Meal Plan

I write this to point out how ridiculously easy it is to prepare healthy, nutritious meals, even if you know nothing about cooking or “meal-planning.”

My morning begins today when I notice I am down to my last roll of T.P. “Better go to the store and buy more,” I think. My next thought is, “What else do I need? Food, perhaps? I should make a list.”

I open the freezer to see if I have an adequate supply of frozen victuals. Lessee, a half dozen bags of frozen peas and four frost-covered boxes containing, presumably, entrées – kind unknown. I don’t feel like taking them out of the freezer and knocking the ice off the boxes to see what they are. Guess I’m okay there. Frozen foods: check.

Pantry: a bag of rice and two cans of stew. I’m ok there, too. Pantry: check.

I end up with a short list – dish soap, sponges, paper towels, tissues. And, of course, T.P.  While I’m at the store I can look around and see what else I might want to buy.

I get my Jeep out of the garage and I drive to my local Walmart. As I walk through the store I see one goodie after another that makes me go, “Ooh, I need that.” Deli salads, yogurt, eggs, peanut butter – I put all of them, and more, into my cart. Finally, I pay the cashier and drive home.

So what did I not buy at the store? Dish soap. Sponges. Paper towels. Tissues. And, of course, T.P. Forgot ‘em all.

Why didn’t I take the list with me? I did. I just forgot to take it out of my pocket and look at it.

When I get home it is noon. I eat my first meal of the day: a store-bought “wrap” sandwich. And Greek yogurt. Followed a  few hours later by lunch: a store-bought salad. And another yogurt.

Then I think, “I’d better drive to another store and, at least, buy more T.P.” So I drive to Martin’s Foods. While there I pick up a few more items I hadn’t planned to purchase. I  buy kefir – the store has a new brand I have never tasted called Evolve. I almost buy a bottle of GT’s Kombucha. The label states, “Organic, raw Kombucha.” It is icy cold and inviting, but then I realize I don’t have any idea what Kombucha is or how it tastes. I know that I should know what it is – after all, it’s sold in an ordinary grocery store, not in some kind of exotic health-food store – though I’m sure it’s sold in those, too. I look at the list of ingredients, but no help there – the only ingredient listed is “organic, raw kombucha.”

Later, back at home, the dinner hour rolls around and I eat my third meal of the day. This meal is an Atkins meal. At least, that’s what I like to call it. You might call it a box of Cashew Nut Chew Bars. I eat all five. They are chocolate-covered and delicious. And being an Atkins product, I’m sure they are healthy and nutritious.

There you have it: a day of healthy, nutritious meals. I think you’ll agree, “meal planning” is highly over-rated.