What I Eat in a Week

I have a tendency to not only overspend on groceries but also buy more than I need. In between traveling, working odd hours, and going to tasting events.. it can get pretty difficult trying to plan out what to eat… or not over-eat (I am trying ok).  

Here’s a few helpful tips on how to I maintain what I eat in a week:

Plan Ahead

Since my schedule is different from week to week, it’s essential that I use my Bloom planners to keep my life intact. I have two planners, one small one to fit in my purse to take to meetings or quickly jot down notes / information and a visual one where I can see my week or month at a glance!

I’ve been using my Bloom Planners grocery list + their weekly planner that has been a total LIFESAVER. The grocery list is so helpful when I’m running to Trader Joe’s and grabbing a basketful of salad for the week to take into work (a simple + easy solution that saves me so much $$$, sorry Starbucks!).

Planning ahead helps me stay on track + saves me time going back and forth from the grocery store just to grab a few items. This may seem like a simple task, but it saves me so much time when I can just buy everything I need in one time. 

Meal Prep

I’ve partnered with Freshly’s home delivery service that sends you chef inspired meals straight to your door. Freshly meals arrive in a cold-sealed box that keeps your meals cool and fresh straight to when you put them in the fridge. 

You can choose so many variation of meals, a perfect solution for someone on the go. For me, I’m either stuck in traffic or simply don’t have the time to deal with cooking and cleaning after every meal #FirstWorldProblems. Freshly makes it so easy to choose meals and satisfy your hunger when it rumbles. it’s  literally so easy, pop your meal in the microwave and it cooks through in just 3 short minutes! 

Join Freshly to get $20 off your first 6 meals with my promo code eat639!

Snacking is a Habit

Anyone guilty of snacking too much? After jotting down must-get grocery items I try very hard to stay focused on only getting items that I need. So no additional shopping or else I walk out with more than I bargained for.

My go-to Trader Joe’s snack list:

- pre-cut apples
- plantain chips
- nonfat yogurt
- popcorn
- chips + salsa

Not exciting but seriously gets the job done!

Budgeting

Budgeting is different for EVERYONE, you have to do what suits your lifestyle and your needs. So what might work for me, won’t work for everyone. I find it super important to be open and honest with yourself about your finances, learn where to splurge and when to reel it back. For me, I will gladly spend $$$ on food, but my student loans… yeah not so much! So that’s why it’s crucial for me to  budget myself to $50 on groceries every week / week and a half or so. 

I give myself a $100 spending limit a week on going out / exploring new restaurants. 

This means two really bomb meals: sushi, shabu, AYCE, fancy cocktail bars, anything that falls under this category.

OR

Three / four average meals. 

So by planning my week ahead of schedule I know what places I’ll be eating and what groceries need to be bought.