Meal Planning for Your Lifestyle Needs

Meal planning is a great practice to stay on top of your nutrition goals and better manage your health. Meal planning may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! When planning your meals, you should build them based on the five main food groups:

1. Fruits
2. Vegetables
3. Grains
4. Protein
5. Dairy

Something that I like to teach my clients is to build their meals by picking their plants first (vegetables and/or fruit), then a lean protein, then a grain, then dairy. This method helps incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your nutrition habits which can improve your health. It is recommended to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Now, you may be thinking… “I don’t have an issue with meal planning but it is soooo hard to come up with healthy recipes that my family will actually eat”. If that sounds like you, don’t worry you’re not alone. Many people find it hard to create their own meal plan because there are multiple factors to consider like allergies, likes and dislikes, finances, time and more. This is why working with a Registered Dietitian (like Samantha!) can be great to have as a resource because dietitians can help you figure out which meal plan will be best for your health and make it feel less overwhelming. Ask Samantha about OakStone Health and Nutrition’s customized meal planning subscription service for clients!

Below are some FREE resources that can help with meal planning as well:

​MyPlate Plan​

​MyPlate Kitchen​

If you need additional assistance with meal planning as an individual or for your family, schedule an appointment with Samantha the Dietitian ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Featured Food and Health Benefits: Beans

Beans are packed with lots of nutrition. They provide protein, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals that help keep our body healthy.

You may have heard that beans are good for your health, but why are they? Check out these 4 reasons why beans should be a part of your weekly nutrition habits.

1. Beans are loaded with fiber: A cup of cooked beans can have 15 grams or more of fiber which is more than half of the daily recommended amount. It is recommended to eat 25-38 grams of fiber a day.
2. Beans are rich in protein: One cup of beans has about 15 grams of protein. Adding beans to soups and salads is a great way to increase your protein intake for the day.
3. Beans can improve your heart health: Research has shown that eating beans daily can help decrease your LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.
4. Beans are full of minerals your body needs: Beans have lots of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and folate. All of these nutrients help keep your brain, heart, kidneys, muscles, and nerves functioning.