Everywhere you turn, there are multiple sources for nutritional information, meal planning resources, and meal kits purported to help you save time and money while eating healthier, less wasteful meals. With such an abundance of information from so many various sources, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or confused.
According to Jen Wykoff from the Reiki Ranch, one of the most important questions you can ask yourself in evaluating these choices is, will this plan be realistic for me, my family, and my lifestyle? Answering those questions is at the heart of the ‘Get Real: Mindful Eating’ program she’ll be hosting with Michelle Kennedy at De Novo Wellness Heart Space in Mantua.
Their Mindful Eating program combines wholesome meal planning with a realistic approach to help busy people save time and money. Through thoughtful practice, the pair will help participants identify how and why they make the food choices they make. They’ll share how folks can incorporate more real and wholesome foods, and how to make healthier choices while stretching food budgets.
With the resources and information shared in this course, participants will be equipped with practical ways to transform mealtime into a meaningful event instead of a costly, rushed, wasteful routine. “Mealtime can be quality time with your family,” Wykoff shared. She acknowledged that sharing a meal together allows time to catch up while savoring what you’ve prepared, not just to quickly swallow it down and get on to the next event in your busy schedule.
Drawing on Jen’s background as a restaurant manager, this program will provide guidelines on how to shop more effectively, keep inventory of the food items you’ve purchased, and tips on how to best store food to prolong health benefits and flavor. The four-hour, hands-on class will provide hands-on learning for students, digital resources to bring the lessons and experiences home, and lunch to enjoy, reinforcing what was learned. As with all their services, 10% of the profits from the Mindful Eating program will be given to a local charity – specifically local food banks.
“We aren’t dieticians,” Kennedy noted, “but we provide information about how a healthy diet can improve gut health, help balance hormones, and reduce inflammation. We’ll cover topics like the benefits of herbs and provide recipes and menu planning practices.” For example, Wykoff noted that making one entrée that can be used multiple ways throughout the week can make mealtime much easier. “We’ll help you learn to maximize your time in the kitchen once, which will enable you to save time later in the week and keep cleanup time to a minimum,” Wykoff concluded.
To find out more about this informative program that can help you save money while making more wholesome food choices, visit Wykoff and Kennedy at the informational booth at the Garrettsville Farmers Market on Thursday, June 20th from 4 – 7 pm.
