Meal Plans Blog from Meal Mentor

Meal Plan App

Do you use an iPad or other mobile device to view your shopping list each week?

If so, we have a helpful FREE resource for making that experience even better—and it’s simple, too! (Thanks to VIP annual member Karen K. for the tip!)

Using the Acrobat Reader app, you can strike through and highlight ingredients as you buy!!

Here’s how you do it (in just three steps):

1. Download the free Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader application from the app store on your device.

2. When you get your meal plan, open the link with the Acrobat app you downloaded.

And… voila!

You can check, cross out, add text, and highlight as needed while shopping.

Just like a normal shopping list… but digital and already organized for you!

Here’s what it looks like:

Other members found it helpful too:

“Such fabulous tool! Thank you. I never print the grocery lists, but instead copy ingredients needed into my ‘Reminder’ list on my phone. This will save me time!” — Stephani V.

“That's a good idea! For some reason when scroll through on my tablet on Google Drive it's jerky and slow. This should solve that!” — @veggielove94

Watch a quick video on how to use the app.

Enjoy!

P.S. Make sure you’re saving your meal plans into Google Drive (it’s free too!) I love being able to search by recipe name OR ingredient! Learn more.

P.P.S. Join the Meal Mentor newsletter (it's FREE!) Click here to signup!

Plant-Based Dogs Podcast

A new Meal Mentor podcast is ready for you!

In this episode Amy (my co-pilot!) talks about transitioning your pooch to a plant-based diet! (Her girls Ana and Aubrey saw HUGE health benefits – just like my puggies). Amy also shares her recipe for DIY kibble and treats (recipes available to members in the forums) , and we gab about the various veggies our dogs like best!

Amy also lost more than 50lbs (yahoo!) and husband and sons’ story is a true testament that being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Despite exercising regularly and having fit physiques, Amy’s hubby and college-aged sons had not-so-good numbers, but once they went plant-based, they had awesome bloodwork! The whole family (pugs too!) transformed.

P.S. Do you love listening to the podcast? Show your support by leaving a review on iTunes.

P.P.S. Join the Meal Mentor newsletter (it's FREE!) Click here to signup!

Have you ever been HANGRY?

Has this been you?

Hangry = Hunger + Angry

You know the feeling…

Unexplained RAGE that comes out over the slightest annoyance…

My husband used to tease me, “Do you need to eat something?”

I used to be all kinds of HANGRY when I came home from work…

Cleaning up my diet—eating balanced meals—has helped nip the hanger.

Your brain needs energy to exercise self-control.

If you’re not consuming enough energy (food) OR if you’re eating foods that cause your blood sugar to go on a rollercoaster ride, then…

HANGER IS REAL.

If you’re hungry, you’re irritable…

…and if you’re irritable, you’re easily angered…

Eating healthy, super-satiating meals regularly will keep hanger away.

Set aside a little time to batch cook your meals.

PLUS having healthy, super-satiating meals at your fingertips is the ULTIMATE anecdote!

Fight back against HANGER with a meal plan.

Be prepared. Be consistent. And have food ready in case hanger strikes.

Happy batch cooking!

P.S. Batch Cooking BOOTCAMP will be available to members this Thursday! Don’t miss this workshop!

P.P.S. Add extra potatoes to your batch cook, and you’ll have the world’s easiest (and most satiating!) snack on hand and ready to go for emergency hanger prevention!

Taking Charge of Your Health Podcast

A new Meal Mentor podcast is ready for you!

In this episode Dagney (my copilot!) admits that she’s not very good at taking care of herself. Although she faces some health challenges, this mother and grandmother shares the major strides she has made since adopting a plant-based diet!

She also talks about taking charge of her health, discussing nutrition with her family, and the importance of having a supportive, positive community!

You won't want to miss this episode!

P.S. Do you love listening to the podcast? Show your support by leaving a review on iTunes.

P.P.S. Join the Meal Mentor newsletter (it's FREE!) Click here to signup!

Do you label food as “good” or “bad”?

It’s sooo tempting to do this (I’m GUILTY of it too!) especially when you are making a conscious effort to eat better and/or lose weight.

But this type of labelling – assigning morality to food – can actually have a very negative effect on us.

For example, say you order brown rice and steamed veggies...

Sounds healthy and filling, right?

But then the waitress tells you the restaurant only has white rice.

So you think: But white rice is bad… *I’M* being bad for ordering it…

You went from feeling GREAT... to down on yourself…

And possibly perplexed:

Should I get noodles?!

Scrap the whole thing and get deep-fried egg rolls?!

Calling a food “bad” only makes you feel bad or “wrong” for choosing to eat it.

Sure, brown rice is better for you nutritionally than white rice...

But that doesn’t make white rice BAD.

And you’re certainly not bad for eating it!!

Focus on DOING YOUR BEST in the situation you’re in.

White rice may not be optimal...

BUT IT’S A WHOLE LOT BETTER than the deep-fried egg roll, right?!

Keep this perspective and throw away the “good” versus “bad” thinking.

Be proud of yourself for choosing the BEST choice available.

That balance is what makes “living healthy” a SUSTAINABLE lifestyle.

The best, most perfect, ULTIMATE choice isn’t always possible in the real world.

And if you feel bad even when you make the best choice you can, it’ll be a million times harder to stay motivated and on track.

You’ll end up discouraged…

The meal plans help keep you from eating out, but “eating in” isn’t always possible...

Sometimes you have to go out for a work thing, or a friend’s birthday--or you just want to!!

NO PROBLEMO.

Have a life, find that balance, and do the best YOU can (and feel GOOD about it).

There are no good or bad foods—just better choices. DO YOUR BEST.

P.S. Join the Meal Mentor newsletter (it's FREE!) Click here to signup!

Working at the Plant-Based Diet Podcast

A new Meal Mentor podcast is ready for you!

In this episode Mike (my co-pilot!) bravely shares how he fell off the plant-based wagon, but that he still believes in being plant-based and works at it everyday. I also got Mike to develop a new rule (hint: it has to do with salt)

And you’ll LOVE his simple but brilliant suggestion for saying “I don’t want it” either to yourself when you’re tempted, or when others are trying to peer pressure you or get you to “cheat!” His thoughts on exercise and how moving your body moves your mind into making better choices is also spot-on!

By the way, Mike is the partner to Mandy, who you met on episode 20.

P.S. Do you love listening to the podcast? Show your support by leaving a review on iTunes.

P.P.S. Join the Meal Mentor newsletter (it's FREE!) Click here to signup!