Ask an RD: 6 Meal Planning and Prepping Hacks from an RD

 Jessica Cording, RD, is a registered dietitian, health coach, and author with a passion for helping people build sustainable healthy habits that support their mental and physical wellbeing. She's also the author of this installment of our "Ask an RD" series.
 
Staying on track with healthy eating can be much easier with a bit of meal planning and prepping. It saves time, money, and energy, and can help manage cravings and decision fatigue. This is particularly beneficial if you're on weight loss medication like CONTRAVE, where meal timing and food content matter.

 

As a registered dietitian and health coach, I've supported clients in creating realistic meal-planning routines. Whether you're cooking for yourself or a family, the key is not to aim for perfection but to achieve a balanced approach where most of your meals are nutrient-dense.

 

Here are six hacks to simplify your healthy eating routine:

 

1. Plan Before You Shop
Review your schedule to decide when you’ll need pre-made meals or leftovers. Aim for meals with protein and colorful veggies, and prioritize high-fiber starches like sweet potatoes, whole grains, and beans. Don't forget to plan for healthy snacks you actually enjoy to avoid between-meal hunger. I personally love plain Greek yogurt with berries or high-fiber cereal as a super-filling snack. Another favorite for chocolate lovers is DIY energy bites with oats, nut butter, and chocolate chips. If you prefer crunchy snacks, make or buy some crispy chickpea snacks for a satisfying option that provides more protein and fiber than chips or pretzels.

 

This can be super helpful when you are stumped on what to eat. Try the no-fail formula of 20-30 grams of protein, plenty of veggies, and complex carbs with a little bit of healthy fats. CONTRAVE is not recommended to be taken with a high-fat meal, so be sure to consider foods with lower amounts of fat when figuring out what to eat. For reference, a low-fat food is one with 3 or fewer grams of fat per 100 calories. So, if you’re having a 500-calorie meal, fat content should be 15 grams or less. If you want to take things a step further, adopt a theme for the week or for dinner each night. Week-long themes like a Mediterranean or vegan week or weeknight themes like Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday can make planning easier.

 

Avoid the stress of solo planning by involving family or roommates. Consider a meal kit or delivery service to offload planning for a few meals each week.

 

 

Introduce health-promoting foods and new recipes gradually as your tastebuds adjust and you get used to new flavors and textures. Some great starting places are adding more vegetables to a pasta sauce, soup, or chili, or swapping in cauliflower rice for half of the regular rice in a dish. If you’re trying out a new-to-you protein, serve it with a familiar side dish, seasoning, or sauce. One swap I personally love is using ground turkey in place of ground beef or ground pork in chili, taco, meat, meatballs, and meatloaf recipes for a leaner version that still offers tons of flavor. If you try something and it doesn't work, try different seasonings or preparations next time. Give yourself permission to explore and be curious!

 

5. Schedule Prep Time 

Try designating a specific time for meal prep every week to reduce stress, especially during busy weeks. Take it a step further by adding it to your calendar as a reminder. Be careful with the time you have allotted and don’t try to squeeze too much in. Make it enjoyable by listening to a podcast or show while you prep. For me personally, knowing I’m going to catch up on episodes of my favorite podcasts while I meal prep helps me look forward to that time in the kitchen.

 

Keep convenient items like canned beans, eggs, tinned fish, legume-based pasta, and frozen veggies on hand. Consider batch-cooking main ingredients to mix and match throughout the week. I love to brown some ground turkey in a skillet, so I have it to use in different dishes throughout the week. I also roast a few sheet pans of my favorite vegetables that can be added to omelets, salads, or pasta dishes or used as an easy side dish.

 

 

Start with the hack that feels right for you and gradually incorporate more as needed. If balanced meals don't help curb cravings, consult your healthcare provider about your weight loss medication plan. By following these tips, you can simplify meal planning and stay on track toward your weight loss goals!