Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a food rut? Maybe you started the year off strong by batch cooking and trying new recipes, and now you’re getting tired with the same old, same old. Or maybe you took part in a diet challenge and now you’re wondering, now what? Whenever I feel like this, I tend to gravitate toward less-than-healthy options. To help you beat the food blahs and breathe new life into your meal plan, here are three tips to mix things up.
Add a little style. Preparing meals the exact same way every day is a recipe for boredom. Flip through your favorite magazines (TOPS News is a great start!) or check out sites like Pinterest for a little culinary inspiration. You may also be surprised by how packaging your food a different way can keep things fresh and fun. Layering colorful salads in mason jars* for the week will be a feast for your eyes every time you open the fridge. Not a big salad fan? Invest in a few reusable bento-style containers and stack healthy meals in your fridge or freezer.
Consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Joining a CSA involves purchasing a share of fresh produce from a local farm. Typically, you pick up a box of assorted seasonal produce at a designated site each week. Some farms may even include newsletters and suggested recipes and/or tips for preparing the produce. When we did a workplace CSA here at TOPS HQ a couple of years ago, I liked that it forced me to try new vegetables and step outside of my usual grocery list. Prepping and storing the produce does take time each week and, if you’re planning on traveling a lot this summer, this may not be the best fit. If you’d like to help support a local farm and are open to trying new veggies, however, a CSA is worth exploring.
Pair up with a pal. At TOPS, we know that support makes the journey a little easier, and pairing up with a food or recipe buddy can help. My husband finds it a little odd that I love taking photos of my batch cooking adventures but, fortunately, I have my fellow “food nerds” who share this love. Sharing food photos, recipes and cooking tips with friends is a great way to stay motivated and build your own little healthy community. Instagram is the perfect place for this and, while you’re there, be sure to check out the official TOPS page by typing “Official TOPS Club” in the search bar.
Do you have any tips or tricks for beating food boredom? Share them in the comments section or post on Instagram with the hashtag #MaggiesWellnessWednesday
*Members, stay tuned for the June/July issue of TOPS News for a chapter program that includes making your own mason jar salads.
Looks interesting
Great tips! Along the lines of “add a little style,” I beat boredom by switching up the spices & herbs that I put on alllll the vegetables I eat every day. Using garlic, basil, turmeric, coriander, paprika, cumin, dill, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, rosemary, and/or parsley can really change the flavor, without adding calories.
Love that tip, Robin!
That is awesome tip have Take stoke of my spices.
And I change up the dressings I have on my salads so things are less boring. And I also use different types of spices when I cook meat or chicken.
I’ve changed what I put in my salads every week. Sunflower seed, chopped dates, chick
peas and broccoli one week, with cucumbers, tomatoes, sliced carrots, black olives.
i found out that a few new things added to my diet each week gives me more opportunity to try something new and stay with my plan. I have found that introducing new foods each week gives me variity. And my hubby never knows what I am fixing. He is a KOPS.