AIP Meal Planning 101

Get Ready for Some AIP Meal Planning 101!

It seems like every home workout plan, nutrition guru, and wellness channel on social media sticks to one basic concept: meal planning. The reason this seems to be the common denominator is because meal planning is key to a diet routine being successful.

The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol is no different! In fact I’d say the number one factor that helps not just my nutritional coaching clients, but myself as well, stick to the protocol and find huge success with it is meal planning!! (I’d even be so bold as to say meal planning is an AIP must.)

By keeping these how-to tips and methods in mind, you can make the entire meal planning and prepping process easier. You can also ensure you have everything you need, beyond the food, to get you on the right meal prep and planning track.

If you are new to meal planning for the AIP, here are a few things to know before implementing it into your routine:

Start With a Master Food List

The first place to start with meal planning for the AIP is with a master food list. I’ve gathered a Yes/No Foods List to help make it as easy as possible for you (as well as a FREE 7 day AIP Meal Plan) to help you get started. You can grab it right here!

You can print these out, or you can totally make your own list instead! Ideally what you are doing is:

1. Narrowing down the foods you CAN have on the AIP
2. Omitting the foods you are allergic to
3. Discluding the foods you do not particularly like (though I encourage you to try new foods on the protocol…because nutrient density ROCKS)
4. Including the foods you have never tried (see above…wink)

This master list will help you narrow down your recipes and get foods for your meal planning that work for you personally. You can also mark down how you plan to use each of these ingredients, if you’re feeling like you’d prefer to get even more prepared and organized, but that’s totally not required!

Consider Your Goal

Make sure you consider your goals with your meal planning. For example, you may be looking for a way to reduce your stress during the week. Meal planning may offer you more downtime and more time to enjoy being with your family.

Then again, you may be following a different version of the protocol for underlying conditions or gut co-infections (like ketogenic AIP or Low FODMAP). If either of those are the case, you want to keep an eye on either carbs and/or high FODMAP foods, respectively.

Overall, consider long-term, short-term, and overall goals before you start meal planning. Write down your goals, too!

Timeframe Planning

Considering your timeframe is something that goes along with meal planning basics. You need to make sure that you are planning for a set amount of days.

Most people do weekly meal planning while larger families may do planning for the whole month. The time frame along with the food lists and goals can greatly affect your budget, so considering a timeframe is vital.

I’ve personally found for myself and for my clients that planning for 1 week at a time, combined with dividing up batch cooking between two days of the week (like on Sundays and Wednesdays) works like magic!! It’s simpler, less overwhelming, and helps you delegate the workload to different days of the week.

All the meal plans inside my 30-Day AIP Back to Basics Program use this life-changing method. Learn more about how to get back basics with an AIP reset for 4 weeks!

Helpful Tools and Accessories For Meal Planning

Before you get started on meal planning, there are some tools you will likely want to have on hand. Some of these are simply for prepping ingredients to store them in your pantry or refrigerator, while other tools are for when your meal planning turns into actual cooking and preparing meals, then freezing them.

A Good Quality, Sharp Chef’s Knife (+ a Sharpener)

This kind of knife can range from just $10 to over $200, but you definitely don’t have to spend big bucks in order to get a good quality cutting utensil.

For example, I have an 11-year old Farberware knife that I found at my local grocery store for just $13. It’s one of my favorites that I use several times per week (and I even use it more often than an expensive German knife that was a gift…don’t tell my family, LOL!).

Be sure to sharpen your knife every month or so. A sharp knife actually causes less accidents in the kitchen versus a dull, unmaintained knife. So sharpen away and hone those knife skills!

BPA-Free Containers

One thing many people do not consider about meal planning are the containers they will be using. This can make a big difference in how you plan out your meals. Most people do use containers that have several slots for protein, vegetables, fruits, and sauces. If you will primarily be doing full meals, then these are ideal. You may also want bento boxes, soup containers, or other options. Consider what types of meals you want to have and then make sure you have the containers for them.

Be sure to check that your containers are not just food-safe, but also free of the toxin known as BPA. BPA is known to leach into your food and cause a slew of health issues, including endocrine disruption and hormone imbalances.

I love Pyrex and Anchor glass containers because I can cook, freeze, refrigerate, store, and reheat – all in the same container!

Utensils

You will also need some good spatulas for cooking, and preferably wooden or silicone-coated tools (not BPA-plastic) that don’t stick to pans or melt under the heat.

Additionally, have extra measuring spoons and cups for everything.

Spiralizer

This is huge right now because so many people are not only trying to be healthier, but cut their carbs as well. When you use veggies as your pasta, such as zucchini, you are able to add more veggies to your diet while still having your favorite “pasta” dishes.

Try spiralizing AIP veggies like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, daikon, beets, yellow squash, you name it! Smother them in this tomato-free Carrot Marinara or my dairy-free, nut-free AIP Pesto Sauce, then add some crumbled ground beef for an anti-inflammatory spin on pasta.

How to Begin Prepping Meals Beforehand

Meal prep and planning is not just about cooking and throwing the meals into a container. There are certain things you need to do to begin prepping meals before you even start cooking. These basics will help you keep to a meal plan and help you budget it out before heading to the store.

Set Aside a Day

The key to making meal prepping work before you even start is to set aside a day for the prep and cooking. You may think that prepping should not take long, so you could do the next day of food the night before.

The truth is that it can become very stressful over time and you may forget something or just not feel like doing it. Also, consider that life gets in the way sometimes. Picking one or two evenings, or afternoons or mornings, per week – and sticking to it – will help you get through the week of prep and make sure you don’t overlook anything or become too stressed.

Cook Like-Temperatures Together

One way to speed up the process and make sure that everything is cooked properly is to cook foods of similar temperatures together. For example, if you are baking chicken that takes twenty minutes at 375 degrees, you can also bake sweet potatoes that take an hour and a half at the same temperature.

The key is to set up timers to ensure you are taking out the foods at the right time. This will save on energy costs since you will be running the oven for less time and cooking the same amount of food.

Have Containers on Standby

Make sure your containers are on standby and ready to go. You will want to dish out the food for your meals all at once and have everything ready to go into the fridge. You should also make sure the containers are ready for all the meals you are making.

This will make sure that you have everything you need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner prep and you aren’t halfway through before you realize you have forgotten something. You will also want to mark each container with the food type, any special instructions, and the time for the food such as breakfast or dinner if you feel that helps you stay better organized.

AIP Meal Plan Recipes to Try Out

If you have been meal planning for a while, you may have already hit a point where your meal preps are not appealing any longer or are getting kinda ho-hum. You may be feeling burnt out on certain meals or certain foods.

You might also find that these meals are not giving you as much energy or fulfillment as they once did, and this is often because you aren’t switching up the nutrients. In those cases, it’s time to break free from your stand-by recipes and try something new and adventurous! Below are some delicious AIP meal plan-friendly recipes to try out and see how they work for you!

Quick & Easy AIP Breakfasts

AIP Side Dishes

My Favorite AIP Batch Cooking Recipes

AIP Work from Home Snacks

My Favorite AIP Store-Bought Snacks

I hope you feel more prepared to plan after reading this AIP Meal Planning 101!

If you found any one tip particularly helpful, or if you have some tips of your own to share with me, I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below.