Another weekly meal plan, comin’ in hot!
As some of y’all probably well know, on Sundays, I dedicate a huge block of time to sitting down to meal plan, grocery shop, and meal prep. It may sound crazy to some, but it helps me out SO MUCH to spend a few hours on Sunday to set myself up for a week of success!
With small children underfoot and a schedule that is all over the place, if I don’t set myself up for the week on Sundays, my healthy nutrition plan tends to crumble faster than an Oats n’ Honey granola bar all over your lap. And in case you’ve somehow never eaten one of these spontaneously-combustible snacks throughout your life, just know one thing: that’s crazy fast.
Here is why I meal plan:
- Because if I don’t, I will either skip meals and/or eat junk instead because it’s easy and available for the grabbing, or I will make my meals throughout the week but then feel like I’m CONSTANTLY cooking and cleaning the kitchen. And if you’re a parent of young children, you are already always cleaning the kitchen anyway. This leads to some serious kitchen burnout for me.
- I can consciously ensure that I’m getting all the nutrients in a given week for my body and brain to do what I want it to do through exercise, work (brain power!), and my mood, among other things.
- It’s more cost effective in the long run. It may seem like an investment up front, but I honestly think that’s because it’s easier to view as one large grocery receipt vs. several different credit transactions at various restaurants throughout the week. Not to mention, if you are constantly consuming fast food and calorie-, salt-, and/or fat-heavy meals, it can be detrimental to your health over time. And our health is one of the most precious things we have!
- It’s a family affair. I do my own meal planning (and for the kids), but my hubs will make his own and meal prep for himself too. It gives me an opportunity to ask my 3 year old to join me in picking out recipes, he might help me throw some muffins together, and if he comes to the store with me, I talk to him about all the different foods we pick out and it gives us an opportunity to bond over, what else? FOOD!
A couple things before we get started…
While I upload printable grocery lists, I still would expect that lots of the ingredients are staples in your pantry or fridge. So don’t be intimidated by their length — you probably have some of this already!
I’m going to be sharing some tips on healthy eating on a budget very soon! Because, INFLATION: WHAT ARE YA DOING TO US??? It pushes my buttons that it’s so cheap and easy to eat crap that’s filled with sugar and empty calories and actual harmful ingredients, but it’s much more expensive to get wholesome, fresh, clean food. But, that’s a debate for another day.
One tip for how to save at the store on fresh produce is to buy lots of fruits and veggies that are in season. I’ve started checking the circulation flyers at my two grocery stores of choice before I go so I can plan accordingly and work around the things that are on sale/in season to save a little money. I’ve got a long way to go, but this has helped lately.
So what’s in season right now? I’m glad you asked….
One more thing: This meal plan is meant to be used as inspiration for your meals and not necessarily an exact plan for you. I say this because I follow the Portion Fix nutrition program which calculates a calorie bracket/weekly portion plan for me based on my weight, activity level and goals, and it may not be the same calorie bracket for you and your goals.
For more information on the nutrition program I’ve been following for several years now, watch this short video!
Ultimate Portion Fix:
We actually have two totally different nutrition programs so if this one seems tedious or too structured for you (I get it!!), our second program 2B Mindset could be right for you! I keep both programs in mind when I develop my meal plans.
2B Mindset:
If you are interested in learning more, asking questions, and/or you want to see what either of these programs can do for you mentally and physically, shoot me some quick info and I’ll reach out ASAP to take a look at your goals and make a plan for how to get you to them! It has totally changed the game for me and the way I view food and I am certified to walk you down the path with me, too.
Enter the Portion Fix Festivus!
Starting NEXT WEEK on August 2nd, I’m going to host a group to take us through the Portion Fix videos all together.
Some of the things we’ll cover:
- How to eat A BALANCED diet (which most people do not have although some think they do — been there!
) and it opens your eyes to what you’re feeding your kids too - How to eat to maintain energy
- Intermittent fasting (personally I’m jumping into this!)
- A new plan to build muscle
- Tips for eating out and grocery shopping
- Meal planning and prep
- Materials to help you gain insight into your own habits, how food makes you feel, what holds you back, etc.
If nutrition is an obstacle for you (most people say that it is…) then this would be a great opportunity for you!
The Fix Festivus starts August 2nd where I will guide you through the program and we’ll all learn together. We can hold each other accountable and learn how to make better choices.
This plan WORKS.
It’s sustainable.
And it’s well-researched.
I want you to think about what you have to gain, and not what you have to give up (you’ll find out that it’s probably not as much as you think…) and do this for YOU!
Just fill out this interest form here and we’ll go from there:
Now back to the plan…
To ensure I’m still switching it up each day, I typically rotate between eating the same things Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Tuesday and Thursday. I would get bored and probably wouldn’t be feeling appetized if I ate the same thing all 5 days. This is where batch cooking comes in handy. I will make servings for 3-4+ meals and eat off of it for lunches, eat again for dinner two days later, or I may make some extra if it’s kid-friendly. Every dinner is planned so that I can feed my family at least twice.
And, my ONE meal each week that I don’t want to cook is Friday night. Pre-kids and COVID we might have taken a date night. Now it looks mostly like pizza or mediterranean takeout but whatever it is, ya girl is OVER IT on Friday nights and this is my chance to catch a break. So that slot will always be left blank on my meal plans! So please do whatever works for you and your family 🙂
Weekly Meal Plan:
RECIPES
MON / WEDS / FRI:
Breakfast
This Sheet Pan Breakfast with sweet potato, brussels sprouts and bacon is easy to throw together and one of my favorites! I serve it with a runny egg on top as suggested in the recipe to make it a full protein serving.
Lunch
I will add the recipe to the blog separately and update this post when I do, but for now I kinda portioned out the following: Spinach and fresh arugula from my garden, tomatoes, red onion, either blue or goat cheese (something strong and stinky!), strawberries, and seasoned chicken topped with a strawberry balsamic dressing. So yum!
Dinner
My first time making this Black Eyed Pea and Sausage soup a la Betty Crocker and it was better than expected! I halved the black eyed peas and added in some farro, as well as a bunch of kale and it was SO DELICIOUS! My two year old slurped it right up.
TUES / THURS
Breakfast
A simple protein + vegetable + carb combination I reached for in a pinch is cottage cheese, red cabbage and fresh green beans from the garden sautéed with coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and wheat toast with peanut butter on top. It’s a great well-balanced meal to kick off the day!
Lunch
I LIVE for a good Mediterranean-inspired lunch bowl and this is one of my favorites! The shawarma seasoning/marinade on the chicken adds incredible flavor! I served it with a blue container of hummus (healthy fat!) and a simple homemade tzatziki sauce drizzled on top.
Dinner
I used this this recipe for Pork Loin with Apples, Potatoes and Carrots and made some tweaks (that’s kind of how I do): I ex-nayed the potatoes, increased the amount of apples used and added thyme, cauliflower and bell pepper to up the veggie intake and give it that familiar Thanksgiving-like flavor that only thyme can provide.
PRINTABLE GROCERY LIST
If you have any questions at all, please let me know!
And PS — we share healthy meal plans each week in our private Facebook fitness group! These are just one small part of the fun goodies we deliver to the ladies in the group on a weekly basis and there is no shortage of resources to help you succeed – PROMISE. If you’d like to join the group or to inquire about starting your own fitness adventure, start here and let’s DO THIS THING!
Hope this is all helpful to you! Please let me know what else you would like to see and I will make sure to share away!
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