Yesterday I gave a general overview about planning your nutrition for the week, versus not planning at all.
Here’s the plan I follow, as one example:
SHOPPING
Each week I make sure to restock so that my pantry, fridge & freezer combine to contain the following:
- 3-4 proteins
- 3-4 dozen eggs
- 3-4 vegetables
- 3-4 fruits
- 1-2 carb dense foods
- 3-4 ‘grab & go’ snacks that require no prep
- 1-2 ‘stay at home’ snacks for noshing or dessert
- 1-2 containers of dairy-free milk & coconut water (for making smoothies)
- Staples for cooking; butter, oil, spices.
I don’t buy all of these weekly; I simply replenish to these levels when needed.
I do buy some fresh & some frozen.
I do vary & rotate so as not to get too repetitive, or to periodically try new or seasonal foods.
FOOD PREP
I always cook about half of what I purchase that week right away, often right when I get home from the supermarket, or later that day.
By cooking at least 1-2 proteins & vegetables right away, I have several meals or meal bases done, and I prevent spoilage.
Then, throughout the week, whenever I’m in the kitchen and pre-cooked food is running low, I’ll pre-cook more while I am heating up or finishing a current meal, for more future meals.
EATING
I make sure to eat regularly, when I’m hungry, approximately as follows:
Each meal contains 1 protein + 1-2 vegetables.
Typically 3 meals per day, but could be 2 or 4.
Typically 1 or 2 fruits per day.
Typically 2-3 smoothies post workout per week.
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That’s it. I’ll share more about which kinds of foods soon.
Typically 2 servings of nuts or snacks per day.
Matt Fried 