Meal Plan Master Class Part 2

Quick links from the video (you will also find them as you read through the lesson below!):

• Meal Plan Worksheet (Weekly Version)
• Meal Plan Worksheet (Monthly Version)
• Themed Recipe Bank

Be sure to watch Part 1 if you haven’t already. Let’s continue!

Step 4: Build Your Meals with One Meal Planning Framework

You’ve chosen which meal you want to plan, how many meals per week, and how often you’re planning. Now you’re ready to choose your meals! Here are two easy frameworks to simplify planning – please choose one!:

Option A: Theme Days

Themed meal planning is one of my favorite ways to reduce decision fatigue, and if you’ve ever stood in front of the fridge at 5 PM wondering what in the world to make for dinner, you know exactly what I mean. 

We’re already making so many decisions throughout the day….what to wear, what to pack, who needs what….and adding “what’s for dinner?” to the list can feel like the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

But when you know that Mondays are Meatless Mondays, Tuesdays are for Taco Tuesdays (or wraps, or quesadillas!), and Fridays are Pizza Fridays (it doesn’t always need to have alliteration! 😉), it instantly simplifies the process. You’re not starting from scratch each day.

You’re choosing within a category, and that little bit of structure makes a huge difference.

Even better? Little ones thrive on routine and predictability. When they know what to expect, they feel more secure and are often more open to trying new foods within that familiar rhythm. 

And for you, it means you’re not waking up each morning wondering what to cook. Themed meal planning helps keep things tight, streamlined, and way less overwhelming. This is what I’ve been leaning into in this season of motherhood and life.

How To Set It Up (Step by Step)

1. Pick your weekly themes

Recall how many days you’re planning for each week, then choose recurring themes that fit your family’s tastes and needs. You’ll find specific examples under each meal in this section. Then in your meal planning worksheet, write it next to the day you want to use that theme.

Take action: In your meal planning worksheet, write themes next to the days you’ll plan for. For example, “I am planning for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. So I will have Meatless Mondays, Taco Wednesdays, and Pasta Fridays.”

2. Build Your Recipe Bank

On a separate page, come up with a list of go-to meals per theme so you’re not rethinking it every week. We’ll call this list your recipe bank. Some examples for dinners:

Example – Taco Tuesday:

• Ground turkey tacos
• Lentil taco bowls
• Asian chicken lettuce wraps
• Taco pasta bake
• DIY taco bar with toppings

Example – Pasta Friday:

• Hidden veggie marinara with spaghetti
• Chicken Alfredo with broccoli
• Mac and cheese with peas
• Pesto pasta with shrimp or tofu
• Baked ziti

And this is really important – Keep this Themed Recipe Bank somewhere easy to find like your notes app, a printed sheet, a whiteboard on the fridge so you can keep adding to it. 

If you want a nice fillable worksheet for Themed Recipe Bank to have alongside your meal planning worksheet, I created one for you! You can find it right here.

Click here to download and print your Themed Recipe Bank

Take action: Create your recipe lists and add them to your Recipe Bank! Choose 3-5 meals per theme. For example, choose 3-5 Meatless Monday meals, 3-5 Taco Wednesday meals, and 3-5 Pasta Friday meals. Remember this is just to help get you started. The list will grow and expand over time.

Here’s a completed Themed Recipe Bank for example!

3. Build Your Weekly Meal Plan

Once you’ve set your themes and meals in your Recipe Bank, meal planning becomes a plug-and-play system:

Instead of: “What should I make Monday?”
You ask: “What meatless meal do I want to make Monday?”

And you already have a small list of meatless meals for that day.

This narrows the field and makes decisions easier, while still allowing variety within each category.

Take action: Write down your meals for each week of your meal plan worksheet. Treat the meals you chose as your bank!

Remember, this system is flexible and meant to grow with you.

You can rotate through the same themed structure every week. As you try new recipes, update your lists. Swap themes in and out depending on the season or your schedule. You’re never stuck!

Kids love it too. When they know what to expect (like, “It’s Taco Tuesday!”) they’re more excited for dinner and often more open to trying new foods.

Here’s what your meal plan worksheet might look like at this stage!