Forward thinking
New Zealand Listener|April 8- 14 2023
Time pressures can make dinner preparation a chore. Meal plans are one way to ensure your family enjoys more healthy, homemade meals.
Jennifer Bowden
Forward thinking

Question:
I’ve decided to start meal planning again, as my recent experiences with food delivery boxes have been disappointing (poor-quality produce and meat etc). Are there any rules for how to make a good meal plan?

Answer:
What's for dinner tonight? This age-old question perplexes many a hungry person. Creating a weekly meal plan could solve both the daily dinner conundrum and improve your health, according to a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Poor meal-planning ability and a lack of cooking skills can lead to habits such as buying highly processed meals and packaged frozen dinners. Although these processed meals are relatively inexpensive, they are typically higher in overall energy content, sugar, sodium and saturated fat, making them a less-nutritious option. Similarly, leaving dinner decisions until the last minute can lead to other less-nutritious food choices, such as buying fast food or takeaways.

And sadly, our modern tendency to rely on ultra-processed food may harm our health, according to a new study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. Using data from more than 197,000 adults involved in the UK Biobank study, researchers identified links between greater consumption of ultra-processed foods and a higher risk of certain cancers, particularly ovarian cancer in women.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW ZEALAND LISTENERView all
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024