For the past year and a half I’ve been meal planning for ONE.  That single life, right?! Now, I’m planning for three. 🙂 That family life, right?!

To be honest, FOOD was THE THING I was most nervous about when I moved back home. Our family culture is built on food. When I went through lifestyle changes due to the various stages of my IBS, all of a sudden that changed for me. I couldn’t partake in apple sausage stuffing at thanksgiving, hors d’oevures during football season, crab legs at the beach, or ice cream sundaes. The list titled “What Jasmine Can Eat” seemed to be a lot shorter than the list of “What Jasmine Can’t Eat” to my family, because of the typical American diet that we had growing up.

I’m incredibly blessed to have my parents though. In some way they were inspired to get on board with this whole ‘health’ thing, and I tell y’all, with lifestyle change it’s a SMALL STEP process. [Unless you’re like me and get slapped with a diagnosis which meant NOW. CHANGE NOW.] I’ve been home for two months, and it’s pretty amazing to see my parents eating healthier, making new choices, asking questions, and *gasp* telling me that they FEEL better. Lifestyle change isn’t easy, especially when you’ve been in a lifestyle for a long period of time. Now, we work as a family unit. I meal plan + shop with Mom. I meal prep a few bits and pieces. Dad helps me out with dinner. I’m proud of our little pack.

Here’s our breakdown for this week in July.

 

PLAN

Breakfast Options – protein, carb, veggie

Super Green Egg Cups with Plantains

Greek Yogurt Parfait with Museli and a Pluot

Lunch Options – protein, veggie

Cucumber Tomato Salad with Quinoa

Chickpea Salad

Snack Options – varies

Mozarella Cheese Stick

Almonds + Dried Fruit

Superfoods Shake with Frozen Banana

Celery + Sunflower Seed Butter

Dinner Options – protein, veggie, fruit

Blackened Cod with Grilled Pineapple and a Sunshine Kale Salad

Grilled Tuna with Orange Jicama Salad

Beans + Greens

SHOP

I was really proud of this grocery store shop. I used some of the things we already had [cod, beans, cheese, sunflower seeds] and then bought the rest for $67 at Trader Joe’s. I LOVE TJ’s. You’ll find the grocery list is fullbelow.

PREP

Here are all the items to prep prior to the week. The items marked “ONCE for the WEEK” I do on Sundays. That way all the lunch items are ready to go for Mom on Monday. [She’s a nurse and packs lunch. Dad eats at work. I work at home.] The items marked “TWICE during the WEEK” I do on Sundays and Wednesdays. These are things that don’t keep more than a couple days. The items marked “PRIOR TO EATING” are dinner items that we do the night we eat that meal. We make enough to have leftovers for lunch or for the next day. 

EAT

The beautiful – I mean BEAUTIFUL thing about Planning, Shopping, and Prepping, is that you really truly get to eat carefree during the week. You just follow the menu! If you don’t let other stuff into the house – the chips, candy, ice cream, [enter your guilty pleasure here] – you won’t eat it! That’s not to say that you shouldn’t go out for a treat every once in a while, you should! But go OUT, don’t bring it IN.

SPOTLIGHT

SUPER [not so] GREEN EGG CUPS

This Egg Cup Recipe is SUPER flexible. Add in whichever veggies or other proteins you like! I love this one because you can literally use whatever is on hand. I had a red pepper, some leftover spinach, and frozen peas handy, so that’s what I used! Make it your own!

I make 12 and pop them in the fridge. It takes about a minute to reheat in the microwave. Bon Appetít!

Mad love,

J