Your 3-Step Food Planning Challenge to Smarter Eating

Challenge yourself to find recipes, create a food shopping list, and shop for healthy meals this week! When you build on this food planning habit, you’ll start to take control of your health one meal at a time.

One of the most effective ways to improve your health starts in your kitchen. Planning healthy meals each week can transform your energy, mood, and overall well-being. But let’s be honest: food planning takes effort. Between busy schedules and endless food choices, it’s easy to fall into the trap of convenience over nutrition.

So, this week, take on a 3-part challenge designed to help you build a sustainable habit of healthy eating. Ready to level up your meal game?

Challenge #1: Find 4 or 5 healthy meal recipes this week 

With a bit of planning, finding a week's worth of healthy recipes can be both fun and practical. Keep in mind, if you jump online and simply search for “healthy recipes,” you’ll have more recipes to pick from than you could eat in a lifetime! So try to narrow it down to recipes that align with your goals. Maybe you’re looking to cut down on sodium. Or you’re trying to add more veggies to your diet. Let your goals guide your picks.

Explore reputable sources for recipe ideas . Consider blogs from registered dietitians (RDs) or trusted nutrition websites . If you find a recipe on social media, double-check it’s from an RD and backed by credible claims.

Aim for a healthy variety by including lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh produce throughout the week to keep meals interesting and nutritionally balanced.

Add a twist: Pick one fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before. Maybe it’s dragon fruit, leeks, fresh ginger, or shallots. Add it to one of your meals and note how you liked it!

Pro tip: Keep a journal of the recipes you’ve tried. Write down which ones you liked or didn’t like, what worked, what didn’t, and any tweaks you’d make if you cooked it again. 

Challenge #2: Create a focused shopping list  

Once you’ve chosen your recipes, it’s time to build your shopping list. This step is crucial. It keeps you organized and helps prevent impulse buys. It also saves you money because you’ll be less likely to waste food when you only buy what you need. 

• List only what you need for your planned meals.
• Group items by category (produce, refrigerated foods, dry goods) to make your trip smoother.
• Check your fridge, freezer, and pantry first so you don’t double up on staples. 

Mindset shift: Think of your list as a commitment to your health. Every item you write down is a step toward better eating. 

Challenge #3: Shop smart and stick to the plan  

This is the final hurdle. You’ve got your list—now stick to it! Here are some last pointers to keep in mind at the grocery store.

• Avoid the junk food aisles. The center aisles at the store are often filled with tempting snack foods, easy-to-make frozen meals, and other ultra-processed foods. And don’t be swayed by the candy offerings at the check-out line!
  
  
• Get to know your local grocery store. When you shop at the same store often, you’ll get familiar with the layout. The more you know it, the faster and more focused your trips will be. In time, you’ll be in and out of there in record time.

Pro tip: Eat a healthy snack before you go to the store. Shopping hungry is a recipe for impulse buys! 

Why this 3-step challenge matters 

When you plan, shop, and prepare your meals ahead of time, you’re doing more than just feeding your body. You’re also training your brain to prioritize your well-being. These small weekly wins will add up to big changes over time as your food planning becomes a healthy habit. And as you start to follow through on your healthy intentions, it’ll create a ripple effect on your overall health and happiness. 

Thanks for reading this article!

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References

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Recipes. The Nutrition Source. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/recipes/

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Dinner recipes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/dinner-recipes/rcs-20077151

Tiwari, A., Aggarwal, A., Tang, W., & Drewnowski, A. (2017). Cooking at home: A strategy to comply with U.S. Dietary Guidelines at no extra cost. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 52(5), 616–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.017

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. (2025, May 1). Team nutrition recipes. https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/recipes

 
This article was written by Jason Nielsen, edited by Stephanie Ruiz, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on October 30, 2025.