(Last week’s pic share from Charlie’s trip – Sweet Potato, Kale, Corn, & White Bean Hash over Quinoa, 3-Bean Salad, Turkey Quinoa Kale Burger with Salsa, & Cucumber & Carrot Salad with Balsamic Dressing – pic by Charlie)
What happens to the food plan and prep when the Accidental Nutritionist herself takes a holiday? Check out her weekly meal plan and article all about prep, then join me to find out more below!
Meal Plan – Week #20 (Written by Jamie)
Cost: $87.54 week for 3 people // $1.39/serving* (*NOTE: These numbers are calculated off what we actually spend each week, which may include occasional supplements of grain, starch, or beef for Drew and Jamie which Charlie cannot have. Week-to-week fluctuations in cost are more reflective of the times we need to pick up staples like olive oil and vinegar, or weeks where Jamie is prepping three weeks’ worth of cauliflower rice, rather than one week’s meal plan costing extra. Taken overall, we believe this offers a more accurate reflection of what this diet might look like financially for others.)
(EXTRA NOTE: This is taking advantage of previous week’s extras. This week is lower; the last couple of weeks have been higher. It all balances out.)
Meal Plan Diet Categories: (Gluten-Free, Lactose/Dairy Free, Diabetes Diet, Low Fat/Low Cholesterol, Cardiac Diet, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian)
Meals: (Click on the names to go to the recipe) (1) Citrus Cumin Pork Roast / (2) Lemon Lavender Chicken / (3) Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry / (4) Garden Salad with Variation 1 (Pinto Beans) / (5) Bouquet Garni Garden Peas / (6) Brown Rice
Snacks: Chopped Veggies (for dipping) / Balsamic Herb Dipping Sauce / Egg Whites / Naked Popcorn / Almond Butter
Now that Charlie is back and settled in for her new phase of meal plans, Jamie is preparing to launch across the US for a flight, and bit of a cross-country adventure to see family, leaving Tuesday and returning on the 20th. This means (God help us) I will be the solo shopper, prepper, cook, and meal-builder for Charlie (and myself, come to that), this week.
… I’d say I’d fear for us all, but Jamie has been writing notes on 3×5 cards since last week. They are everywhere: taped on the fridge, on food in the freezer, on the kitchen counter, in the cupboard, and (probably) in the shopping bags themselves. I haven’t checked there yet. I expect a major onboarding procedure of the entire process on Monday. (I am writing this at 11 pm Sunday night thanks to a most wickedly horrible ’bout of anxiety that won’t allow me to do anything else.)
See? Pivoting happens to be a great superpower. And not just with recipes!
…So, here I sit typing away at my desk, listening to Jamie typing away at the kitchen counter, and occasionally scribbling more directions on more 3×5 cards.
What I DO know, (by preview) is that much of this week’s meal plan is already sitting in the freezer and that somewhere on a card are the directions on when I’m to move them to the fridge. There will be the usual shopping, but a shorter list of just the fresh veg essentials, and my usual prep of them. At some point I believe I heard I will also be doing up some bean varieties with specifics on which spices from the drawer to use and how much, and possibly some toasting, and reducing, much boxing, and then the plating and picture-taking.
Essentially, I will be following along with Jamie’s weekly recipe just like you, but with as many of the reserves built up that she could fit in the freezer to help condense the time load and labor as much as humanly possible.
…Which (I suppose) is the lesson from this particular post.
If the Accidental Nutritionist in YOUR house is ready for a little R&R or general “release time,” cooking a dish or two extra across several weeks and stocking up those reserves in the freezer is your best bet towards a smooth transition for the rest of the eaters while they (or you) are away!
So here’s to a safe week of travels and visits for Jamie!
…And here’s hoping I don’t burn the beans.
~D
The Accidental Nutritionist 