Benefits of a Meal Plan by a RD
Our personalized Meal Plans from our Registered Dietitians take the guesswork out of eating. It’s designed around your goals, lifestyle, budget, food skills and food preferences—helping you save time, reduce stress by making less decisions, and build healthy habits that last. Whether you want to improve your energy, mood or body composition, manage a health condition, eat for sport/exercise, or simply feel better, our dietitians can guide you with a plan that truly works for you.
Some of our Registered Dietitans like Vanessa and Theresa, now offer personalized Meal Plans!
Vanessa Hurley RD sat down to provide more information and answer some commonly asked questions about it:
What is a Meal Plan by a RD?
A Meal Plan by a RD (Registered Dietitian) is a customized 7 day Meal Plan, which provides 3 daily meal and snack suggestions, recipes, and a shopping list designed to meet specific dietary needs and health goals in line with your nutrition care plan.
What is included in a Meal Plan by a RD?
- Meals & Snacks for the week - everything is listed for you
- Recipes for the week - tried and tested, clean ingredients, easy to follow, offers suggestions for additions or substitutions, etc
- Shopping List - an organized list of ingredients needed for the planned meals, making grocery shopping efficient.
What are the Benefits of a Personalized Meal Plan?
- Personalized Nutrition to Reach your Goals (whether your goal is weight loss/management, improved energy or managing a chronic condition like pre-diabetes or high cholesterol)
- Consistent with Your Food Preferences, Allergies, Intolerance, Budget, Food Skills, Cultural Background and Lifestyle (our RD discuss everything with you during your initial appointment)
- Saves Time & Money (you can meal shop and meal prep in advance; no more wasting food or buying ingredients you won't use)
- Better Health Outcomes (supports balanced eating ensuring adequate energy, protein, carbs, fats and micronutrients)
- Decreases Risk Factors for Chronic Conditions (heart disease, diabetes, digestive issues).
- Provides Structure & Balance (just follow the plan!)
- Reduces decision making fatigue about eating (no more guessing about when and what to eat)
- Provides Accountability and Guidance (follow up appointments ensure you are staying on track or if modifications need to take place)
Is a Meal Plan Right for Me?
- If you want to make less food decisions
- If you want to kick start eating well and build healthy habits
- If you are open to trying new recipes and need to add more to your collection
- If you need to follow a specific diet to manage a health condition
- If you want to meal prep and batch cook, spending less time in the kitchen
What are Common Barriers to following a meal plan?
- Too structured
- Low motivation
- Lack of food skills
- Unable to follow up
However the above barriers can be overcome with our individualized approach and regular follow up appointments where modifications can be made to ensure you stay on track. If the meal plan is too rigid, the RD can provide multiple options.
What If I Can't Follow the Meal Plan?
If you are unable to follow the meal plan, that is okay! These can serve as a guide. We encouraged you to check in with your RD to see how you can make some modifications to ensure it's a plan you can work with.
How do I get a Meal Plan?
- Book an initial appointment with Vanessa or Theresa (you can book online, call, text or email)
- Fill our the intake and consent form
- Attend the initial appointment with the RD
- Complete our meal planning questionnaire
- Book a Meal Planning appointment
- Receive your personalized Meal Plan
- Book a follow up appointment to review it & make any changes
The Meal Plans our Registered Dietitians provide are just about “what to eat” — it’s about building confidence with food choices that fit your life and support your long-term health. We want you to ultimately make the decisions that are best for you and a Meal Plan can be a great starting place to help empower you to do so.
You can contact us to book a free consultation with Vanessa or Theresa to find out more!
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