Beginner's Guide to Meal Planning

By Ashley I.

To say that meal planning helped me accomplish my nutrition goals would be an understatement. Meal planning is the reason I was able to follow through on my goals and has built the foundation for me to eat right every week since I started. Meal planning offers just the right amount of guidance and freedom to make realistic plans for achieving your own nutrition goals.

So what exactly is meal planning? Many people think of meal planning in different ways of varying complexity, but to me meal planning was simply writing down my breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day of the week along with creating a weekly grocery list and a plan to stick to what I wrote. This meant I would have a written plan on Sunday and I would do my grocery shopping based on this plan and this plan only… no extras and only enough for what I needed.

Side Note #1: Online grocery shopping and pick-up makes sticking to your plan SO EASY. This way you aren’t tempted by anything you might walk by. You simply order exactly what you need online, then pick it up without having to step foot in the store.

Side Note #2: I understand some people like to buy in bulk, which is totally ok, too! If buying in bulk, try to find several recipes that use the same ingredients within a week so that you are not wasting anything or buy ingredients that freeze well for use at a later time!

A lot of people combine the idea of meal planning and meal prep. Meal prep is a little more labor intensive, but even if you can’t find the time to meal prep… you can still meal PLAN. If you do have time, meal prep is just another step that will help ensure you stick your plan. However, this post is mostly just about meal planning. We can address meal prep in the future if anyone is interested in some tips on that topic.

When I meal plan, I look at what I already have in my fridge and freezer and then I also choose meals based on what I have planned for the week- for example if I have an appointment, I would plan a very easy dinner or a crockpot meal for that night, if I knew I had a little more time, I would look for a new yummy recipe that might take a little longer. Timing is key if you have a busy life, so make sure your meal plans are realistic... otherwise it’s going to be hard to actually stick to them.

With that being said, one of the most important things to think about when meal planning is your lifestyle. If you don’t cook much now, don’t try to plan big, fancy, multi-step meals. Start with easier and quicker meals on your meal plan. Plan meals that fit your time, budget, skill level, etc and save the fancy meals for the weekends initially. I still cook super simple all week long and save the more labor-intensive meals for Sunday nights. Just be realistic with yourself and your family so that you can set yourself up for success!

Tips for Meal Planning:

• Set a specific day each week that you will do your meal planning and a day to do your grocery shopping. Making this a routine will help you be successful each week!

• Consider using online grocery ordering and grocery pick-up/delivery to do your shopping and to avoid temptation and impulse buys.

• Look at what you already have in your fridge/freezer and try to plan meals that will use up what you already have at home first.

• Be aware of what prior commitments you have for the week and pay attention to the time it will take to make certain meals… choose easier meals on busier nights and more complex meals on nights you are free.

• Be realistic with your cooking skill level, time, budget, etc. to plan meals that work for your family.

I’ve included the sheet I use to do my weekly meal plan… try it out! This is a super simple version I made for myself. You can always make your own version of this to fit your needs, but this is a good starting point. I don’t snack throughout the day, but if you do… be sure to add a line for snacks so that you are planning healthy snacks too! If you are looking for some additional examples on what some of my weekly meal plans might look like, I would be happy to share… just reach out to me at any time!

In the beginning I was very strict, but now as I’ve done it consistently and learned more, there is a little more “wiggle room.” Now I don’t necessarily always plan all of my breakfasts and lunches as I know I will have leftovers for lunches most days. But I also make sure I have basics (such as cooked chicken, cut up veggies, nuts, lettuce, etc.) so if I ever don’t have leftovers I can still opt for a healthy choice for lunch. For breakfasts I keep a loaf of bread in the freezer, I have a bag of rolled oats in the pantry, and I buy fresh fruit along with a few cups of yogurt each week… this way I always have a healthy choice no matter how much time I have in the morning. I still always plan my dinners though. After several weeks of more strict meal planning, it becomes easier to improvise and still be healthy, but I still will always feel that meal planning is extremely beneficial to keeping yourself on track.

Meal planning looks different for everyone, but I encourage you to find what works best for you and to commit to it! Having some kind of a plan in place ahead of time will always make things go smoother in the long run. Limiting your opportunities to make unhealthy choices by setting yourself up with healthy choices will help you reach your goals easier and faster!

If you'd like to learn more about meal planning and/or dive into the topic of meal prep, use the "contribute" link at the top of the page to leave your suggestion... or leave a comment below to let us know what you want to see next!