• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Road to Living Whole

Therapeutic Food Solutions

  • Schedule Now
  • Search
  • Schedule Now
  • Search
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Meal Plans
  • Webinars
  • Resources
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Meal Plans
  • Webinars
  • Resources
  • About
Food allergy guide and meal plans

Where to start when you suck at meal planning

Flexible meal planning leads to long term success

May 20, 2020 //  by Marian Mitchell//  Leave a Comment

Meal planning is always easier said than done. However, where do you even begin? A complete overhaul NEVER works. It’s just too much work. So if you’re trying to save money, eat better, and not eat out all the time, where do you begin?

FIRST, WHY MEAL PLANNING SHOULD BE A PRIORITY

As I said above, meal planning saves you money (It saved me over $400 a month), helps you eat better, reduces eating out, helps you lose and maintain weight, saves you time in the kitchen and so much more. Meal planning makes your weeks smoother. It gets dinner on the table faster. It ensures you have plenty of variety so you don’t get bored. (Boredom is the #1 killer of healthy eating habits.)

Meal planning is a must but it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re ready to take the leap, here’s where to start.

START HERE

#1 Write down what everyone likes to eat right now

Look at what everyone is already eating and write each one on index cards or in a spreadsheet. Once you think you have everything, think of more. Most people eat the same 4 things until they get bored and then start eating out. However, I know that there are at least 16 things that you make at home that all or most people like.

  • Pizza
  • Hotdogs
  • Mac & Cheese
  • Hamburgers
  • Tacos
  • Spaghetti
  • Alfredo chicken pasta
  • Kung Pao Chicken
  • Meatloaf
  • Grilled chicken
  • Taquitos
  • PB&J
  • Pancakes (breakfast for dinner)

You get the idea. Write them all down and have them cataloged in some say. Right there you already can pick 5 meals a week and rotate through them to prevent boredom.

#2 Now, add to what you know everyone already likes to eat

Now, most people when trying to eat better remove all the “bad” food. This isn’t a good way to go. Instead of taking away all your family’s favorite meals, add healthy stuff in. For example:

  • Do roasted broccoli with your spaghetti.
  • Add a side salad (and dressing) with your pizza.
  • Add a baked potato to your steak instead of fries.
  • Fry up zucchini fritters instead of potato cakes.
  • Do peas with your corndogs.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Um….corndogs aren’t healthy. Why would I continue to feed those to my family?! 

Here’s why: You want to develop habits that will stick. Completely removing everyone’s favorite foods only sets up the household (and yourself) for failure. People feel deprived. That is the last thing you want. Instead, focus on adding vegetables in and eating them first. (If you save them for last they don’t get eaten, trust me 😉 )

#3 Be Flexible

The mistake many people make is that they make the meal plan, buy all the things, but then on Wednesday, they don’t want spaghetti. Pizza sounds wayyyyy better. But they didn’t plan it for that day, so they just give up and throw in the towel. “Meal planning didn’t work!” 

Instead of being rigid, plan your meals that sound good to everyone, buy all the ingredients, have the meals on day for the sake of sanity and everyone in the house knowing what is on the menu but if you want a meal on a different day……you have permission to move things around.

Who cares if you have tacos on Monday instead of Tuesday?! It’s okay to be flexible and still eat everything you bought for the week. If you find you consistently aren’t in the mood for one particular meal, throw that meal card away. Obviously it’s not a favorite and you’re wasting your money.

These tips have proven successful for hundreds of people over the years and I know they’ll help you be successful too. Which one is your favorite? Let me know!

If you’re looking for someone to do all the hard work for you and make eating healthy a million times easier, check out my Meal Planning Made Easy program.

Where to start when you suck at meal planning

Category: NutritionTag: healthy eating, meal planning, tips

Previous Post: «how and why to do an armpit detox Armpit Detox: A Necessary Step In Transitioning To Natural Deodorant
Next Post: Keep Your Meals On Track With These 3 Tips Keep Your Meals On Track Without Much Hassle»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About UsHi friend! I'm Marian Mitchell. Health Coach, Chronic Disease Warrior, Mom, and lover of food. I help you navigate eating and living for Chronic Disease Management with meal plans, coaching, a podcast, and this website. You can thrive when you know what to do. I'm here to help.

Search:

 

book with me

Recently…

  • 5 Healthy Treats To Make For Your Family May 13, 2022
  • Finding Lifestyle Upgrades That Actually Improve Your Quality Of Life May 12, 2022
  • Trying to Create Healthy Habits; Here’s What You Need to Know May 10, 2022
  • 9 Ways To Grow Your Motivation For Self-Care May 9, 2022
  • 5 Ways to Motivate Your Family into a Healthy Lifestyle May 6, 2022

mairmitchell

Breakfast on the weekends is the best. Sit and enj Breakfast on the weekends is the best. Sit and enjoy a warm cup of coffee and eat sitting down.
You know what's beyond frustrating? When you're st You know what's beyond frustrating? When you're strickly following a gluten free diet and aren't feeling better.

This doesn't mean you're failing. There are a few other areas gluten can still be getting in or there's more going on. I dive into this deeper in today's episode.
Happy Mother's Day! The days are long but the year Happy Mother's Day! The days are long but the years are short.
Sticker shock at that first grocery trip when you' Sticker shock at that first grocery trip when you've gone gluten free? I totally get it. After living this way for a decade I have many ways to help you keep your budget under control. In today's episode I share the top 5.
Feeling under the weather so bone broth and veggie Feeling under the weather so bone broth and veggies it is tonight.
Mastering a gluten free diet after your celiac dia Mastering a gluten free diet after your celiac diagnosis is essential. However, it's only step one. Step two is healing your body from the damage gluten has caused. There's a few more things to do. That's what I talk about in today's episode.
Was able to escape the city and go to the mountain Was able to escape the city and go to the mountains with my sister from another mister @azstacey and our babies. 😍
I haven't found a gluten free nun I like so I just I haven't found a gluten free nun I like so I just lettuce wrap. What's your choice?
If you're newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease, thi If you're newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease, this episode is for you. Going gluten free is overwhelming. Gluten is in everything! Here are my 4 tips to make the transition as simple and doable as possible.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Footer

Get in Touch

15955 N. Dail Blvd Suite 3

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

602-688-4745

marian@roadtolivingwhole.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Coaching with Marian
  • My Approach
  • Programs
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Road to Living Whole, LLC. All Rights Reserved.