Weekends are normally the time I prepare my food, some for the whole months and some for the coming weeks. Every new month, I will get my groceries for the whole month or just half of it (depending on how much cash do I have at the moment) straight after work.
Things I will get first are my protein sources. I will buy:
- 1 big can of tuna chunks (which could last a whole week if I only eat this one)
- 6 chicken breasts (for a month supply)
- 1 big tray of eggs (supply for 2 weeks)
- 200-300g block cheese (2-3 weeks supply)
- 2 1 litre cartons of fresh milk (1 for yoghurt making, 1 for coffee)
- 1 bag of rolled oatmeal
For vegetables, since I barely have time and energy to cook, I will get those that are edible as it is and add with fruits for my fibre and vitamins intake. These would include:
- Tomatoes
- Carrot
- Cucumber or Japanese ones less water
- Any kind of leafy greens like lettuce
- Celery
- If papaya or honeydew melon is on sale, I’ll get those as well and grab a big one, or oranges and apples. I’ll sometimes add banana
For source of carbohydrates, I’ll just stock up wholemeal bread weekly and rice.
Additionally, I’ll add stuffs for my sweet tooth like chocolate malt drink powders, ingredients for baking and making chocolate chip cookies.
These could last me for a month, except that I might be replenishing my milk supplies about 1-2 cartons a week, block cheese or another bag of oatmeal. I also add 1 kg of soy powder for now to add in my protein intake which lasts for 2 weeks to add in with fruits and yoghurt.
Once I got home, the stuffs that I prepare are:
- Grilled chicken (the whole 6 chicken breasts)
- Tuna mayo sandwich fillings
- Yoghurt (1 big tub last for a week)
- Pre-cut fruits (papaya or honeydew melons)
- Choc chip cookies dough (1 batch could produce 15 ready to bake cookie dough balls)
- Cook a big pot of rice, occasionally
As I already know what I’d eat everyday (and these rarely deviate), it’s easy for me to get ready so that I’m good for the whole month.
My daily menu usually looks like this:
Breakfast:
1 bowl of savoury oatmeal (on non-working or non-training mornings, I’ll add 3 boiled eggs or shredded grillled chicken)
1 cup of coffee with milk
Lunch/Post-class or Post-training meal:
If I am outside and have got to eat out,
Mixed rice with 1 protein source, 1 vegetable source or 2 protein sources (1 animal, 1 plant-based)
If at home,
2 shredded grilled chicken with cheese and tomato toast, or tuna mayo toast, or 3 sunny side eggs with toast
At times, I’ll have rice with 3 sunny side eggs with fruits and salads as sides.
If craving for sweets, I’ll bake 2-3 of my cookie dough balls for 10-minutes.
Lunch 2 (normally late noon 2 hours before class or training):
1 cup of coffee with milk
1 toast (as in Lunch, refer above)
Late dinner:
1 bowl of yoghurt with fruits and soy powder
1 bowl of mixed vege salad with shredded chicken or tuna mayo or 3 boiled eggs
1 cup of chocolate malt drink
If still hungry, I’ll make 1 toast
Sometimes I cook fried rice but these are rare as I find it less fulfilling. During holidays or my off days, I’ll just eat whatever because I am often at my parents’ home. Once in a while I eat out or order takeouts. Once a fortnight or monthly, I’ll indulge myself with a couple of Big Apple donuts and Zus coffee. But on days that I need to be alert and perform my best, these are the menu that I stick to.
So this is how I manage my nutrition. Roughly at least I get 100g minimum protein daily. I just make gradual change according to my body’s needs if I need to tweak them.
If you are just starting out, here are the first few steps that could help you:
- Find out a menu that you can stomach for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, day in day out.
- Assess your source of protein, and how much you need daily.
- Practice and stick to your list and menu for a month.
- Have a routine to prepare and buy your food at specific time only.
- Only add 5-10% gradual change on your diet if you need to change.
I find this very helpful for me, as it avoids decision fatigue on what to eat every single time, I don’t go too hungry for a long time as my meal preparation takes only 5-10 minutes each meal and I know how much to budget for my groceries.
You can try it out if you want and, yes, it takes practice to be disciplined and systematic with your meals choice and preparation to ensure that you have adequate nutrition.