Weekly Meal Plan

Eating Well Without Cooking Part 1: Precooked Meals is a 2 part series on how to eat well with a busy schedule even if you don’t have time to cook all your meals.

You can still eat well and reach your fitness goals without cooking all your meals.

Last time we talked about meal planning with a busy schedule. One of the things I mentioned was planning the meals that you’ll eat outside of the house. I think it can be unrealistic to ask you to cook all your meals and snacks at home each week. While it’s more ideal, it’s just not practical. This is why I love to get some precooked meals to help me stay eating well without driving myself crazy with cooking all the damn time.

Most grocery stores have precooked meals in the deli section. It can range from precooked whole chickens to quinoa salads. With a little creativity, you can be eating for your health and fitness goals without doing much cooking throughout the week.

Precooked meals are an integral part of my eating. I used to feel really bad about it because I thought the only way i could be fit and healthy was to prep every meal on Sunday and live out of food containers. Side note: burgers and fries don’t stay that great in a container (lol).

What to get at the grocery store to cut your cooking time down.

Protein (1 serving size = the palm of your hand)

Grab a precooked chicken or 2. You can make multiple meals from one, depending on how large your family is. I usually opt for a plain chicken because then you can season it and use it how you want instead of feeling you have to make the same thing with it over and over.

Grab some cans of beans.Beans are a great source of protein. The canned ones are already cooked so you just need to warm them up. I like to drain the liquid and rinse them with water before I use them.

Hummus is also a great high protein option.

Grab some eggs. At Costco, you can get eggs that are already boiled and peeled which is great for breakfasts in the morning, as a quick snack, or mashed up with mayo or plain Greek yogurt for an egg salad that you can make into a sandwich or dip veggies into it.

Dairy is also high in protein. Opt for plain Greek yogurt, real cheese, cottage cheese and milk if you body can tolerate it.

Protein powders are good for on the go as well. Create a smoothie by adding a handful of spinach and some frozen fruit to it.

Carbs (1 serving size = your hand cupped)

Most stores have a quinoa salad that you can grab and use as a side for your dinner.

Quick cooking rice is a great option too to cut down on cooking time. Choose brown rice.

You can also get some potatoes, probably even sweet potatoes from the deli. In the frozen section, you can get precooked potatoes that you can quickly warm up or throw in the oven to add to your meals.

Fruits (1 serving size = your hand cupped)

Grab some whole fruits that you like. Apples, oranges, pears, bananas, berries are just a few options. Fruit makes for great snacks or a breakfast on the go. Add some sunflower butter (for me), nut butter, or peanut butter for healthy fats to keep you feeling full.

Frozen fruit also works here and can go well on top of plain Greek yogurt or in a smoothie. Speaking of smoothies, there are some pre-made smoothie mixes in the frozen section. All you’d need to do is add your liquid of choice.

Veggies (1 serving size = your fist)

I’m a big fan of frozen veggies. They’re just as good as the fresh ones, possibly better since they are picked at peak ripeness as a opposed to picked early so they don’t go bad in the produce aisle.

Canned can be a great option here as well. Just like the beans, drain and rinse before using.

There are lots of pre-cut veggies in the produce section that may cost a little more but will save you time. Baby carrots, pre-cut onions, peppers, broccoli, celery and various squashes.

Healthy Fats (1 serving size = the length of your thumb)

Grab some avocados, nuts and seeds from the bulk section, and nut and seed butters.

Olive oil goes well on salads and in your hummus.

Get your portions down and high five yourself.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to take hours and be super fancy. One of my go-to meals is a precooked chicken with a side of frozen broccoli. If I have some rice cooked ahead of time, I’ll put all three of those together and add mushroom soup. A healthy meal in what 10-15 minutes. I often opt to skip the special and fancy ingredients. They cost a lot, and I only use just a tiny bit before it goes bad. That’s what I call nutrition in the weeds, which I’ll be writing about in the upcoming weeks,

What things will you grab from the store the week to make your healthy eating easier?

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