Empowering Women
By Rachel Guevara
Meal planning can feel overwhelming, especially when life gets hectic. But here’s the truth—it doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to spend your entire Sunday prepping a week’s worth of meals in containers or cooking separate meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The key to making meal planning easy is keeping it simple, efficient, and realistic for your lifestyle.
As a business owner, fitness coach, and busy woman myself, I’ve learned a few meal-planning tricks that make healthy eating effortless. Let’s break it down.
- Cook once, eat twice (or more!)
One of my favorite meal-planning strategies is making extra dinner so you automatically have leftovers for lunch the next day. This saves time, effort and decision-making.
- Roasting chicken and vegetables for dinner? Pack some up for lunch tomorrow.
- Making a big pot of soup or chili? Portion it out for multiple meals.
- Grilling salmon? Add an extra filet and toss it in a salad the next day.
This method eliminates the need to prep separate lunches—it’s already done for you!
- Choose “grab-and-go” foods
Not every meal needs to be prepared in advance. Stock up on foods that require zero prep so you always have a healthy option available:
Fruits: Apples, oranges, bananas and berries—no chopping required!
Protein: Hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, protein bars or string cheese.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds make easy, nutritious snacks.
Pre-cut veggies: Carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and mini cucumbers for quick crunch.
Keeping these on hand prevents those moments of “I don’t have time, so I’ll just grab something unhealthy.”
- Stick to a simple meal formula
Instead of overcomplicating meals, follow an easy protein + veggie + carb formula. Example:
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt + berries + granola
- Lunch: Leftover grilled chicken + quinoa + roasted veggies
- Dinner: Salmon + brown rice + sautéed spinach
This keeps meals balanced without stressing over complex recipes.
- Stock your kitchen with basics
If your kitchen is filled with nutritious foods, you’ll always have something to make. Keep essentials like:
Protein: Chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, tofu
Veggies: Fresh or frozen greens, bell peppers, zucchini
Healthy carbs: Rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes
Healthy fats: Avocados, nuts and olive oil
A well-stocked kitchen eliminates the temptation to order takeout when you’re short on time.
- What not to do:
Don’t try to meal prep an entire week at once. It’s overwhelming and often leads to wasted food. Stick to 2-3 days at a time.
Don’t skip planning altogether. Even a rough idea of meals prevents last-minute unhealthy choices.
Don’t buy meals that take too much prep. If it takes an hour to prepare, chances are you’ll skip it on a busy day.
Make meal planning work for you
The goal isn’t to spend hours cooking—it’s to make healthy eating as easy and effortless as possible. Find a routine that fits your lifestyle, keep it simple and give yourself grace. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be hard—it just has to be doable.
By making a few small tweaks, meal planning will feel less like a chore and more like a tool for success.
Rachel Guevara is the owner of Lift & Glitz Training Studio in Northfield, NJ. With 13 years of experience in the fitness industry, Rachel holds certifications in Personal & Group Fitness through ISSA and is a Zumba Fitness Instructor. A proud single mother of two, Rachel balances her professional and personal life with grace and determination. She earned her BA in Communications from Stockton University and resides in Northfield.
