Day 19: Plan Ahead for Healthier Eating

Scripture to Memorize:
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides fooed for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:14-15
Passage to Read:
This day I will call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set
before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that
you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God,
listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Prayer (Donna Partow):
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of choice, even though it sometimes feels like a burden. It seems life would be better if everyone just automatically did the right thing all the time. But you created us in your image, granting us the power to choose which path to follow. I'm so thankful that you've given us your Word and in it you've set before us life and death, blessings and curses. All of heaven and earth bear witness that you've made clear to humanity what the consequences of obedience and disobedience look like. Today I choose life, not just for my own sake but for the sake of my children and all who will come after me. Holy Spirit, lead me in right pathways and empower me to choose wisely. I love you, Lord. I'm listening for your voie and holding fast to you. Speak to me and hold me, too. Amen.
Practical:
In this segment Donna talks about the unhealthy nature of using fast food to feed ourselves and/or our families. She suggests instead that we do some planning ahead to make meals for ourselves and our families. Her first suggesting is the good old crockpot since you can start the meal in the morning and it can simmer all day while you work, run errands or whatever it is that occupies your busy day. The other beauty of the crockpot that she mentions is the fact that you can feed family members at different times. In her example she can feed her daughter Tara at 4:00 p.m. and spend time talking to her. Then when her husband gets home at 8:00 p.m. they can enjoy a meal together. These meals will be much healthier. The other is called My Girlfriend's Kitchen which is a place where you can go to assembly several healthy meals that you can take home. We can actually do the same thing without travelling outside our homes by some careful planning. Prepare enough food during the weekend to carry over for two or three meals during the week. An example a roast for Sunday dinner (cooked in the crockpot while you were at church), the leftover meat can be used for beef fiajatas during the week, and the remainder can be combined with lowfat gravy (prepared using the liquid from the roast) and placed over noodle or rice for beef tips with gravy. Add vegetables and/or salads with fresh fruit and low fat yogurt or cheese for dessert and you have three healthy meals that you cooked and prepared Sunday afternoon.
The other recommendation she make is using a shopping list that you carry with you to the store. Place it in a handy location in your kitchen and every time you run out of something immediately add it to the list. You might also want to make up your list based on the sales and coupons from your Sunday paper. This will help you save some money in addition to preparing good healthy meals for your family.
Practical:
Investigate meal-assembly kitchens in your area. The website she gave for locating one in your area was wwww.mygirlfriendskitchen.com. She also suggests the book "Once-a-Month Cooking" by Mary-Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson. Also check out www.frugalmom.net. On her website Donna also has a Menu Planner/Grocery List worksheet that you can download for free and copy, www.donnapartow.com/grocerylist. Print up several at once and attach to a handly place in your kitchen. I secure it to my refrigerator with a couple of magnets. When something runs out it's replacement is placed on the shopping list for my next trip. Then before heading out to the grocery store, I check coupons, standard items and then I have my grocery list for the store. Another way of saving money is to only buy what is on your list and do not give in to impulse buys UNLESS there really is a special on something that will be used by your family. Buying 4 cans or spinach for a dollar is not a savings if your family won't eat spinach.
Affirmation: I plan ahead for healthier eating.