My February 2025 Challenge: Meal Planning
Here's what I learned
Hi, I’m Diana, the founder of Healthy Seniors, and I’m back with another monthly challenge! In January, I tackled the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day, and I have to say—it was a game changer. For February, it was time to shift gears and focus on something equally important: food.
This month’s challenge? Meal planning.
At Healthy Seniors, we believe that small, consistent habits lead to big health improvements, and meal planning is one of those habits that can truly transform the way we eat. But, full disclosure—I’ve never been great at it. Some days, I cook a balanced meal from scratch, and other days, I find myself eating a granola bar for dinner (don’t judge).
So, for 4 weeks, I committed to planning meals ahead of time and seeing if it actually made a difference. Here’s how it went.
The Meal Planning Challenge Begins
Week 1: Overcoming My Resistance
At first, I wasn’t sure where to start. The idea of planning out a whole week’s worth of meals sounded overwhelming. What if I didn’t feel like eating what I planned? What if life got in the way?
To ease into it, I set a simple rule: Plan three meals in advance instead of a whole week. That way, I had some flexibility without feeling locked into a rigid schedule.
I also took some advice from meal-prepping pros:
Pick easy, repeatable meals – I didn’t need to create gourmet dishes every night.
Use ingredients in multiple meals – If I bought spinach, it had to appear in at least two dishes.
Plan based on what I already had – Goodbye, expired pantry items.
Week 2: Hitting My Stride (Sort of)
By week two, I noticed something unexpected: I was saving money. Since I was actually using what I bought, I cut down on waste and avoided random impulse purchases (looking at you, fancy cheese aisle).
But there were still challenges. One night, I just didn’t feel like cooking. My solution? Batch cooking. I started doubling my recipes and freezing portions for future meals. That way, when I wasn’t in the mood to cook, I had a homemade meal ready to go.
My best discovery? Sheet pan meals. One pan, one oven, minimal cleanup. Absolute lifesaver.
Week 3: Finding My Favorites
By week three, meal planning started to feel natural. I found a rhythm that worked:
Monday & Thursday were cooking nights
Sunday was my prep day (chopping veggies, cooking grains, portioning snacks)
Friday was my flexible day (leftovers or a simple meal like eggs & toast)
I also realized that theme nights made life easier:
Meatless Monday – A veggie-packed dish (hello, roasted chickpea tacos)
Soup & Salad Wednesday – A warm soup with a side of greens
Slow Cooker Saturday – Dump ingredients in, let the crockpot work its magic
The real game-changer? Having a go-to list of 10 meals I loved. No more last-minute “what should I cook?” dilemmas.
Week 4: The Unexpected Perks
By the final week, I had more energy and noticed a few surprising perks:
Less stress about food. Knowing what I was eating removed daily decision fatigue.
Healthier choices. Since I planned meals ahead, I naturally picked more balanced options.
More mindful eating. I wasn’t just grabbing snacks mindlessly—I actually enjoyed my meals.
Of course, there were tough days. I still had nights where I didn’t want to cook, and I wasn’t always perfect. But overall? Meal planning worked.
Final Takeaways: What I Learned
✅ What Worked:
Keeping it simple. Three-day plans were easier than a full week.
Batch cooking and freezer meals Cooking once, eating twice (or three times) saved so much effort.
Theme nights. Less thinking, more cooking.
❌ What Didn’t Work:
Planning too much variety. I realized I don’t need a brand-new meal every night.
Skipping a grocery list. The one time I winged it, I forgot key ingredients.
This was my first attempt at meal planning, so I’m pretty proud of myself. And yes, I plan to continue doing this—not every single week, but definitely when I know I’ll have a busier period. It’s nice to have a system in place that helps me eat better without spending too much time thinking about it. Plus, knowing that I have easy, healthy meals ready to go makes those hectic days so much smoother.
What’s Next?
For March, I decided to do something really easy but with great benefits—writing down one reason to be grateful every day. I’ve actually tried this in the past, but never consistently. Some weeks I’d remember to jot down a few things, and then I’d forget for days (or even weeks). But this time, I want to challenge myself to stick with it for 30 days in a row—actually, 31, since March gives me an extra day!
I’ve read so much about the power of gratitude and how it can shift our mindset, reduce stress, and even improve health. So, I figured, why not give it a real shot? No fancy journals required—just a simple note on my phone or a sticky note on my fridge. Let’s see if focusing on gratitude every single day can make my days feel even brighter. Stay tuned for how it goes!
Your Turn: Try the Challenge!
I hope my monthly accountability exercise inspires you to try something new too! If gratitude journaling isn’t your thing, how about picking a simple challenge of your own for March? Maybe it’s drinking more water, stretching every morning, calling a loved one daily, or setting aside 10 minutes for relaxation. Whatever it is, commit to it for 31 days and see how it impacts your life. Let’s keep growing together—one small habit at a time! Let me know in the comments what you’ll be working on. 😊