5 WAYS TO CREATE A MEALPLAN YOU CAN STICK TO

WHEN I WAS a new dietitian, I used to pour so much energy into creating intricate plans detailing what my clients should eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks seven days a week, complete with recipes. That was what I’d learned in school, and one of the first things people always asked when finding out my profession was, “So can you make me a meal plan?”

Hell yeah, I could.

Here’s the thing, though—a meal plan is effective only when you’re actually able to follow it.

More often than not I would hear, “I tried, but I got too busy to cook” or “My in-laws were in town and we went out every night” or “I had chips one day and then was like, ‘Well, I already blew it, so . . .’” or “It turned out to be a really stressful week and I just wanted to eat comfort food.”

In theory, the meal plans were awesome, but when my clients’ plans for the week changed and they didn’t feel prepared to think on the fly, they found it easier to revert to their old unhealthy habits. Sure, they had a plan, but that plan didn’t account for their real life and the madness that often ensues and throws all kinds of curveballs at us.

It didn’t take long for me to change my approach. While I’ll still give recipes to clients who want them and will give specific suggestions for meals and snacks, the actual meal plans I create are way more flexible, usually focusing more on having a balance of protein, veggies, fat, and carbs and keeping an eye on portion size and timing, so my clients stay satisfied and energized. I want my clients to know they can navigate those tricky days when plans change and roll with the punches without feeling like they’re on a diet they go on and off of.

Here are five ways to create a meal plan you can actually stick to.

1. Factor in Your Schedule

Take five or ten minutes over the weekend (or whatever day works for your schedule) to look over what you have coming up in the week ahead to get a sense of when you’ll be eating at home and when you might be dining out or having to figure out meals or snacks on the go.

2. Keep It Loose

Look at food groups instead of exact recipes. The idea is that you want to feel like that formula of filling half your plate (or bowl) with veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with carbs can give you freedom to choose what you’re in the mood for or work with what’s available if you’re in a situation with limited options.

3. Play Favorites

Keeping track of favorite recipes in a file or a Pinterest board where you can easily find them can save you a ton of time when figuring out what to make for the week ahead. I also encourage my clients to keep a list of their favorite healthy takeout, restaurants, and grab-and-go items to reduce decision-making fatigue when they’re in a rush or feeling stressed out. You can keep a mental list or even a physical or electronic one. Many years ago, in one of my past lives as a PR intern, I had a boss who kept a few go-to lunch orders in a folder in an electronic file. That was so brilliant! It saved time and reduced the chances of my screwing up the order.

4. Make It a Joint Effort

If you’re coordinating with your partner, family, or roommates, making meal planning a joint effort can make the process so much easier. While you could sit down together once a week and talk through what everyone wants to have, if that’s not realistic, a family Google Doc everyone can add to or an app that lets you share documents and lists can streamline the process. It’s also a great way to share shopping lists.

5. Learn from Your Mistakes

Whether it’s with food or something else, we’ve all been in situations where we set a plan but just couldn’t seem to stick with it. Rather than blame yourself or your lack of willpower, think about what, specifically, was so challenging. This may give you clues as to what sorts of tweaks will help you going forward.