My sister realized how stressed I was when it came to meals when I would stand in front of my fridge and pantry trying to come up with something. She suggested a meal plan, but I told her I didn’t have time. She said all it took was five minutes on a Sunday before heading to the grocery store. I decided to try making a meal plan and it’s awesome!

All you need is a dry-erase board and a listing of your favorite foods. It’s fun…and organized! To get started, grab a notebook or type up the following:

× List 10 of your favorite fruits

× List 10 of your favorite veggies (fresh is better!)

× List 10 favorite lunches (such as a sandwich or soup)

× List 5 favorite lunch sides (as simple as a pickle, some crackers or fruit)

× List 10 favorite dinners (Yes, it is okay to choose pizza and takeout once a week.)

× List 10 favorite dinner sides (mainly starches and grains)

× List 5 breakfasts (eggs, toast, muffins, pancakes, waffles—and yes, I do buy the frozen waffles!)

For each day, choose your meals based on your list:

Breakfast Example: Add a fruit and a breakfast item (could be cereal/poptart/muffin/anything)

Lunch Example: Grilled cheese and some tortilla chips. If you pack your kids lunches, add variety every day! They will love it.

Dinner Example: Choose a meat/fish/poultry and 2 sides (veggie and starch)

Once your weekly list is complete, head to the grocery store; this will help save costs and keep your portions reasonable. This is also GREAT for families, as you are not scrambling to decide what to make for dinner. With a meal planner that takes less than five minutes to create, you will be organized, less stressed and have lots of energy for coaching your team!