September is the start of the new school year, and for many of us, it’s an opportunity to reset after holidays, events and the imbalance that the summer months often bring.
This month, we’ll explore how you can prepare yourself with the right tools, create a sustainable timetable for healthy living, discover new recipes to bring excitement to your meals, and make room for fun amidst the hustle. Together, we’ll navigate this fresh start with practical tips and inspiring ideas, ensuring you have everything you need to thrive in this new season.
1. Do you have the right equipment?
Didn’t we all love getting new pens and books for the new school year? I invite you to take a look in your cupboards and decide if your plates, cups and storage containers fill you with the same joy. Is it time to have a clear out and invest in some quality products that will not only encourage you to use them, but will help you streamline your preparation and support your healthy choices.
Food preparation
The first and most important thing you need for food prep is a sharp knife, you do not need to be a top chef to own a sharp knife, and if yours aren’t up to the mark then investing in a knife sharpener is much cheaper than buying new knives. I think that you just need 3 knives in most kitchens, a serrated one for bread, a large kitchen knife for chopping and a smaller knife for peeling and small work.
There are lots of food storage boxes available to use in your fridge, and many of them will help prolong the life of your fresh produce such as lettuce and herbs. They are a good investment, but if you don’t have the budget then just making sure you wash and prep them on the day you buy them, and wrapping in a damp kitchen roll can keep them fresher for a few days longer and is well worth the few minutes of time invested.
Food on the go
Back to school means packed lunches and why not treat yourself to a new lunchbox or cool bag? I encourage you to use glass or metal containers for packing and storing food where possible and here is one of my favourites – it includes cute bamboo cutlery too. Cool bags are important to help keep fresh food at the correct temperature and make preparing your lunch the night before even easier. And if you are packing up leftovers from dinner even better.
During winter months good quality flasks are an essential part of my food prep kit, I have a favourite ‘wide-mouth’ flask that I use to transport soups and stews. Double insulated metal varieties are best, they will take a few knocks if you are a little bit careless and usually keep food hot for at least 6 hours.
I also have invested in some glass containers for my breakfast. Yes you can make overnight oats in any container, but if you see them layered and looking cute and delicious in the fridge you are much more likely to pick them up.
Some of my favourites are by Earthy Stuff (pictured) who have a wide range of bamboo and glass containers. Also Black and Blum are available online and from many stores.
What are you serving your meals on?
Is it just me? I dont’ like to eat with cutlery that doesn’t match. I like certain drinks from different cups (glass for my coffee, china for my tea) and I’m equally as fussy about my crockery.
I’m guessing you are not as fussy as me, but now is a good time to just go through your draws and cupboards and throw out anything that is chipped or cracked. Match up your knives and forks and give your utensil draw a clear out, and clean up. Throw away anything that is past it’s best, and donate anything that you don’t use to charity. This will make your cupboards clearer and you can see exactly what you have.
You may need to invest in a few things, but you may find that you rediscover old favourites when you have the room to see what you have.
To listen to this podcast episode 213 released on 4th September click the link below
2. Meal plan like a pro
You might think that you eat a wide variety of different meals, but most of us have around 10-20 meals that we regularly repeat. And focusing on what you already know, and what you feel comfortable cooking can make meal planning much easier. I like meal planning so much I even created my own planner!
Once you conquer the basics, you will feel more in control, and you will know exactly what is coming up on your food timetable, so grab a pen and a pad and let’s get planning together.
Work out your timetable
Despite many of us leaving school many years ago, our lives are still dictated by timetables. It could be that you work late on certain days of the week. Maybe you or a family member has a club that they attend regularly. You need to factor all of these in before meal planning.
Sit down with everyone in your household and create a plan that includes all the different events you attend. This wil help you work out who is going to be home, and crucially, how much time you have to prepare and eat foods. You may even find that there are days when you simply don’t cook – in our house this is known as ‘fend for yourself Wednesday’.
The benefits of meal planning
Once you have your schedule you can then start to meal plan. Meal planning saves time and stress, as everyone knows what they will be eating. You are much more likely to eat healthily, and your shopping bill will be reduced as you are only buying what you need.
If you enjoy creating new dishes, then add just one new recipe each week, on a day that you know you will have more free time – often this is a weekend. And then fill in the other days with recipes that you know how to prepare and cook with ease. Making double so that you have something in the freezer for busy days, or leftovers for lunch has been a game-changer for many of my clients. Cook once and eat twice is my motto.
And using a meal planner can really help you get started,
If you are feeding a family I suggest getting as many of them involved in the planning as you can. I recommend to my clients that they allow each family member to choose a meal to add to the plan. This way everyone has at least one meal they love. And you don’t need to start from scratch every week, keep previous weeks plans and reuse them, we all eat similar foods on repeat!
Lets get shopping
Now that you have your meal plan sorted, before you head off to the shops, take a look in the cupboards. Check what you have already, and then make a complete shopping list. You may need to shop more than once if you have limited space or need additional fresh foods. Create lists for both, that way you will not be tempted to buy things that you just don’t need.
When you are in the shops ignore the offers and promotions, and buy what you need. It isn’t more cost-effective if you end up throwing away food because you have overbought. Consider online shopping, you can type in your shopping list when you start and then you definitely will only buy what is on your list.
Need some inspiration
I have curated meal plans in the recipes area within my members hub. Membership cost just £47 per year and you not only get access to over 200 recipes and meal plans. You get members only events and discounts from my group programs. Find out more
To listen to this podcast episode 214 released on 11th September click the link below
3. Improving your knowledge
Don’t get stuck in a rut with your food, your kitchen can be your new classroom. Embrace new cultures and educate your tastebuds. Trying new foods and recipes will also help broaden your nutrient intake.
Reconnecting with food
Often when I talk to clients about their food intake they are eating pretty much the same things on repeat. They know what they like and don’t like, and create their meals around those ingredients.
I find it interesting when we discuss likes and dislikes. Sometimes it’s been years (decades even) since they tried a food type, and sometimes they even tell me they don’t like a food when they haven’t even tried it.
I challenge you to try something different each week. Our taste buds change as we age and so many people will find that a food they found bitter or too spicy as a child no longer tastes that way. And how foods is prepared and cooked can make a huge difference to the way it tastes – for example, boiled cauliflower tastes very different to roasted cauliflower.
Trying new recipes
Another way to broaden your food intake is to try different recipes. Don’t overwhelm yourself (check back on section 2 podcast episode 214) but trying a new recipe every week, or every other week will keep things interesting. Choose one that has a spice that you haven’t eaten before, or a type of vegetable or grain that is new to you.
The way ingredients are combined and different textures keeps meals interesting and challenges our palate. Or if you are eating out and there is a starter that has ingredients you don’t know, why not order it and share, that way you only have a little bit to taste.
Eating the Rainbow
Having a broad and diverse diet is the best way to ensure you are eating all the nutrients your body needs. A wide variety of plants is the most helpful to our health, and eating 30 different varieties a week has been cited as beneficial for our gut microbiome and our overall health.
Each colour of vegetable brings a unique range of phytonutrients, offering specific health benefits. For example, green vegetables support detoxification, while purple ones are rich in antioxidants. Additionally, every fruit and vegetable has its own unique blend of these powerful nutrients. The best way to ensure you’re getting a broad spectrum of phytonutrients? Aim to eat a rainbow of colours every day.
To listen to this podcast episode r215 released on 18th September click the link below
4. Have more fun in the kitchen
The best classes at school were the ones that managed to incorporate some fun into learning. And if your kitchen is a cold and boring space you won’t want to spend too much time in there.
All the best parties
Are in the kitchen! And you can create your own party at any time, by making it a happier place.
I love spending time creating recipes in my kitchen, but my hubby doesn’t cook. So we will pop some music on and he will grab a seat and we catch up on the day whilst I’m cooking dinner. Sometimes I even get him involved in the chopping – don’t tell him but mostly I get him to grate cheese or chop onions as they are the jobs that I dislike!
Make it with love
I will often bake cookies or muffins at the weekend. Unfortunately, my kitchen skills do not extend to making light and fluffy cakes, I don’t have the patience. I do love the smell of baking, and it’s something that the whole family can get involved with. Some of my fondest memories are baking with my maternal grandmother on a Sunday, and I think that’s one of the main reasons that I love being in the kitchen, as it was always such a calm and happy place.
Children (and adults) learn to cook by experimenting. None of us could make a white sauce or even scrambled eggs the first time we tried. But having those skills and not being afraid of the kitchen is a wonderful life skill that means you can feed yourself nutritious meals without drama or hassle.
To listen to this podcast episode 216 released on 25th September click the link below
html libsyncodeDid you enjoy the topic of these episodes, have you got any feedback or questions? Please reach out to me via my social media channels, I’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode.
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Want to know more about ways to work with me?
There are many ways that you can work with me to balance your hormones and improve your health and wellbeing.
On Facebook the Fab Female Nutrition Club is a wonderful FREE community where I offer lots of support and advice on female health and wellbeing. I also love to cook and create recipes and I’ll often be seen in the group cooking live and sharing all the wonderful health benefits of the ingredients used.
My Fab Female Nutrition Membership sits alongside the free club, but offers you lots of resources and group coaching with me. The hub has the full recipe book that is constantly being updated, the 5 elements of health containing resources and guides to help support you in your health journey. And 6 group coaching calls a year, plus access to other member benefits such as discounts from group programs.
A few times a year I work with groups of ladies to transform their health and wellbeing. Appropriately called The Transformation Program it can help with many differing issues and we have had hugely impressive results – including up to 100% reduction in symptoms. If you suffer with IBS, fatigue, inflammation, hormonal imbalances or just want to spend some time concentrating on your health and wellbeing they are fabulous value and great fun.
If you feel like you need a more bespoke option, then my 1:1 coaching and testing is for you. We will concentrate on your specific needs creating nutritional protocols that support your health goals. We take a full health history, then tailor testing to help create and refine protocols so that you learn about your body and how to support it. I will be with you every step of the way to guide you and ensure that you realise your true health potential. Find out more here.