Last week on my free monthly teleclass on meal planning, we shared fantastic ideas about how to make cooking for one more fun and engaging. So many times we short-change ourselves with the notion that we’re not worth the time investment of cooking healthy items, or even finding a place to buy them already prepared. Seriously, how many times have you settled for a bowl of cereal because it was the quick and easy thing to do, albeit not the healthiest?

I loved an idea one of the people on the call, Chris, shared and I’ve already adopted it myself. Chris has a routine of introducing one new recipe a week into her meal plan for the week. It adds variety, she veers away from getting in the rut of eating the same old thing, and it inspires her creativity. What can she find that’s new and different and totally appealing?

This really is a great strategy whether we’re single or not, to get us out of our comfort zone. Adding new tastes, flavors and textures makes our food more interesting. And when we cook with a broader variety of ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables, it ensures that we get the maximum benefit from nutrients.

On Sunday, I did just that. In making the meal plan for the week, I mixed things up with a new fish dish. I was inspired by my neighbor Kathy who left me with a variety of produce since she was going out of town.  The bounty I received included fresh fennel, something I’ve been experimenting with, as I mentioned in a post a few months ago.  I successfully married the fennel with fresh orange juice and red snapper in a simple and tasty recipe I found on epicurious.com.   Just trying something new on Sunday got the week off to a creative, healthy and adventurous start.

Can you see the possibility of mixing it up with one new recipe a week to get you out of the cooking doldrums? What methods do you use to keep it healthy and interesting week to week?

Want more ideas on how to become an effective meal planner? Check out my free audio download, 4 Simple Steps to Meal Planning Success for a dose of meal planning inspiration: http://budurl.com/3asx

Filed under: Healthy Meals, Healthy lifestyle, Meal Planning