 years, and will therefore bring more than $6000 in savings in it's remaining life. 

Now realistically - only replacing two items per week is on a rushed week. For us, it's at least 6 or 7 items. For some it's take away. The average Aussie family, if they replace one take away meal a week and some prepackaged food is apparently $40 (from a survey).  That means, an 'average Aussie family' will pay for their thermomix in grocery savings in one year, and over the next 19 years will save $39, 000 in groceries/minimum takeaway. That's a good chunk of money to invest in something better than food that doesn't help your body.

However, how do you put a price tag on improving your family's health and taking away all the additives? Not just a bonus, it's the most important factor. So enjoy your investment, and I hope all my tips above help you to get it working for you even better!