I don’t know about you, but I can’t use ‘it’s 2020’ as an excuse for literally ANYTHING for much longer seeing as 2021 is just around the corner. Yes, we all know that this year has been extraordinary, but any reason for a takeaway, chocolate or even a family-sized bag of crisps, I’ve taken it.
Related: Which Fitbit should you choose?
You can deny it all you want, but I know you’ve probably been the same. Or, am I just alone here?
As we enter a new year, it’s been making me think about all the things that I’ve achieved this year and all the things I haven’t. Going into 2021, I’m more conscious about my health, lifestyle and what I eat more than I ever have been before. That’s why I decided to point my investigative skills towards the best meal planners.
If you’re like me and you want to make a simple change to your diet or get more organised in the kitchen, then healthy meal planners are a straightforward solution. Not only will they help you outline what you want to eat for a whole week, but many of these fabulous options have space for shopping lists, wellness notes and more.
Let’s find out more, shall we?
Best meal planners
1 of 9Sweetzer & Orange Meal Planner Pads
There's only so many Deliveroo's you can get before it becomes out of hand. Instead of opting for a quick tea, plan your food out with this adorable planner and ditch the takeaways (for January anyway). Features:• Fitted with two magnets • Each sheet 17x25cm• Space for shopping list
2 of 9Personalised Wipeable Perspex Family Meal Organiser
Planning meals and activities for a whole household? If the answer is yes, then this helpful planner will allow you keep track of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh and homework deadlines, family games night and doctor appointments.Features:• Select from meal planner A4, activity planner A4, both planner A4, meal planner A3, activity planner A3, both planners A3, both combined on A2 – prices vary• Personalise with your family name and colours• It come with holes to hang on a ribbon/string
3 of 9Pretty Simple Press Meal Planner
Save time and money thanks to this incredible food diary. Every Sunday night, make time to fill in your food planner and decide what healthy tea you're going to have for the rest of the week.Features:• A weekly meal planner with space for breakfast and lunch ideas• Space for your shopping list• Find 52-weeks to log inside
4 of 9Fridge Dry Erase Board Calendar
Love the aesthetic of a chalk board? Well, then this Fridge Dry Erase Board Calendar is a great way to document what food to have. I love that colourful pens are also included!Features:• Made from thick, magnetic material• Includes pens and an eraser• Size: 41 x 31 x 0.1cm
5 of 9Knock Knock What To Eat Pad
Do you have a habit of sacking off your tea for something naughtier? Bright, bold and hard to miss, the Knock Knock What To Eat Pad is a great reminder to stick to your dinner plans. Features:• Easy to write on notepad• Magnetic backing• Size: 15.24cm x 22.86cm
6 of 9Boxclever Press Food Journal
The Boxclever Press Food Journal is more than just a meal planner - it's a whole diet plan. It allows you to record food, water intake, calorie consumption, exercise and your five a day. However, we'd like to point out that it's not about the numbers on the scale, but about living a healthier lifestyle.Features:• 13-week meal planner• Milestones to track progress• Includes nutritional information
7 of 9Pineapple Wellness Journal
Like the food journey above, this wellness planner allows you to mark out daily intentions, but this time it can focus on anything. I adore that this includes an area to monitor your sleep, space for self-care time and your daily meal plan, of course.Features:• 12 weeks of tools• Wellness map• Reflection page
8 of 9Hana grey leaf meal planner
Back to a more traditional meal planner, this gorgeous Paperchase number will ensure you never look in the fridge wondering what to eat again. Features:• Space for shopping list• 70 pages• Size: 297 x 219mm
9 of 9Oliver Bonas Weekly Meal Planner A5
I wouldn't expect anything less than an aesthetically pleasing weekly meal planner from Oliver Bonas, and they absolutely delivered with this one.Features:• Magnet on back• 50 pages• Size: 21cm x 14.8cm
The best meal planners verdict:
Now that I have run through the best meal planners, it's time to decide on the favourite. I've thought long and hard about what healthy meal planners mean to me. For this, I've had to go for Sweetzer & Orange Meal Planner Pads because of its affordable, magnetic and pretty design.
Lily Anderson is a writer at Bauer Media, where she tests products for titles such as Heat, Closer, What’s the Best and Mother&Baby
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