Weekly Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping

[HowToBeCrunchy]

So I've attempted two other whole 30s and gave up after a week both times. I'm attempting my third in March and have been working on more meal plans and shopping lists so I feel more prepared. I didn't do much meal planning the previous two times - I just figured I'd grab some recipes off of Pinterest or my Paleo cookbooks I have at home. Fail. So this time around I've made sure to have stocked up on compliant snacks and have planned 24 different meals to make over the month using different protein sources and flavors so I don't get bored. Here Is My Full Meal Plan for Week 1.

My biggest problem has been trying to figure out good grab and go breakfast options that aren't just egg based every day. I'm not a morning person, so getting up earlier - even by just 15 minutes - to prepare and eat a meal is tough for me. I also don't have much of an appetite in the mornings. So far I've planned for hard boiled eggs, handful or nuts or seeds and a piece of fresh fruit. Maybe some leftovers. Any other ideas?

[missmary]

Hey, I remember you! I hope this whole30 goes well for you! There is one thing I'm a little worried about, though, looking at your plans: you don't seem to be following the meal template.

For this to work, you need veggies at every meal. A hard boiled egg and a piece of fruit for breakfast, a primal pack for lunch? This is setting yourself up to struggle. Already prepped veggies are very easy to "grab and go," so fill that fridge with steamed broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes, cut up red bell pepper and cucumber, etc. . Fill your plate with a palm-worth of protein, these veggies and a thumb-size or two of fat at EVERY meal and I think you will have a much easier time of it.

good luck!

[kelliem]

My husband and I are on day 27 of our Whole 30. We make a big oven omelet and some homemade sausage patties on the weekend and bring them in containers to warm up at work (and make our colleagues jealous). I take a couple of hours on Sunday to do this, pre-chop veggies, make a soup, roast some broccoli and rice some cauliflower and maybe get a couple of meals crock-pot ready to make the after work meal prep a lot easier. Doing that has made things much simpler and I think I'm going to keep doing it, even when Whole 30 is done.

Good luck!

[Robin D]

I agree with Missmary. You need to add a LOT more vegetables.

As far as not being a morning person, you will find if you eat better and really follow the meal template, you will sleep better (I can attest to this first hand, believe me!!) and will be more likely to get up earlier. I have a 15 month old and work full time and have no family around, so I understand about being time strapped. The single most important thing I've found to help me stay compliant (I'm not doing a Whole30 now, but I've done two and I eat paleo about 75-80% of the time) is meal prep. My husband and I fix a double batch of something on Saturday and Sundays and then do extra meal prep on Sunday and occasionally during the week after my kid has gone to bed so that we always have food on hand.

You can totally do this! Good luck!

[CPE]

Make some (or buy some) Paleo larabars. Easy, grab-and-go type meal that works. I prep my breakfast and lunch every weeknight.