How To Avoid Meal Planning Stress

Let’s be real– meal prep and planning can take up a ton of mental space. If you are trying to make healthier choices, manage picky eaters or dietary restrictions, it can feel overwhelming to plan meals for the week. However, meal planning is key for consistency and success in changing dietary habits. At Inbloom Health our practitioners emphasize nutrient-rich eating, but we also get that it’s easier said than done. That’s why we are all about supporting you in making mealtime a little less stressful.

Here are Dr.Céline's top tips for surviving meal prep (from someone who really isn’t into planning or prepping!).

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Let ChatGPT do the heavy lifting.
Instead of getting lost in a sea of Pinterest boards and recipe blogs(let the endless scrolling to the bottom end!!), let ChatGPT do the brainstorming for you. The trick? Your prompts. In an effort to save you time I have already fine-tuned them, so you don’t have to. Use this template to get started and tweak it as needed:

• Breakfast: “Can you make me a week’s worth of breakfasts that have 30 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber? I’d like a mix of options that I can whip up in the morning or prepare the night before. Everything should take less than ten minutes to make.”
• Lunchbox: “Can you make me a week’s worth of packed lunches (# you need)? These meals should include a balance of protein, whole grains, and vegetables. The main meal should have at least 25-30 grams of protein, and the snacks should be protein- and fiber-rich. I’d love for these lunches to take less than 15 minutes to pack.”
• Dinner Time: “Can you make me a week’s worth of dinner meals? These meals should be balanced with protein (e.g., chicken, salmon, lean ground beef, eggs, tofu), whole grains or nutrient-dense starches (e.g., rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes), and vegetables (e.g., your favourite veggies). Ideally, these meals should be quick, no more than 30 minutes to prepare using (insert your favourite cooking appliances).”

Tweak as You Go:
Don’t love what it prepares? No problem! Ask ChatGPT to swap out ingredients, offer gluten- or dairy-free options, or provide more detailed recipes. Be as picky as you need to be to create a list you are excited about.

Now that you’ve got your meal plan…
Fine tune the plan with recipes you like.  While ChatGPT is great for inspiration, the recipes can be hit or miss. That’s why I swear by the New York Times Cooking app—it’s my go-to for recipes that have yet to disappoint.The recipes range from simple to complex and have all been vetted and tested. With new recipes added weekly, it saves me hours of scrolling through blogs and websites. It does require a small monthly fee but it is an investment I choose to make to save myself drowning in google links and pins. If you do not want to pay for the NYT cooking app, google and Pinterest will have an abundance of recipes based on the suggestions.

My Favorite ChatGPT Hack:
Once you’ve gathered your recipes and nailed down your plan, ask ChatGPT to whip up a grocery list based on your selected recipes. You can either generate a list based on your prompts or input your recipes directly to get a customized list. I’ve shared my method where I found recipes and asked for a grocery list based on the blogs. I have linked my entire conversation here so you can watch how I train it to provide me ideas and a grocery list. 

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Hopefully, this helps you unlock a new, stress-free way to meal plan, prep, and shop. Less mental load and more nutrient dense food.

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Happy Chatting (with GPT)!

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Dr. Céline Leduc, ND

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