I’ve done Whole30 a few times now. Sometimes I make it all 30 days, sometimes I don’t, but I always feel a lot better. The thing that overwhelmed me the first time was SO MANY RECIPES. It’s great that there are so many recipes but it can be really overwhelming. This time around I typed out a simple Whole30 plan and wanted to share it here.

Like I said, the first time around I started pinning recipes like crazy: breakfast, lunches, dinners, shopping lists, etc. But  the thought of making 3 new recipes a day for 30 days…. 90 new meals… made my head spin. The second time around I basically didn’t plan at all… which also wasn’t great because with no plan I lost steam a few weeks in. This time around I am doing a combo of too much planning and too little planning with a more simple approach. 

Another reason I am trying to simplify it is that I am trying to eat like this for more than 30 days and thinking this planning will help me get more into a routine. I am also starting knowing that I have a special trip mid month and giving myself a few days off without calling it quits…

As a busy mom of 5 kids, taking time to cook just for ME is not easy and really not feasible most days. So I also tried to make this simple Whole30 plan as family friendly as possible. Most nights the kids will be eating the same dinner or a moderated version using the same ingredients. When I use almond flour and ghee vs bread crumbs and butter they never notice the difference and actually like many of these recipes (and they’re not an easy crew of eaters). 

A little disclaimer before I share the plan: this is not a perfect Whole30 plan. There may be recipes that aren’t perfectly compliant, I like smoothies which I am not sure if Whole30 likes and there are probably other things not “perfect” about the plan. I am not a dietician and haven’t studied the Whole30 diet. I am a busy mom that wants to eat healthier after the holidays and that’s it! 

I hope this helps anyone else trying to start the year off on Whole30. I will be trying to share on Instagram the next month too: @thechirpingmoms 

Simple Whole30 Plan 

Whole30 Breakfast 

I really like eggs but if anything can make you sick of eating eggs, it’s Whole30 ha! I broke down breakfast into a list of 6 options with eggs and 4 options without eggs. There are 10 breakfast options, do them each 3 times and you’re set. 

With eggs:

1. Poached eggs with avocado and salsa 
2. Scrambled eggs and veggies 
3. Hard boiled eggs fruit salad 
4. Eggs and sweet potato home fries
5. Eggs, potatoes & turkey bacon
6. Make ahead egg muffins: I like these but there are tons of add ins. Make a batch and enjoy for a few days.

Without eggs:

1. Overnight Chia pudding: there are tons of recipes for this but basically: chia seeds & almond milk
2. Sweet potato avocado toast: thin sliced sweet potato in the air fryer topped with avocado (this recipe too)
3. Smoothies: use fruit & unsweetened almond milk 
4. Banana pancakes 

 

Whole30 Lunch Ideas 

I’ve got 5 recipes to share and 5 easy lunch ideas. Repeat them or mix in some of the breakfast ideas and you’re set. I know smoothies aren’t supposed to replace meals on a true Whole30 BUT sometimes it’s really not feasible for me to make myself a full 3 meals a day and replacing one with a smoothie works. I use only fruit and compliant almond milk in the smoothie. So often I do a smoothie for either breakfast or lunch. Some busy mornings I will do a smoothie for breakfast and then one of the breakfast options above as lunch. Whatever works! The recipes I picked are ones that I will make and have at least 2 days in a row because them make a lot and are easy to have the next day. 

5 simple ideas:

1. Tuna with shredded carrots, celery, lemon, salt & pepper 
2. Cobb salad: lettuce with tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon, hard boiled eggs, turkey or chicken, etc 
3. Sweet potato toasts: I like it with almond butter & sliced bananas and here are some more ideas 
4. Baked potato
5. Turkey Club or BLT on sweet potato toast or as lettuce wraps 

5 recipes:

1. Vegetable Soup
2. Cranberry Chicken Salad (sans wrap)
3. Warm Potato & Shredded Pork Salad 
4. Broccoli Cauliflower Salad 
5. Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

 

Whole30 Dinner Ideas 

For dinners I have a combo of simple ideas and recipes. I narrowed it down to 12 recipes as I think that’s a good amount to not get overwhelmed. If you add those to the simple ideas and make each thing more than once… you are set. Another reason I like to make recipes at least twice is to save money and reuse ingredients you have to buy. 

Simple Dinner Ideas:

1. Slow cooker Green salsa shredded chicken: boneless chicken in crockpot with 1 jar of salsa)
2. Slow cooker buffalo chicken: boneless chicken in crockpot with 1/2 cup hot sauce, tablespoon of ghee & garlic
3. Simple turkey or beef meat sauce over spaghetti squash
4. Baked potato: add chicken, ground beef, broccoli, etc. Use nutritional yeast for a bit of a cheesy taste
5. Sheet pan dinners: chicken (any kind!) with potatoes and veggie
6. Baked or grilled fish with potatoes and veggies 

Favorite Whole30 Recipes

1. Sweet Potatoes Stuffed With Shredded Pork, Kale, and Avocado
2. Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders (with salad)
3. Tuscan Sausage Soup
4. Greek Meatballs with tzatziki Sauce & sliced veggies
5. Taco Soup
6. Shepard’s Pie 
7. Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
8. Chicken Piccata 
9. Italian Wedding Soup
10. Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes 
11. Chicken Pot Pie Soup
12. Chicken & Broccoli 

Printable Whole30 Lists! Click the links above the images to download and print for free. 

I like a checklist. It helps me see a light at the end of the tunnel! For this, I listed the 10 breakfast and 10 lunch ideas above and you have each one 3 times to complete the month. Click here to download & print.

 

Not into checklists? Here’s a more simple version to print for reference during Whole30: Click here to download and print. 

And here’s a printable sheet of the dinner ideas above: click here to download and print. 

Looking for more?

For another entire Whole30 Meal Calendar, visit this post. Not doing Whole30 but looking for meal planning tips and calendars? We have a whole section of the blog for meal planning! Click here and browse: Meal Planning.