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    3 Hacks to Make Meal Planning and Prep Easy

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    Updated: Sep 14, 2023

    There is no way around it, meal planning and prep take time, but without it maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight will be almost impossible. That said, I've learned what to look for at the store to make weekly meals easier and less time-consuming! So, today I am going to share my top hacks to make meal planning and prep easy!


    Hack #1 of my top hacks to make meal planning and prep easy: Start with Meal Planning

    Step number one with all of my new clients is to set aside a regular time slot during the week to sit down and write out a menu using my Weekly Meal Planner. Date out your week, write down any events or major setbacks for those days, and plan your dinners accordingly. Then you can make your grocery list. Now, if you don't have a stash of recipes this can be time-consuming, but that is also a perk of working with me, I provide my clients with over 150 itemized recipes that are easy to access. To get you started you can check out my E-Book here. The mental freedom of writing down what you are having for dinners and knowing you have the groceries to make them will reduce so much stress and decision fatigue during the week. I PROMISE!

    Set aside a separate time to grocery shop if this is all too much for you to handle at once.



    Hack #2: Make Breakfast and Lunch Easy with these pre-made and on-the-go ideas


    Don't overcomplicate breakfast and lunch! Keep it simple and fast! Depending on if you work from home, or travel to the office, your lunch plan may change. But breakfast should be an easy routine! My #1 easy breakfast ideas always include at least 30 + grams of protein.

    You could go with a Protein Shake using a good quality protein, like my favorite made by Equip Foods, Prime Protein, link here. Use code EatWell to receive a %15 discount. Add a scoop or 2 with any unsweetened nut milk, or grass-fed whole milk. I love Goat's Milk.

    Hard-boiled Eggs are my next fast, easy favorite. I love the pre-boiled hard-boiled eggs by Vital Farms. These are pasture-raised and so delicious. Add a little salt and hot sauce and you are ready to go.

    I eat eggs every day for breakfast and I recommend this to my clients as well. Make it a habit to wake up 10 minutes earlier to fry 2 eggs and have half an avocado!

    If eggs aren't your thing, Fage Greek Yogurt makes awesome individual yogurt cups. Throw some berries and nuts on top and you are out the door.


    My Favorite on-the-go lunch foods include brands like Outer Aisle Cauliflower Thins. These are perfect for low-carb sammies with your favorite meat and cheese.

    Wild-caught canned sardines and canned tuna are my next favorite. You can find these anywhere! Mix with mayo, mustard, pickles, and celery, and pair it with either Mary's Gone Seed Crackers or Trader Joe's Seeds and Grains Crisp Bread. Spice it up with some homemade sushi using these organic nori wraps by Gimme.

    I always keep mini veggies around, like mini cucumbers and mini peppers for some veggies that don't require prep work. As well as some bags of mixed greens to throw in a salad.

    If you want some delicious salad dressings that are clean check out Primal Kitchen.

    Prepping something easy like tuna salad, egg salad, or chicken salad is fast and yummy and can be made in big batches for 3 days at a time. Don't overcomplicate your lunch prep.

    I also love companies like Herculean Meal Prep, Tri-Fecta, and Factor 75 for pre-made, delicious, clean meals that fit in my macros with the diet I adhere to. All I have to do is order, heat, and eat. This beats eating fast food!

    Don't forget to shop at your local warehouse stores like Costco, BJ's, or Sam's. These big box stores usually have great pre-made proteins, like grilled chicken, meatballs, or other meats that are easy to throw in a lunch box. Costco is my favorite because I can find the most organic, clean ingredient foods.

    Remember, stocking your refrigerator with healthy choices is going to keep you from eating out or eating junk.


    Hack #3: Make a Menu for Dinners and Make a Recipe Binder


    This last hack is the key to sustainability and success with your health, weight loss, and overall well-being. Planning only takes a little bit of time and the more you do it, the easier it becomes. My clients who are successful and stick with their changes are the ones who get good at this!


    So, use my meal planner from above and make a weekly menu. Then, find recipes you like, start with easy ones, print them off, and keep everything in a binder. This way when you go to make a menu again you have everything you need in one place and it won't take too much time. You can also recycle your menus. Save them and use them again, especially if you found some things everyone likes!


    Decide what you are willing to cook and eat and what you aren't and stick to it. If you want to eat more whole foods then stick with recipes that are Paleo and Whole-30. If you need to eat low-carb for a season, then look for recipes that are ketogenic or low-carb. If you are vegetarian, then find some cooks that you like and try some recipes! Instagram is great for finding home chefs that make easy, delicious meals!

    Make one meal for the family and that's it! They will eat it or not, but at least you don't have to make 3 different things. Don't get discouraged if the family doesn't like what you fix the first time, it can take at least 17 tries of food to develop a taste for it. So, keep trying it!


    If you are still struggling with planning and prepping hiring a professional could be what you are missing. Book a Free call with me to find out how I can help!





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