Ditch the Complicated Meal Plan (and try this instead)
Ready to ditched complicated meal planning in favor of a simple, streamlined system and streamlined? Here’s how!
Meal planning.
It is something that’s always on your to-do list but somehow never actually happens?
Or is it something you dread because it seems time-consuming and boring?
Trust me, I’m right there with you.
For years meal planning was on my dreaded chore list, and even though I knew having a plan would change the game, I always avoided it.
I was overwhelmed and out of balance, and between the demands of work and family, I struggled to find the time to get organized.
I felt like I needed an extra 6 hours just to meal plan.
And those were 6 hours I didn’t have.
Of course, I tried complicated meal plans, but struggled with unwieldy grocery lists and cooking new recipes each night.
I dreaded grocery shopping, and felt guilty about the amount of unused food I ended up throwing away.
Sound familiar?
The good news: there is a better way.
A much simpler way.
I’ve finally ditched complicated meal planning in favor of a simple, streamlined system, and I’ve never looked back.
Today I’m happy to share 5 simple steps to help you ditch the complicated meal plan and still eat healthy, beautiful food every night of the week.
Here’s how . . .
1 | CREATE A CAPSULE PANTRY
A million ingredients weigh you down and clutter your fridge and pantry.
Plus, extra ingredients often end up unused, resulting in wasted food and waisted money.
Instead of buying random ingredients that don’t work together, create a pantry of intentionally selected, mix-and-match ingredients.
Like a capsule wardrobe, a capsule pantry is made of up a limited number of versatile ingredients that you love to eat, and that can be combined into a variety of easy, delicious meals.
When your pantry, fridge and freezer is filled with essentials, you’ll be able to buy only what you need, and know how to use what you have.
2 | SIMPLIFY
We’ve all fallen into the trap of planning to make a bunch of complicated recipes each week, only to find that we’re too exhausted halfway through the week to be able to follow through.
Instead of trying to plan a different set of complicated recipes each week, try flipping the script to think instead about recipe building blocks.
Recipe building blocks, or the Essential Six, are the essential components of any recipe: sauces, protein, cooked veggies, raw veggies, grains + bases, and toppings + extras.
Thinking in terms of building blocks simplifies planning and streamlines cooking, allowing you to take full advantage of your capsule fridge and pantry.
Once you start thinking of meals in terms of the Essential Six, you’ll be able to effortlessly combine them into an infinite number different meals.
Think bowls, tacos, pasta, salads, and stir-frys, just to name a few.
Plus, using the Essential Six method allows you to efficiently shop, plan and prep, without wasted time or money.
3 | DON’T MEAL PLAN, MEAL MAP
Traditional meal planning is often too rigid and doesn’t leave room for flexibility within any given week.
Instead of setting out to create a complicated meal plan, think instead about creating a loose map to follow, with just enough structure to guide you.
To create a meal map, simply select a meal type for each day you plan to cook.
So, instead of planning for individual recipes, think about mapping a few meal types, such as tacos, pasta, bowls, stir-frys, and salads.
Then, once you’ve decided on meal types for the week, check your Capsule Pantry to see what you have on hand.
From there, make a loose plan for how you’ll mix-and-match the Essential Six.
Choose a sauce to use, then move through the list by selecting a protein, veggies, and so on.
Create a quick grocery list to round-out what you have on hand, and you’re good to go.
Want to give try meal mapping in action?
4 | STREAMLINE
Put together a streamline process for creating a cohesive Capsule Pantry that works with the Essential Six so that you save time and have fewer decisions to make when it comes to getting dinner on the table.
What are your favorite ways to simplify meal planning? Share them below, and tag @realfoodwholelife on Instagram so I can see what you’re up to!
pin these tips for later
This is AMAZING! I have never seen someone approach meal “planning” this way and really it has flipped the script on how I approach everything in the kitchen. I cannot thank you enough Robyn for providing this awesome resource and sharing your wisdom with us. I used to be so overwhelmed and stressed about trying to make so many different recipes at home and it never truly worked for me. Meal mapping is something I never knew I needed until now!
Yes, love these takeaways, Nicole!