Meal Planning Guide¶
Anti-inflammatory eating made practical. Weekly prep checklists, sample menus, and shopping lists.
The Sunday Investment
2-3 hours of meal prep on Sunday saves 5+ hours during the week and eliminates the "what's for dinner?" decisions that lead to unhealthy choices.
Weekly Prep Checklist¶
Sunday Afternoon (2-3 hours)¶
2:00 PM — Start Bone Broth
- Place bones in slow cooker (chicken carcasses, beef bones, or both)
- Add rough-chopped vegetables: celery, carrots, onion, garlic
- Add 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (helps extract minerals)
- Cover with water, set on low for 24 hours
2:15 PM — Prep Vegetables
- Wash all produce for the week
- Cut vegetables for roasting (3 sheet pans worth):
- Broccoli florets
- Brussels sprouts (halved)
- Sweet potatoes (cubed)
- Red onion (wedged)
- Any other favorites
- Portion salad greens into containers
- Prep raw vegetables for snacking (carrots, celery, bell peppers)
2:30 PM — Cook Proteins
- Season chicken breasts (olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder)
- Grill or bake chicken (6+ lbs for the week)
- Season salmon fillets
- Grill or bake salmon (2-3 lbs)
- Brown ground beef with onions and garlic (3 lbs)
- Let proteins rest, then slice/portion
3:00 PM — Roast Vegetables
- Toss prepped vegetables with olive oil and sea salt
- Spread on sheet pans (don't overcrowd)
- Roast at 425°F for 25-35 minutes, stirring once
- Let cool before portioning
3:45 PM — Eggs and Extras
- Hard-boil eggs (12-18 for the week)
- Make golden milk concentrate (store in fridge)
- Prep any sauces or dressings
4:00 PM — Portion and Store
- Divide proteins into meal-sized portions
- Divide roasted vegetables into containers
- Label containers with contents and date
- Arrange in fridge for easy grab-and-go
Monday 2:00 PM — Finish Bone Broth
- Strain broth through fine mesh strainer
- Discard solids
- Pour into mason jars (leave 1" headspace if freezing)
- Refrigerate or freeze
Sample Week Meal Plan¶
Breakfast (Same Every Day for Simplicity)¶
Option A: Scramble - 2-3 eggs scrambled - Sautéed oyster/shiitake mushrooms - Handful of spinach or greens - 1/2 avocado - Mushroom coffee (lion's mane + cordyceps)
Option B: Simple Plate - 2-3 hard-boiled eggs - Sliced avocado - Leftover roasted vegetables - Mushroom coffee
Lunch¶
| Day | Meal |
|---|---|
| Monday | Grilled salmon over mixed greens, olive oil + lemon dressing |
| Tuesday | Chicken with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato |
| Wednesday | Ground beef over greens with avocado and salsa |
| Thursday | Salmon salad with mixed vegetables |
| Friday | Chicken stir-fry with leftover vegetables |
| Saturday | Creative (use remaining ingredients) |
| Sunday | Light lunch—big prep day |
Dinner¶
| Day | Meal |
|---|---|
| Monday | Baked salmon, roasted broccoli, sweet potato, bone broth |
| Tuesday | Grass-fed beef stir-fry with mixed vegetables |
| Wednesday | Chicken thighs, roasted Brussels sprouts, bone broth |
| Thursday | Salmon with maitake mushrooms, asparagus |
| Friday | Beef and vegetable soup (bone broth base) |
| Saturday | Grilled protein of choice, large salad |
| Sunday | Simple meal—prep day (leftovers or easy option) |
Snacks¶
- Hard-boiled eggs (2)
- Raw vegetables with guacamole
- Apple with almond butter
- Handful of walnuts or pecans
- Olives
- Bone broth (8 oz, warm)
Shopping List Template¶
Proteins (Weekly)¶
□ Chicken breasts or thighs — 6 lbs
□ Wild-caught salmon — 2-3 lbs
□ Grass-fed ground beef — 3 lbs
□ Eggs (pastured if possible) — 2-3 dozen
□ Bones for broth — 2-3 lbs
Vegetables (Weekly)¶
□ Broccoli — 2 large heads
□ Brussels sprouts — 2 lbs
□ Sweet potatoes — 4-5 medium
□ Red onions — 3
□ Yellow onions — 2
□ Garlic — 2 heads
□ Mixed salad greens — 2 containers
□ Spinach — 1 large container
□ Celery — 1 bunch
□ Carrots — 1 lb
□ Avocados — 5-6
□ Lemons — 4
Mushrooms (Weekly)¶
□ Shiitake — 8 oz
□ Oyster — 8 oz
□ Maitake (if available) — 4 oz
□ Lion's mane (if available) — 4 oz
Why These Mushrooms?
These culinary mushrooms are also medicinal. Lion's mane supports brain health and nerve regeneration; maitake and shiitake modulate immune function. See Medicinal Mushrooms for therapeutic dosing and supplement forms.
Pantry Staples (Monthly Restock)¶
□ Extra virgin olive oil
□ Avocado oil (for high-heat cooking)
□ Apple cider vinegar
□ Coconut aminos (soy sauce alternative)
□ Sea salt
□ Black pepper
□ Turmeric powder
□ Ginger powder
□ Garlic powder
□ Dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary)
□ Almond butter
□ Walnuts
□ Pecans
Frozen (Backup Supply)¶
□ Wild-caught salmon fillets
□ Grass-fed beef patties
□ Frozen berries (for occasional smoothies)
□ Frozen vegetables (emergency backup)
Bram's Go-To Recipes¶
Perfect Grilled Salmon¶
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillet (6 oz per serving)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Lemon
Instructions:
1. Pat salmon dry with paper towel
2. Coat with olive oil
3. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder
4. Grill skin-side down 6 minutes
5. Flip, cook 2-3 minutes more
6. Internal temp: 125°F (will carry over to 130°F)
7. Squeeze fresh lemon over top
Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables¶
Ingredients:
- Mixed vegetables (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet potato)
- Olive oil (2-3 tbsp per pan)
- Sea salt (1/2 tsp per pan)
- Optional: garlic powder, dried herbs
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces
3. Toss with oil and salt
4. Spread on sheet pan (don't overcrowd!)
5. Roast 25-35 minutes, stirring at 15 min
6. Edges should be caramelized
24-Hour Bone Broth¶
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs bones (chicken carcass, beef marrow bones, or mixed)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, rough chopped
- 2 celery stalks, rough chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Water to cover
Instructions:
1. Place bones in slow cooker
2. Add vegetables, bay leaves, vinegar
3. Cover with water (leave 1" headspace)
4. Cook on LOW for 24 hours
5. Strain through fine mesh strainer
6. Discard solids
7. Cool slightly, then refrigerate
8. Fat will solidify on top—remove or stir in
9. Store in fridge (1 week) or freeze (3 months)
Golden Milk Concentrate¶
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup ginger powder
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Mix all spices together
2. Store in jar
3. To make golden milk: 1 tsp concentrate + 8 oz warm coconut milk + honey to taste
4. Whisk until smooth
Simple Anti-Inflammatory Dressing¶
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in jar
2. Shake vigorously
3. Store in fridge up to 1 week
4. Shake before each use
Eating Out Strategy¶
When restaurants are unavoidable:
Safe Orders¶
- Grilled fish or chicken (ask for olive oil, no butter)
- Steak (grass-fed if available)
- Large salad with protein (dressing on side, use olive oil + lemon)
- Steamed or roasted vegetables (ask for no butter)
- Bunless burger with side salad
What to Avoid¶
- Bread basket (just say no thanks)
- Fried foods (inflammatory oils)
- Pasta and pizza (gluten)
- Creamy sauces (dairy, inflammatory oils)
- Desserts (sugar)
Scripts¶
"I have food sensitivities—can I get this grilled with just olive oil and salt?"
"Could I substitute the fries/bread for a side of vegetables?"
"I'm avoiding gluten and dairy—what would you recommend?"
Budget Considerations¶
Priorities (Where to Spend More)¶
- Wild-caught fish — Avoid farmed salmon (inflammatory omega-6 ratio)
- Pastured eggs — Better fatty acid profile
- Grass-fed beef — When possible, or at least for ground beef
- Organic leafy greens — Highest pesticide load in conventional (see EWG Dirty Dozen)
- Quality olive oil — Real EVOO, not blended/adulterated
Where to Save¶
- Conventional "clean" produce — Avocados, onions, sweet potatoes (thick skins)
- Frozen vegetables — Often cheaper, same nutrition
- Whole chickens — Cheaper per pound than breasts, use carcass for broth
- Bone broth — Make your own vs. buying (10x cheaper)
- Bulk nuts — Buy in bulk, store in freezer
Weekly Budget Estimates¶
| Tier | Weekly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $75-100 | Conventional produce, fewer fish meals |
| Moderate | $100-150 | Mix of organic/conventional, regular fish |
| Premium | $150-200+ | All organic, grass-fed, wild-caught |
Common Challenges¶
I don't have time to cook every night
That's why meal prep exists. Sunday prep means weeknight "cooking" is just reheating. 5 minutes to assemble a meal from prepped ingredients.
My family won't eat this way
Cook the base meal anti-inflammatory, add their preferences on the side. Example: You eat salmon + vegetables; they add rice or pasta to their plate.
I travel for work frequently
Pack snacks (nuts, hard-boiled eggs). Research restaurants near hotel in advance. Request fridge in room for storing healthy options. Consider portable protein powder for emergencies.
This seems expensive
Compare to: medical bills, lost work time, medications, eating out. Prevention is cheaper than treatment. Start with budget tier and upgrade what you can.
I get bored eating the same things
Rotate proteins weekly. Try new vegetables. Experiment with spices and herbs. Same template, different variations.
Printable Weekly Planner¶
WEEK OF: _____________
MEAL PREP COMPLETED: □ Yes □ Partial □ No
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snacks
--------|-----------|------------|------------|--------
Mon | | | |
Tue | | | |
Wed | | | |
Thu | | | |
Fri | | | |
Sat | | | |
Sun | | | |
SHOPPING LIST:
Proteins: _________________________________
Vegetables: _______________________________
Mushrooms: ________________________________
Pantry: ___________________________________
Other: ____________________________________
NOTES:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Continue to Supplement Schedule or return to Resources