Meal Planning Made Easy
by Rochelle Griffin
Meal planning. Do you do it? Every Sunday on social media, I post a reminder that says “Planning your meals prevents poor decisions,” and I encourage people to plan out their week.
For some, meal planning is a bit foreign. In fact, about a month ago I wrote an article with 8 tips to simplify meal planning. While the tips have helped hundreds of people, I still often get asked what “I” eat, so today I’m going to share in order to get your creative juices flowing. Be sure to read Tuesday’s breakfast recipe. It’s one of my favorites!
Here’s literally what I do:
I sit down with a blank week calendar on Sundays to make my plan. I consider one day from dinner until lunch the next day. This way we can make leftovers for dinner and finish them at lunch. This method works very well in our home.
I always write in pencil otherwise I’ll have a scratched-out mess on my hands. Once I’m happy with the plan, I make my shopping list.
Here are a few days of my coming week as an example:
Sunday dinner: BBQ bison ribs in the crockpot with broccoli
Monday breakfast: Shakeology (my health shake that I have a few times per week. Love it!)
Monday lunch: Left over BBQ bison ribs and broccoli
Monday dinner: Baked chicken breast, quinoa, and asparagus
Tuesday breakfast: Banana pancakes (these are THE bomb and have ZERO grain!!! Take 1 ripe banana, 1 egg, 1 tsp almond butter, & 1/8 tsp baking soda. Mix together into a batter. Use cookie sheet with parchment paper. Divide batter into 4 pancakes. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 min or until brown. Serves one. Seriously try these!)
Tuesday lunch: Chicken breast wrap with raw spinach
Tuesday dinner: Oven roasted turkey breast with sweet potato & green beans
Wednesday breakfast: Hot quinoa cereal with berries
Wednesday lunch: Salad with turkey breast
Wednesday dinner: Baked salmon with millet & zucchini
The key to success is that I sit down on Sunday to review the plan with my husband and son (not my son’s favorite thing to do but this way he gets a say and I don’t hear “Yuck…I don’t want that.”) We aren’t so strict that we don’t move things around or scrap something because we decide to eat out after church. The meal plan is a guide, not something set in stone. Don’t become a slave to it.
So go back and review my article with the 8 tips, then use some of my above suggestions as a jumping off place to get moving on your own meal planning. It really is simple once you get into the habit of doing it, and it saves a ton of time during the week when you’re crazy busy.
To Living Your Best Life,
Rochelle Griffin, RN BSN FDN-P
Rochelle Griffin, The Wellness Detective™, is a Registered Nurse (with over 22 years experience) & a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition™ Practitioner who has transitioned her love for fitness, health, & freedom into a 7-figure International company that now helps others live Their Best Life.
She founded Your Best Life, Inc with her husband Keith after stepping onto the edge of physical ruin with her health & the health of their young son. Having experienced a complete turn-around, they now desire to give hope & support to those who are dissatisfied with their current situation.
PS. If you found this post to be of any value to you, please COMMENT below!
thanks for the ideas.NowI understand what I have to do
I love the idea of meal planning,im kinda lost when i dont do it.and i feel like i saving money at the store and there is less waste too,if you plan your meals then shop you buy what you need for the week and your more likely to use what you bought!!