The keys to Whole30 success are planning and preparing. I tend to plan meals, create my grocery list, shop, and complete food prep on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. While the process for planning and preparing a week's worth of meals takes 5-6 total hours, keep in mind that I'm basically set for the week. That means rather than panic about what my husband is serving for dinner while I'm tutoring at the library until 9, I can just text him which bowl to pull out of the refrigerator to heat up for a healthy meal. Tossing a meal into the crockpot is easy when I have all the necessary ingredients in the refrigerator or freezer. It's really simple when the veggies are already chopped. So while it takes time on the front end, weekly meal prep becomes effortless and stress-free.
One very popular question I'm asked is what does a typical week look like. Breakfast is usually eggs with leftover bacon or meat. I'm also a fan of sweet potato hashes. Dice sweet potatoes, toss with coconut oil saute until cooked, then toss in an egg and scramble or fry. Leftovers also make a good breakfast. Who says you have to eat breakfast foods? When I'm not on Whole30, I find kale smoothies are a quick option, Lunch tends to be a salad of spring mix, kale, and spinach, and leftovers. I also prepare soups. These two are my favorite, and I've linked the recipes:
Dinner is where my husband and I have fun finding and trying new recipes. Here's our dinner list from the past two weeks, complete with linked recipes:
Flank Steak and Chicken Fajitas I prepared the meat by rubbing it with cumin and chili powder then sautéed with red onion and bell peppers. The "tortillas" were Plantain tortillas.
Shrimp and "Grits" This was probably my favorite dish of the week.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo We substituted shrimp for chicken.
Tropical Slow Cooker Pork Roast My husband also puts a Boston butt on the grill every other week and we eat leftovers for lunch.
Sunshine Sauce This isn't a meal, but it's divine. I cut up a large plate of broccoli, peppers, celery and dip it into this.
Cincinnati Chili I served this over spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti and Meatballs served over roasted spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles
We also roast Brussel's sprouts, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and eat our share of salads. So, there you go. That's what a week of meals looks like. We also eat easy meals or roasted chicken thighs, grilled fish, steak, all served with veggies. Cauliflower rice will become your best friend. That's just a sample of what Paleo eating looks like. My favorite cookbooks include Well Fed, Well Fed 2, PaleOMG, and Against All Grain. So, while at first glance, Whole30 might seem like an impossible challenge, with proper planning it can be an easy way to nourish your family for life.
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