Hey Reader,

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Welcome to Day Four of the IBStress-Less September Challenge!

Today we will be diving into my meal planning pro tips. Studies have shown that people who regularly do meal planning tend to eat healthier and consume more servings of fruit and vegetables.

It can be challenging to get started, so I'm walking you through my process of creating a killer meal plan!

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A couple reminders...

Make sure you click here to download the challenge workbook as there are exercises each day to help you go deeper into the content.

Missed the live Masterclass yesterday? The replay is still available until Saturday, September 25th at 11:59PM CET. Just click here to watch.​

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Day Four: How to Master Meal Planning

Meal planning can feel like a tedious task – but it doesn’t have to be! Not to mention that the potential benefits of doing it can greatly outweigh the efforts required.

Meal planning can… save time

• Fewer trips to the grocery store
• Prep ahead for busy days
• No more standing in front of the fridge wondering what to make

Meal planning can… reduce stress

• No more decision fatigue
• Prepared for any occasion
• More balanced meals to fuel you for longer

Meal planning can… reduce your IBS triggers

• Plan and adapt recipes accordingly
• Cook more from scratch without mystery ingredients
• Plan for meals out when you have less control

Meal planning can… save money

• Less impulse shopping
• Fewer takeaways or convenience meals
• Less food waste (aka money in the bin!)

Hopefully that long list of benefits has you convinced that meal planning is worth the energy investment.

The problem that tends to throw a lot of people off is the work of actually figuring out what you want to plan each day.

But by using a few guiding questions you can make the process much easier on yourself. You don’t need to build your plan up from nothing!

Start by deciding how many days you want to plan for. If it feels overwhelming, then just start with a shorter period; you don’t need to jump immediately into planning an entire week. In fact, I personally rarely plan more than 5 days at a time. You also don’t have to start with all meals, even just planning dinners can be a great place to start.

Then fill in any meals that you might already have planned, like meals out, or days where you know you’ll be busy and need to plan something quick and easy. Make sure you’re also realistic with yourself in terms of how often you even want to be cooking. Rather than making something new every day, you could plan to cook every second day and fill in the rest with leftovers.

Now it’s time to start slotting in your meals or recipes. Here are some guiding principles:

• Make sure to take the Eating for Energy principles into account from Day Two
• Use staple meals to keep things simple (things you’re comfortable cooking and are easy/quick)
• Work with theme nights
• Don’t try too many new recipes at one time – they take more time and energy – stick to 2-3 per week
• Prep snacks in advance to avoid “hangry” decisions
• Double up on portions for leftovers whether for lunch or the next day
• Take into account when you’ll be going grocery shopping
• Save recipes (blogs, Pinterest, Instagram) for quick inspiration

So are you ready to jump on the meal planning train? Make sure to download the printable templates to get you started!

And if you like the idea of a meal plan but aren’t sure how to build it up on your own for your nutrition needs, you can always sign-up for a custom-made meal plan! I’ll create a meal plan personalized to you and your goals filled with delicious food, easy recipes, and even a shopping list to make getting started even easier.

Want to learn more about custom meal plans AND get 20% off? Click here for all the details!

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Day Four Action Step:

​Click here to download the meal planning templates and create a meal plan based on the guidelines above and the Eating for Energy principles from Day Two.

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Watch today's video:

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​Click here to watch the video​