Real Food Experience Challenge – Week 5: Plan and Prep Simple Meals

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Welcome back to the Real Food Experience Challenge! If you’ve been following along, you’ve cleaned out your pantry, stocked it with real food staples, learned to read labels, and added more fresh produce to your meals. This week, we’re building on that foundation by learning how to plan and prep simple meals — because real food doesn’t have to mean complicated. If you are just finding us and want to start at the beginning, you can find our Week 1 Challenge here.

Why Meal Planning and Prep Matters

Life is busy. Between work, school activities, and family commitments, it’s easy to grab whatever’s fast — which often means drive-thru meals or ultra-processed convenience foods. Having a simple meal plan and prepping ahead removes that stress and sets you up for success.

Benefits of meal planning and prep:

• Saves time on busy weeknights
• Reduces food waste (and saves money!)
• Keeps you on track with real food goals
• Makes dinnertime less stressful and more enjoyable

This Week’s Challenge: Plan and Prep 3 Real Food Meals

Your challenge this week is to create a simple plan for three real food meals and prep ingredients in advance to make them easier to put together. We’re focusing on doable steps — no fancy meal prep marathons required.

Step 1: Choose Your Recipes

Pick three recipes your family will enjoy. Here are some from Juggling Real Food and Real Life to get you started:

• One Pot Smoked Sausage Pasta – A family favorite that comes together in one pot (less cleanup!).
• Easy Crockpot Applesauce – Perfect as a snack, side dish, or dessert.
• Chunky Monkey Smoothie – A quick breakfast or after-school snack packed with real food ingredients.
• Peach Mango Mint Iced Tea – A refreshing drink to serve alongside meals.

Step 2: Make a Simple Plan

Write down which recipes you’ll cook and when you’ll serve them. A magnetic board, printable meal planner, or even a sticky note works.

Example:

• Monday: One Pot Smoked Sausage Pasta
• Wednesday: Crockpot Applesauce + Roast Chicken
• Friday: Chunky Monkey Smoothies + Whole Grain Toast

Step 3: Prep Ahead

Do small tasks in advance to make cooking faster:

• Wash and chop veggies
• Cook a batch of rice or quinoa
• Mix smoothie ingredients in freezer bags
• Make sauces or dressings ahead of time

Even 10–15 minutes of prep can save you major time during the week.

Real Life Tips for Simple Meal Prep

• Double up: Cook extra and use leftovers for lunches.
• Mix and match: Keep staple ingredients (like cooked grains and roasted veggies) ready to combine in different ways.
• Start small: Prep just one or two components if a full meal plan feels overwhelming.

Your Real Food Experience This Week

Plan three real food meals and prep at least one ingredient ahead of time. Share your meal plan or a picture of your prep in the comments or our Facebook group — it’s inspiring to see how other families make it work!

Free Printable

Want help planning? Download our Real Food Weekly Meal Planner Template — perfect for busy families who want to keep it simple and real.