I was talking with a friend about grocery shopping recently and how I meal plan, and I thought it was time to re-share this here, since it’s been awhile.
So here’s how I do it. In a perfect world, Sunday mornings are for planning. I plan out the week, starting with weekly plans. Then, I plan one less meal than I need, accounting for leftovers, a last minute dinner with a friend, or a night of grilled cheeses or frozen ravioli, because life just happens, you know? Then, I head off to the farmers market, then the grocery store, and my whole week is planned. I get a little help from this pad:
On the back, I make my grocery list, separated into 5 sections:
Produce
Meat
Dairy
Shelf
Freezer
I grocery shop at Trader Joe’s most often, so I start in the produce section, but start where it makes sense for you – usually, it makes sense to start with the shelf, then work your way to the cold sections of the store, ending with meat, which should be kept the coldest and picked up last. This way, you’re not running back and forth throughout the store, running back to get this or that. (Which let’s be honest, I do every time anyways.)
So, what are some of our go-to meals? Honestly, guys I am just as busy as you. Here’s what a typical week looks like:
Carne Asada Fajitas or Tacos are a big player in our house. They make GREAT leftovers, especially on a salad or as nachos later in the week. You can personalize them to your tastes (more veggies, more cilantro, or more salsa!) and they are FAST.
Another thing we make a lot is Stir Fry. This Paleo Shrimp & Bok Choy is a great option, but I mix it up depending on what’s available from the farmer market and what sauces I have in the fridge.
We are also big fans of pesto & spaghetti squash. We tend to have this with chicken sausage; if spaghetti squash isn’t in season, we’ll do whole wheat pasta. We do this with red sauce, too, and mix up the chicken sausage (TJs has a whole bunch of flavors!)
This Lemon Hazelnut Pasta is another go-to around here. It’s so fast, it can be meatless, and it’s full of spinach. This could be spiced up with some hot pepper & shrimp, but I leave that up to you.
We also eat A LOT of Chicken Quesadillas so I have to make that recipe for you soon, because it’s just so easy and so delicious (healthy? Maybe not. But I add lots of kale.)
I hope this is helpful intel for you guys and that it helps jump-start your meal planning. What are some of your go-to dishes that you make over and over? Do any of them need a makeover to be more healthful? Let me know, I’ll help ya out (and am always looking for new recipes!)
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