Schedule Your Meals

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Imagine having a personal chef. You'd get a healthy-yet-hearty breakfast prepared every morning, a gourmet lunch packed to go, and a hot, nutritious dinner waiting for you nightly. More to the point, every wholesome meal and snack would be ready for you at just the perfect moment: when you’re hungry but not ravenous.

The perks of meal planning

Scheduling when and what to eat helps keep you in control and on track—especially when life gets busy. Want more reasons?

Your choices will be healthier, since you're not making spur-of-the-moment decisions when you're already hungry. What kind of choices are we talking about? Check out the varied deliciousness of 23 SmartPoints® daily menus.

You won't be thinking about food all the time. We tend to be swayed by external cues like the sight or smell of food, emotions, situations, other people—in short, anything that's outside your body. It might seem counterintuitive, but scheduling meals helps keep your mind off food between meals and snacks because the decision is made: You already know what and when you'll be eating. And—even better—you’re less likely to eat because of external triggers when you’re not really hungry.

You won’t seesaw between “running on empty” and “too full.” Going too long without eating can make us way too hungry, so that we might overdo it when we finally do eat, especially if you're eating quickly. If you’re having a meal or snack at least every four hours, [your hunger and energy levels remain more even and predictable] throughout the day.

It gives you structure. Knowing when you'll be eating lets you arrange the rest of your day accordingly—so you benefit from a more orderly, controlled schedule all around. Having a set meal schedule can also have a ripple effect throughout your life, helping you stick with other healthy behaviours.

You can save some cash by planning menus to take advantage of supermarket deals. Plus, when you’re doing the cooking, you'll save money you'd normally spend on takeout and pre-packaged meals.

It’s an opportunity to teach kids about a range of wholesome, nutritious foods. Get them into the kitchen with you, prepping meals and learning to appreciate the variety of ingredients and delicious dishes. The more kids learn at home, the easier it will be for them to make smart food choices at school, at restaurants, and beyond.