Meal Planning for Real Life (Not Instagram): How to Keep It Simple and Actually Stick to It
Let’s be real: meal planning has gotten… out of hand.
There’s this idea floating around that in order to “do it right,” you need a rainbow of perfectly portioned containers, three hours of prep time, 27 Tupperware lids that somehow all match, and the fridge aesthetic of a Pinterest influencer.
But you don’t need any of that.
Meal planning doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to work.
And for most of us, what works is something flexible, fast, and easy to repeat—even when life is messy.
Why meal planning gets overcomplicated
We make food harder than it needs to be—because we think it has to be perfect.
Perfect meals. Perfect macros. Perfect prep. Perfect schedule.
But life isn’t perfect… and neither is your Tuesday night.
Meal planning should remove stress, not add to it. And when you shift from “meal prep as performance” to “meal prep as support,” everything changes.
Meal planning isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing up—for your future self.
Real-life meal planning = decision reduction
One of the biggest reasons we reach for convenience food, skip meals, or eat randomly throughout the day is simple: decision fatigue.
You’re tired. You’re busy. You’ve made a hundred tiny decisions before lunch.
By 5 p.m., the thought of figuring out what to eat feels… impossible.
That’s where a simple meal plan helps—not because it locks you into a rigid plan, but because it gives you options you don’t have to think about.
Client example: “I don’t have time to meal prep—I barely have time to sit down”
One of my clients—a busy mom and full-time professional—told me she just couldn’t keep up with elaborate Sunday prep sessions. So we tossed the idea of “prep” entirely.
Instead, she picked 2 proteins, 2 veggies, and 2 carbs to rotate each week.
She didn’t cook everything at once—she just had the ingredients ready to go.
We called it the “assembly method.” And it changed everything.
Dinner became:
Rotisserie chicken + rice + bagged salad
Ground turkey + sweet potato + frozen broccoli
Eggs + toast + fruit
Simple. Boring? Maybe. But it worked. And it gave her the freedom to eat well without the pressure to do it perfectly.
The 3-step “real life” meal planning method
You don’t need a spreadsheet or a Pinterest board to plan your meals. Try this instead:
Step 1: Pick your “meal components.”
Choose 2–3 options in each category for the week:
Protein: rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, tofu, shrimp, eggs
Carbs: rice, sweet potatoes, tortillas, chickpea pasta, oats
Fats: avocado, cheese, olive oil, nut butter
Veggies: frozen stir-fry mix, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, spinach
Extras: sauces, wraps, yogurt, fruit
Step 2: Match & mix.
Now you can create mix-and-match meals without starting from scratch every time.
→ Ground turkey + rice + roasted veg
→ Eggs + toast + avocado
→ Shrimp tacos + slaw + salsa
→ Smoothie + yogurt + almonds
Step 3: Plan where you’ll eat, not just what.
Look at your calendar. Busy night? That’s a leftovers or frozen meal night.
Out for lunch? No need to prep one. Planning around your life makes it way easier to stick with the plan.
Quick meal planning tips that actually help
Keep a running list of go-to meals in your notes app or on the fridge
Buy convenience when it helps. Pre-chopped veggies, frozen rice, microwavable proteins? YES.
Always plan at least 1 "lazy meal." Something you can throw together in 5 minutes when everything falls apart
Don’t be afraid to repeat meals. No one is giving you a medal for variety
Leave room for flexibility. Planning 3–4 meals is plenty—you don’t need to prep for all 7 days
P.S. You don’t need to be the most organized person in the room to eat well.
You just need a plan that makes your life easier, not harder.
Simple is sustainable. Boring is often better. And good enough is more than enough.
Want help building a simple, sustainable meal routine that works for your life? Check out the link below to purchase the Ultimate Meal Prep Guide!