African meal plan

BREAKFAST mid-am snack

2 pieces fresh fruit - ANY type! OR 1 large piece e.g. banana or apple

MPS16African

LUNCH
1 sandwich (high fibre bread) + any FREE veggies + 1 tbsp chutney or mustard + 4 tbsp tuna or tinned fish OR 4 slices lean cold meat (e.g. beef or pastrami) + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink

mid-pm snack
1 x Yogisip OR 250ml LF yoghurt OR 200ml Amasi/ sour milk

SUPPER
2.5 cups brown or wild rice + 1 cup extra lean mince (210g) & tomato sauce (e.g. curry & rice + free veg) + Salad with FREE veggies & low fat dressing dressing

DAY 1
1.5 cups soft mealiemeal porridge or maltabella or cooked oats + 175 ml FF flavoured/plain yoghurt OR 1 cup FF/LF milk + 1 tbsp raisins OR 1 small banana

DAY 2
3 slices w/w or rye bread + 1/4 avo OR 1 tbsp peanut butter OR Marmite/ Bovril/ Fish paste/ jam + 1 cup LF / FF fruit yoghurt (or plain) or milk 1 cup canned fruit (drained) OR 1 big piece fruit (or 2 small) + 1 cup LF / FF fruit yoghurt 1 cup LF veggie soup or canned or packet soup (LF / Lite) + 3 slices toast or fresh high fibre bread + 1 cup cooked/ canned beans OR 60g (size of 2 small matchboxes) LF cheese + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink Chopped raw veggies + LF dip e.g. FF cottage cheese 1 cup stiff mealie meal + 2 cups cooked pumpkin + 2 large skinless chicken breasts OR 2 skinless chicken legs & 1 thigh cooked in a casserole with spices & herbs

DAY 3
1.5 cups All bran flakes OR 3 weetbix + 175 ml LF fruit yoghurt OR 250 ml FF artificially sweetened or plain yoghurt + 1 fruit e.g. 2 pieces dried pear/ apple 2 Ryvita or 3 Provitas + Marmite/ bovril/ Fish paste/ FREE veg/ 1 LF cheese wedge 2 sandwiches (high fibre bread) + any FREE veggies + 4 slices lean cold meat (e.g. chicken roll or ham) + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink 1 Kellogg's bar OR 1 piece fruit + 175 ml LF / FF yoghurt 2.5 cups mashed potato OR 3 med potatoes + 1 cup carrots + 1 cup sweetcorn + 4 fish cakes (240g), baked + tomato & onion mix + 1 gem squash with 1 tsp syrup/ sugar/ honey (optional)

DAY 4
1.5 cups soft mealiemeal porridge or maltabella or morevite + 175 ml FF flavoured/plain yoghurt OR 1 cup FF/LF milk + 1 fruit e.g. 1 small orange or apple As Day 1 or Safari fruit bar or Tru fruit bar + 250ml FF artific. sweetened yoghurt 9 Corn Thins OR 6 Ryvita crackers + any FREE veggies + 2 boiled eggs OR 4 slices LF cheese + sweet chilli sauce/ chutney + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink 1 piece of fresh fruit + 175 ml LF yoghurt 1 cup samp & beans + 2 cups carrot salad + 210g lean beef or skinless chicken cooked in a stew with herbs & spices + cooked cabbage/ broccoli/ cauliflower (FREE veggies) + 1 cup Hot choc (LF / FF milk)

DAY 5
3 slices w/w or rye bread + 1 boiled or poached egg OR 1/2 cup baked beans + grilled tomato / mushroom + 1 fruit e.g. 1 pear as Day 1 or 3 2 sandwiches (high fibre bread) as Day 1 or 2 + any FREE veggies or 3 or 4 + 2 tbsp chutney / mustard / sweet chilli sauce + 60g (size of 2 small matchboxes) LF cheese OR 4 slices lean cold beef or chicken roll + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink 1 cup stiff mealie meal + 2 cups starchy veggies e.g. peas, carrots, mixed veg + 2.5 cups vegetable stew with beans OR 2.5 cups soy mince cooked with herbs and spices + Side salad (optional)

DAY 6
1.5 cups soft mealiemeal porridge or maltabella or cooked oats + 1 cup LF/ FF milk OR 175 ml FF flavoured/plain yoghurt + 1 fruit e.g. 2 naartjies as Day 2 or 4 Salad: 1.5 cups corn or couscous or pasta + cooked butternut or carrots + herbs & spices + 3 tbsp nuts or nuts & seeds + 60g (size of 2 small matchboxes) LF cheese OR 4 tbsp tuna + 250 ml fruit juice or cooldrink as Day 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 2 cups rice + 1 cup starchy veggies e.g. carrots, peas, butternut, pumpkin + Tomato & onion stew with 210g beef or chicken + FREE veggies e.g. gem squash or side salad (optional)

DAY 7
2 cups high fibre cereal as Day 1 or 2 + 1 cup LF / FF milk or 3 or 4 + 1 fruit e.g. 1 cup chopped pineapple as Day 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 1.5 cups mealie rice + 2 cups mixed vegetables + 210g lean sausage e.g. chicken/ ostrich (braaied or grilled) with chakalaka sauce (tin or homemade) + side salad (FREE veggies) if very hungry

LF=low fat; FF=fat free; w/w=whole wheat; tbsp=tablespoon; tsp=teaspoon; cup=250ml

If you have any medical condition, please chat to your dietitian or physician before starting this plan

HERE ARE SOME TIPS & TOOLS ON HOW TO FOLLOW YOUR MEAL PLAN!
Handy Tips for food preparation and freebies: Initially, weigh or measure foods to make sure that you're eating the right amounts - this is crucial for effective portion and calorie control. It might be a bit of hassle to start with, but after a short while you will know your portion sizes and it will become second nature! All weights and portion sizes are for after cooking. To ensure the correct portion sizes, start by using measuring cups, spoons, or if you have the time, you can use a food scale - this will help to see what a portion size looks like (helpful with meat portions). To keep things simple, most of the portions in the meal plan are given in common house-hold measures. 90g of meat or meat substitute is about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand or a deck of playing cards. A small fist is equal to about cup of fruit, vegetables, or starches like rice. A small fist or tennis ball OR 2 golf balls size is equal to 1 fruit serving. A small matchbox is equal to about 30g of meat or cheese. When preparing stews and casseroles, remember to cut all visible fat off the meat and remove all the skin from the chicken before cooking. Avoid frying foods in oil, rather bake, boil, steam or dry-fry. All offal (including liver, kidneys, giblets, chicken feet and tripe) is higher in fat and cholesterol compared to other meats. If you choose to include it into your diet, use it no more than twice a month. Include at least 8 glasses of fluid in a day - e.g. as water / Rooibos tea / diet drinks. On training days you can include 500 ml of Energade / Powerade / Cooldrink (Coke / Fanta etc.) OR 1 small packet jelly type sweets e.g. jelly babies / beans / tots - ideal during / after a training session. You can include 8 tsp of sugar / jam / syrup / honey / chutney/ sweet chilli sauce during the day as you like, or leave out altogether (i.e. it's optional). Herbs, spices, vinegar, lemon juice, marmite, bovril, and fish paste are also FREE to use.

FREE veggies should be included as much as possible into your meals because they are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, but have very few calories therefore don't contribute much to your energy intake. Examples include: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, mushroom, onion, asparagus, peppers, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, patty pans, babymarrow, gem squash eat as much of these as you like! E.g. as a veggie soup, big salad, stir-fry, or to bulk up sandwiches, stews, casseroles etc.

You have 5 fat servings every day (some of which are already included in your meal plan): 1 Serving of fat = 1 tsp oil (preferrably canola or olive) OR butter OR regular margarine = 1 tbsp regular mayonnaise or peanutbutter = 2 tbsp low fat mayo OR salad dressing OR low fat cream cheese = 1/4 avocado OR 6 olives OR 2 tbsp pesto = 2 blocks of chocolate OR 1 tbsp nuts/seeds Did You Know? Due to the high intake of carbohydrates and legumes, Traditional African diets are high in fibre. Fibre helps to promote weight loss, lower cholesterol levels and can help to protect you against colon cancer. Legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas) and soy beans are an excellent source of protein and can be used as a healthy alternative to meat and chicken. They also have the added benefit of being high in fibre and low in fat.