Meal Planning and Prep in 3 Easy Steps Plus a FREE Recipe!

You follow a plan for training. The same should be true for how you eat. And how you fuel up for or recover from various workouts is great. But nutrition is so much more than just what we eat before, during and after hard workouts. It’s about what you do the rest of the day and week as well.

There’s a famous saying - you’re only as good as the plan you follow - or something along those lines. I wholeheartedly agree. Do you have a plan going into each week for what you’ll eat? Do you include any meal prep? Don’t think you have the time? Guess what? You probably do and it takes less time then you think. Before I dive into 3 easy steps to get started meal planning/prepping or share my recipe, let’s talk about why you should even bother.

First - setting out a plan and doing some meal prep - even if it’s the bare minimum - can save you time during the week when there’s less to spare, allowing you more time for other, more important things. It can lead to healthier eating as well - because think about it - when you’re hungry, you’re less apt to dial up delivery or resort to a bag of chips if a healthy, balanced meal is already prepped and ready to go. Last — in addition to time, it can save you money as well. You’re less apt to resort to take out and who isn’t looking to pinch a couple pennies these days. So now onto my 3 easy steps to start meal planning/prepping today!

1. Create a weekly meal plan to develop a grocery list with purpose! Not sure where to start? Once a week spend a little time mapping out your meals. Decide what you will have for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks based on what you have in the fridge/pantry already as well as what works for all the extra commitments you have that week (meetings, strength sessions, kids activities, etc.). Be sure to include easy to prepare items that you can have ready to go when you are in a pinch. Also make a plan for leftovers! Consider doubling up on a recipe and then saving individual portions in containers for quick and easy lunches. Having a plan for the week (or weeks) ahead allows you to create a grocery list with purpose - that includes what you need. Need some grocery tips, a suggested list or meal planning template? Check out the one I included earlier this year here (scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your email to receive the free download). ⠀

2. Actually prep a few things — set aside time to save time! After you’ve gotten everything you need for the week, set aside an hour or two to do a little meal prep. Assemble breakfast items, prep lunches for the week (or at least cook components so when lunch sneaks up on you all you have to do is dish it out and heat it up) and do any dinner prep that you can ahead of time. You will be amazed at how much time, energy and stress this saves during the week and allows you more time to focus on the things that matter like spending time with family and friends, focusing on your kids, or even spending a little extra time on yourself.

3. Last but not least - follow the plan! But also build in some flexibility. And don't beat yourself up if one day you opt to take the night off from cooking and order takeout instead. Just like with training, you need to be kind to yourself and allow yourself a night off from time to time.

A couple days ago we made one of my favorite multi-purpose meals: Mexican-Inspired Lasagna. It’s filling, easy to prepare and provides me with at least a couple days worth of lunches. On nights when I have to work late, I like to make this in advance when I have a little more time and then put it in the fridge (before the baking step) so that my husband can easily pop it in the oven to cook and it’s ready to go when I finish working. This is something we frequently incorporate into our meal plans each week. I hope you enjoy!

Mexican-Inspired Lasagna

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken or turkey

• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

• 1/2 large red onion, chopped

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 tsp garlic, minced

• 1 can (~15 oz) black beans, drained/rinsed

• 1 can (~15 oz) diced tomatoes

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 can (~15 oz) tomato sauce

• 1 cup of your favorite salsa

• 6 medium tortillas or 8 small tortillas (corn or flour can be used; corn or whole wheat flour tend to hold up the best)

• 6 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• Garnish: sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno, chopped green onions

Directions:

1. If eating immediately, pre heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole pan with cooking spray, set aside.

2. In a large skillet drizzled with a little olive oil, cook ground chicken or turkey, pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper over medium high heat until meat is cooked through and no longer pink.

3. Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices. Combine and cook about 2 more minutes. Add tomato sauce and salsa and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Assemble lasagna: spread 1/3 of sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of tortillas. You may need to cut some to cover (it’s ok if they overlap, just make sure sauce layer is covered). Top tortillas with another 1/3 of the sauce mixture. Before topping with another layer of tortillas, add 1/2 of the shredded cheese. Top the cheese with remaining tortillas, followed by the rest of the sauce and last, the rest of the cheese.

5. Cover with aluminum foil. If eating immediately, bake for 35 minutes then remove aluminum foil and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes for an easier slicing/serving experience. If meal prepping, store in fridge after covering with aluminum foil. When ready to bake, take out of fridge and let sit while pre-heating oven (about 15-minutes). Then follow baking instructions.

6. Slice into 6 (for heartier portions) or 8 pieces (better if planning to serve with a couple sides dishes). Top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, sliced jalapeno and/or chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!