Sunday Relaxation and Food Prep Make for a Healthy Week

October 12th, 2008

Thank goodness for Sundays.

For Bruce and I, Sundays represent a day to slow down from our hectic pace, connect with each other and just do some hanging out, often with family. And this time of year, it’s also about watching football and lots of it — Bruce is a huge Patriots fan and I’m a huge Jets fan, and being that we’re in the same division, there’s a herculean rivalry and lots of trash talking going on. And today, all I can say is Go Jets!

But besides our penchant for the gridiron, Sundays are also about preparing for the week when in comes to healthy eating - a number one priority for me. There’s just something about making the time for food prep, that makes the whole week easier and gets us off on the right foot. Plus, when I’m not in such a rush, it gives me time to actually enjoy being in the kitchen. I get a little more creative, I get more quiet and mindful and I just enjoy being.

In essence, it’s really about connecting. I get to connect with myself when I tinker around and create healthy dishes. Today it was a pot of vegetable soup, roasted sweet potatoes and bean and sausage stew. All healthy dishes with many of the ingredients fresh from this morning’s run to the farmers’ market.

My time in the kitchen is also about connecting with friends I haven’t spoken to in awhile. I like to use the time to call friends I’ve been meaning to connect with and catch up. Today, my friend Cindy called and we had a nice chat to catch up, and I just got off the phone with another friend Michelle. Plus, I swear that talking as I’m prepping and cooking makes it a lot more fun.

In the end, I love the outcome when Sunday is over. I’ve relaxed and feel ready to face the world on Monday, and I’ve prepared some healthy and delicious food to start off the week — the perfect way to support great health. What’s better than that?

What do you do to prep for the week and how do you like to spend your Sundays?

BTW, I’ll be sharing lots of my specific strategies to minimize time in the kitchen while prepping during my upcoming Money Saving Meal Planning class. Join us for a free information call this Thursday, October 16 from 7-8 pm ET and to learn more. Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/3nshnr and join in the fun!