Meal Planning Tips From A Personal Trainer Tunbridge Wells

If you want to save time, money, stress and make food choices that fuel you well and make you feel good then I think a meal plan is a great thing to do.  It’s an easy way to look ahead and focus on what food choices you want to make, particularly if you feel the need for a re-set, as so many of us do at the moment.  When we were in full lockdown and only did a shop once a week, with no top ups throughout the week, I was reminded how helpful it is.  The days I am personal training are really busy, add home schooling into the mix and and there’s not a lot of headspace for much else.   

I know lots of personal trainers are very strict about meals plans and bulk cooking.  I find this takes the pleasure out of food and cooking and if I have a spare few hours I’d rather be doing something with my family than cooking. 

Here are some of my tips to make food planning uncomplicated and efficient.

Decide what meals you actually need to plan for

Be flexible and choose how much meal planning you would like to do.  If a rigid 3 meals a day, 7 days a week works for you, then plan for that. If it’s really just evening meals that are the main source of stress then use a plan for that.  I never include breakfast on my weekly plans as I feel it’s just not needed for what can be a very simple and repetitive meal.  

Keep the fridge and cupboard stocked

It is so much easier to stick with our intentions to eat according to your plan if you have everything you need.   This is one of the most fundamental things I do if I want to re-set my eating.  

Have a loose plan of what food groups you want to include each week

I think we all know how to eat ‘healthily’ but having the headspace to think about how our food is broken down into different food groups is tough.  As a first step, having a rough idea of how you want to break your meals down helps bring some structure and can also inspire new recipes.

For example, 3-4 veggie meals, at least one fish meal and 1-2 meat (mostly chicken). 

Ask for input from the rest of the family 

Might be a bit controversial this one! If everyone gets to choose one meal they would like to each week I find things run a little more smoothly. My children are 12 and 14 and I want them to have some awareness of the work that goes in to feeding a family and take some responsibility for it.  I appreciate this is trickier with little ones! I always want to minimise complaining from the fussy eater in my house and this generally means at least one meal a week is eaten without comment.  

Include core meals and quick meals 

Look at the week ahead and work out which days you have time to cook and which nights you need a really quick option.  My core meals are more time-consuming meals that I cook in large quantities and can put in the freezer for a later date (curry, stew etc).  My quick meals will either be things out of the freezer, pasta or stir fry’s which literally take less than 15 minutes to prepare and cook. 

Prep as you go along 

I do not have hours on a Sunday to prep every meal for the week ahead and tbh I really don’t think this works as a longterm option if you have a family.  I know so many personal trainers advise this but to me this turns food in to a chore and takes a lot of the pleasure out of cooking.  What I do instead is prep as I go along and if I have a meal plan to follow this is pretty easy. 

For example, if it’s a cooking night and I’m making a curry I might roast some vegetables or make tomato sauce or cook two different types of meal which have the same base ingredients, or cook an extra salmon fillet. It puts me one step ahead for the next meal. If I’m steaming vegetables I put cook triple the quantity I need so I can throw the extra in my lunch time salads. 

Assemble don’t cook

This is how I make most of my lunches.  I make sure I have different proteins (feta, beans, lentils, chicken, eggs etc), a good mix of leaves, salad items and veg (green beans, broccoli, spinach, radishes, tomato etc).  Throw it all in a bowl with some olive oil (possibly chilli or lemon oil), black pepper and you’re done.

Use a planner!

The way you meal prep has to work for you, so being flexible and working out what you really need is a great first step.   Also, write it all down and stick it somewhere you can see it.  If you have to think about it every day it doesn’t get rid of the headspace.  Write it on a planner look at it each day and see what you’re cooking and perhaps what you need to prep for the next day.  You can download my meal planner template below

I hope you find it useful.  Good luck!