Ever heard of a capsule wardrobe? It’s just a few pieces of clothing that mix and match to create outfits easily – and you can approach meal planning the same way. In this episode I’ll help you build your own capsule meal plan so you can prioritize yourself and your health with maximum efficiency. Or, you can download mine for free and plug-and-play. Easy, healthy meals coming up!
You’ll hear about:
- How a capsule meal plan can simplify your daily life
- Using my free, downloadable capsule meal plan as a starting point for creating your own
- How to set up the main part of your capsule around proteins, vegetables, and starches
- Adding “accessory” foods that liven up your main capsule
Mentioned in this episode:
- Download Michelle’s FREE capsule meal plan + bonus recipe book here
- Save $10 on your first Misfits Market produce box
You’ve heard of a capsule wardrobe, right?
It’s a small collection of clothes that are interchangeable with each other to maximize the number of outfits you can create. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
Imagine: A little black dress. A white oxford shirt. Jeans. Flats.
You get the picture.
The benefit of just a few perfect items
You’d reach into your closet, pull out just about anything, put it on, and you’re good to go. You wouldn’t spend money on stuff you didn’t need. You wouldn’t spend time trying to make outfits work every morning. You wouldn’t have overstuffed, disorganized closets.
It would be effortlessly efficient.
So let me introduce you to a similar concept…
The capsule meal plan.
Who needs a capsule meal plan?
A capsule meal plan is perfect for you if:
- You don’t have time to cook complicated meals, but you want to feed yourself well. This is basically all my clients! Heck, this is me, too. We need something straightforward that can be executed without much time or effort.
- You have basic cooking skills, even if you’re not exactly Julia Child. You can chop? You can boil water? You know how to use your stove? You’re good to go.
- You don’t have a ton of time for shopping, but you can run to the store in 20 minutes, or you can hit “reorder” on your cart (who else loves delivery services like Fresh Direct and Misfits Market?)
- You want to eat real food – you know you feel better when you make yourself something fresh instead of living on Thai takeout and pizza delivery.
Deciding to take care of yourself by preparing proper meals is a radical act in a world that wants you to buy things already prepared and packaged, at the highest price and lowest quality they can get away with. You’re better than that!
Download my sample capsule meal plan right now to try this idea out. You’ll get a shopping list, recipe formulas, and a bunch of specific recipes all using the same ingredients, mix-and-match style.
How to create a capsule meal plan
You can create your own capsule meal plan full of foods that work best for you. Each week, rotate your choices so your body gets a wide range of nutrients and you have some variety on the table.
Start with protein
Every meal should revolve around protein, so start by picking three or four main protein sources that you like. This might be meat, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, etc.
Pro tip: Choose at least one pre-cooked option, like canned beans or smoked salmon.
It doesn’t have to be gourmet, it just has to be minimally processed and the best quality you can afford.
Next up: Leafy green veggies
Next, choose two or three dark, leafy green veggies. They can be frozen like broccoli, boxed like baby spinach, or in a bunch like kale or romaine lettuce – doesn’t matter!
Other great choices include Brussels sprouts, arugula, and even cauliflower (not green, but it still counts as part of this family of veggies.)
Oh, and don’t beat yourself up if you can’t find everything organic, or if the price of organic is beyond your budget. Organic is great, but non-organic leafy greens are far better than none at all.
Finally, the starchy stuff
To round out your meals, pick some starchy veggies (like carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, or pumpkin) or grains (try rice, quinoa, or buckwheat). Add one or two of these to your rotation.
Putting it all together
You’ve got the main part of your capsule plan done!
Once you’ve got your protein, leafy greens, and starchy stuff, you’ll add a few aromatics like onions and garlic…
…and if you feel like adding accessories, go for it! Did those Spanish olives in the store catch your eye? Do you want to throw in some mushrooms? Do it up.
Master the capsule meal plan, and just like with that capsule wardrobe, you’ll be effortlessly efficient.
And for a real leg up, download my sample capsule shopping list and meal ideas now, with bonus recipe book.
Subscribe to the She’s Got Power podcast on Apple or Spotify. Love what you hear? Please share with your friends and leave a review so more women can finally overcome the health issues associated with chronic stress and burnout.