Learn Why Bee Delicious is an important part of the BeeWell for Life Program

When your desk is in order , your schedule is up-to-date, and your meetings for the week are laid out in your calendar, your work is likely more effective, efficient, and of higher quality.  The same goes for your diet.  When your meals and snacks are organized, it’s easier to make healthy choices.     Here’s how to organize three main components of your life and diet to make healthy eating easier.

Your schedule: Although it might sound funny to schedule your meals and snacks, it’s a wise move.  It’s all too easy to run out the door without breakfast – only to catch an unplanned bagel with cream cheese or doughnut at the office.  Or, to run to your child’s soccer game after work, only to discover that after two overtimes, your dinner is going to be pretty late.  Look at your scheduled events for the week and schedule your meals and snacks just like any other event.  After all, it’s your meals and snacks that fuel you so you have the energy to make it to your other obligations.  Plus, scheduling in regular meals and snacks helps prevent large gaps of time (more than 4 or 5 hours) without food – which can make it a lot easier to stick with healthy choices and moderate portions.

Your kitchen:  An organized, clean kitchen (including the fridge, cabinets, and pantry) is usually the difference between learning to love cooking at home… and dreading it.  From the time you open the refrigerator or gather spices, to the time you reach for kitchen gadgets or utensils, having what you need at the ready makes the process of creating meals and snacks a lot easier.  In order to maximize your kitchen space, start by getting rid of any appliances (or other items that take up counter, drawer, or shelf space).  Then do the same for food – whether it’s old condiments in the fridge or ancient spices on shelves.  Also consider getting rid of food that you don’t want to eat, or at least keeping said food out of direct sight (like the highest shelf of your pantry or the back corner of the fridge), so you’re not tempted to eat them as often.  And last, but not least, keep your kitchen stocked with healthful choices – a bowl of fruit on the counter, plenty of whole grains/whole grain products in the pantry, veggies, lean protein, and lowfat dairy in the fridge, etc.  For even more details on kitchen organization, visit our previous blog Kitchen Makeover. 

Your meals: Your plate might seem like an easy task, compared to your kitchen – but it can make a big difference in eating well and sticking with healthy eating.  First off, invest in smaller plates.  Consider using a salad plate as your primary plate.  Salad plates are around 8 inches in diameter, an ideal size to serve as a template for a balanced (and calorie-appropriate) meal.  At each meal, aim to organize your plate into two halves, filling one half with veggies and then dividing the other half into two sections.  In one of the remaining sections put lean protein (like salmon, tuna,  grilled chicken, the “loin” cut of meat, salmon,etc.)  and place whole grains (whole grain roll, crackers, cooked whole grains, etc.) in the final section.  Now you’ve got a balanced meal – no weighing required.  For breakfast, aim for one serving of lowfat/nonfat dairy, 1-2 servings of whole grains, one serving of fruit, and 1-2 servings of healthy fat.  Your breakfast should weigh in around 350 calories.