Most of us crave for three hot and healthy meals in a day, but hectic schedules and long work hours often come in the way. The question that often stares us in the face is, what should I cook? Home chefs and city nutritionists, who have figured a way around this, tell us how they plan their meals so that we can too.

A good way to kickstart the plan could be to prepare a meal chart at the start of the week and shop for all the ingredients in advance. Raveena Taurani of Yogistavaa recommends sourcing seasonal and fresh produce from the local market. "You can make the most of those ingredients by honouring its original form", she says. "Fruits last longer if we freeze them, and soaking nuts and seeds before using always brings out their flavour more. Certain vegetables work well with just light steam instead of a full cook through so they retain their crunch." Therefore, spend some time to handle the produce with care and preserve them well to last the entire week. If you are allergic to gluten or lactose intolerant, keep the substitutes handy too. A meal chart can also help you budget your food spends well. If you have a cook helping you with your meals, this weekly food chart will guide them through it even while you are away. "Maintain a list of spices and pulses too. This way you end up keeping tabs on your kitchen pantry," she says.