meal planning • soup week!

Grocery shopping for one is just as hard as shopping for 10! Writing out my meals for the week keeps me under budget and quantity, so food doesn’t get wasted. This is what I usually do before I head out to the market.

1. First, ponder what you would like to eat for the week. If you’re like me and can’t have the same foods over and over, stay away from eating the same protein and vegetables you had last week to change it up a bit. If you’re one to be content with having the same thing, then keep prepping the meal that works for you!

2. Make a list of the groceries you need and bring it with you to the store. This helps from over-buying foods you don’t really need during the week. If I go into a store without a plan, I’ll usually end up with one too many chocolate bars or high carb snacks! It’s okay if you deviate a little once you get there, as long as it’s a smart, healthy choice! I just couldn’t resist the strawberries after seeing how delicious they looked. Don’t forget to pick up the meal-enhancing components like herbs, lemon {mmm, lemon zest!}, garlic, onions, etc! A little goes a long way with these flavor-enhancing ingredients!

3. Write out your meals for each day. I don’t have a picture of it, but I usually put it into my google calendar or write it on my wall calendar at home during the last hour before bed. It basically looks like this:

Monday – Friday
Breakfast – 2 eggs & ½ avo
Lunch – turkey breast & spinach with lemon
Dinner – soup with 4 oz. salmon & veggies
Snack – yogurt and fruit

Make sure your meals are balanced with a healthy protein, veggies, fruit, grain and dairy. 

The Haul

• 2 boxed soups {butternut squash, tomato}
• 16 oz salmon
• Spinach
• Eggplant
• Zucchini
• Turkey breast
• Strawberries
• Milk
• Greek Yogurt 

4. Prep your meals. Enjoy one for dinner and pack the rest into individual containers for the rest of the week!

This butternut squash soup was so easy to make! Yes, it’s straight out of the box from Trader Joe’s! I just heated up the butternut squash soup base and dumped in an egg, onions, chopped zucchini, cooked salmon {baked ahead of time}, spinach &  freshly ground pepper. Lastly, topped off with microgreens. I put in the onions first to cook them down a bit and the green vegetables last so they’re not overdone.