Meal Planning Tips: A Step-by-Step Guide
Fueling your body effectively is paramount for athletic performance and recovery.
meal planning can make all the difference, but it often feels overwhelming, especially with a busy schedule.
Whether you’re preparing for an intense week of training or simply trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, having a structured meal plan can help you stay on track, save time, and ensure you're getting the nutrients you need.
This guide is designed to simplify the process for you. We’ll walk you through how to decide what to eat based on your cravings and preferences, how to plan meals around your schedule, and how to ensure each meal is balanced and nutritious. Plus, I’ll share some personal tips and examples from my own meal planning routine. Let’s dive in!
Why Meal Planning is Crucial for Athletes
🔄 Consistency: Meal planning ensures you are consistently eating enough of what your body specifically needs. This is even more important for weight-classed athletes, those training twice a day or with specific composition goals. If you are tracking macros, meal planning helps you consistently hit macro and micronutrient targets.
⏰ Time-Saving: Meal planning reduces the need to make daily food decisions, saving time and reducing stress. Use your “down days” where you have more free time to plan for your busier times during the week. This also helps prevent mental fatigue or “burn out.”
🏋️♂️ Performance Benefits: Meal planning allows you to eat in a way that optimizes performance and recovery, helping you train harder and more effectively. Well-planned meals ensure your body gets the right nutrients at the right times, enhancing energy levels and muscle repair.
💵 Budget-Friendly: Meal planning may seem expensive, but it ultimately saves you money! It can help manage food costs by reducing last-minute, often expensive food purchases. By buying in bulk and planning ahead, you can make the most of sales and discounts.
Looking to build strength and lean muscle?
Check out our detailed blog post “Essential Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies for Building Strength.”
Step by Step Guide for Meal Planning
Step 1: Assess Your Nutritional Needs
Determine your daily protein, carbohydrate, and fat needs. For CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting, protein intake is particularly crucial for muscle repair and growth. Carbohydrate needs vary based on several factors; including training volume, body size, daily physical activity, sport specific goals etc.
Learn just how much protein you need here.
*Don’t forget to include fluids in your plan. Hydration is equally vital for performance and recovery.
Step 2: Plan Your Meals and Snacks
Plan Balanced Meals: Ideally, aim for the majority of your meals to include a serving of lean protein, starchy carbohydrate, quality fat and fruit or vegetable.
Protein: Chicken breast or thigh, salmon, shrimp, ground turkey or beef, steak etc.
Starch: Rice, quinoa, pasta, potatoes, whole grain bread etc.
Color or Fiber: Any fruit or vegetable that you enjoy! Broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, apples etc.
Consider Your Preferences: Think about what you genuinely enjoy eating:
Have you been craving something specific lately?
What flavors do you enjoy? Do you prefer savory, sweet, spicy, or a mix?
Reflect on meals that you’ve loved in the past. Can you recreate them with a twist to best support your nutrient needs?
📝 Use Your Favorite Resources! If you have a few go-to websites or bloggers, use them! They can be a great source of inspiration and provide tried-and-true recipes that you enjoy.
💪 Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition: Plan for high-protein, moderate-carb meals and snacks around your training sessions to optimize energy levels and recovery
Check out the ultimate list of macro friendly recipes here!
Step 3: Assess Your Schedule
Understanding your weekly schedule helps in allocating time for meal prep and ensures that you have suitable options for days when you’re especially busy. This planning helps maintain consistency and reduces the amount of “brain power” needed for food decisions when you are busy!
Choose a day or two when you have more time to meal prep for the week. This can be on the weekend, when you are watching your favorite show or you simply have time to spare.
Identify days when you’ll have less time to cook and prioritize easy options for those days.
Plan meals that align with your training schedule to ensure you’re properly fueled before and after workouts.
step 4: Create a weekly menu
A structured menu provides a clear plan for each meal, making it easier to stay on track with your nutrition goals. It also helps in managing your time efficiently by avoiding last-minute meal decisions.
Breakfast: Look for quick and easy options like overnight oats with protein powder, Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, or smoothie bowls.
Lunch and Dinner: Prepare larger batches of meals like chicken fried rice, quinoa salads with grilled chicken, or turkey and vegetable stir-fry.
Snacks: Include protein-rich snacks such as hard-boiled eggs, protein bars, or cottage cheese with berries.
Check out our list of high-protein snacks on the go!
step 5: make your shopping list
A well thought out list ensures you buy everything you need and avoid unnecessary tips to the store. It helps streamline your shopping process and ensures you’re prepared for the week ahead.
Buy in bulk: Purchase staple items in bulk, such as rice, oats, chicken breasts and frozen vegetables.
Fresh Produce: Plan for a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables to ensure you have nutrient-dense options throughout the week.
Easy Options: Have a list of quick, go-to meals for busy days:
Pre-cooked Proteins like rotisserie chicken, pre-cooked shrimp, canned tuna, or tofu.
Microwavable Starches like quinoa, brown rice, or potatoes.
Pre-cut vegetables like bagged salads, pre-cut veggies, or frozen vegetables.
🔥 Hot Tip! Use grocery pick up or delivery for even more ease! Many grocery stores like Wal Mart, Target and Reasor’s offer free grocery pick up.
step 6: prep in batches
Big batch cooking saves time throughout the week and ensures you have nutrient dense meals ready to go. It also reduces the stress of daily cooking and allow for more consistently meal quality.
Set aside a few hours once or twice a week to batch cook meals. Use the oven, stovetop and slow cooker to prepare multiple dishes simultaneously.
Invest in high-quality containers to portion out meals and snacks, making it easy to grab and go.
Store meals in the fridge for the next few days and freeze portions for later in the week. Label containers for extra precision!
Meal Planning in Action
Below is a real life screenshot of how I meal plan for my family of 4.
We typically only plan out our dinners, as we rotate through our usual breakfasts (oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, eggs etc.) and lunches (sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, leftovers).
We are an active family and EAT A LOT. Eating at home is almost always more cost effective for us than eating out. My husband and I also genuinely enjoy cooking, so we like to play around with recipes.
I keep a “note” open on my phone and plan our meals like this:
Add A Protein Portion: I almost always start by selecting our protein options for the week.
Selecting Starches: Next, I pick a starch that complements my protein and fits my training needs.
Adding Vegetables: Finally, I ensure my meals are colorful and packed with nutrients by adding a variety of vegetables. I try to find easy, low-effort recipes that go with the rest of the meal.
If I’m using a recipe, I’ll link it straight into the note. So that when it’s time to buy ingredients or cook, the recipe is easy accessible and I don’t need to search for it.
Final Tips for Successful Meal Planning
Tips for Making Meal Planning Easier in the Long Run:
Stay Flexible: Life is unpredictable. Be prepared to adjust your meal plan as needed and swap meals to accommodate unexpected changes.
Keep It Simple: Choose straightforward recipes with minimal ingredients to save time and reduce complexity. Simplicity can streamline your meal prep process and keep things manageable.
Listen to Your Body: Adapt your portions and food choices based on your hunger, training intensity, and recovery needs. Your body’s signals are valuable in optimizing your nutrition.
Meal planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but it does take time and practice to find what works best for you. Just like mastering weightlifting or CrossFit, developing effective meal planning skills takes patience and persistence.
By adopting a systematic approach, you can ensure you have delicious, nutritious meals ready to fuel your CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting training. Remember, consistency is key—stick to your plan, and you’ll see improvements in your performance and overall well-being.
Need more help with meal planning?
Book a discovery call with me to get personalized guidance and support tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Let's make your nutrition work as hard as you do!
Hi, I’m Katie!
I work with strength and power athletes to ensure their nutrition supports their rigorous training needs.
As a former collegiate athlete and coach, I know firsthand the pivotal role nutrition plays into athletic success. I am passionate about simplifying nutrition, propelling you closer to your goals. I would love to hear from you!