There are a million formulas for efficient planning. Below you will find some productivity hacks as the secret weapon for easy and convenient preparation to enjoy meals at home and on the go.

To start, figure out your best days to shop and cook, and schedule them on your calendar. You might want to shop one day and bulk-cook the next that way, everything you need will be on hand so you can focus on prepping and cooking.

If you find it overwhelming to map out a week’s worth of meals at once, you can plan on just three days’ worth of meals at a time. Then just schedule another shopping trip mid-week, utilising healthy prepared foods, and steamed, unseasoned vegetables. I personally love the

organic roast chickens at Whole Foods. You will come to know which stores stock the best prepared meals, and which you prefer.

When you come home from shopping, clean and prep your vegetables as you put them away. You can ask the bagger at the market to put all your produce in one or two bags. After putting the other groceries away, tackle your produce bag - wash, peel, chop and transfer to food

storage containers. It is so satisfying to peek in the refrigerator and see those colorful prepped veggies all ready to pop in a pan!

Another good strategy to ensure efficiency is to review the week’s receipts before you begin cooking, and do as much of the prep ahead of time as possible. Gather your ingredients and consider how you can be efficient while prepping. For example, if two recipes call for chopped onions, then chop enough for both recipes, or if three recipes call for cooked chicken, cook enough chicken for all three and divide it among recipes. Start with ingredients that take longer to cook first - like boiled eggs- and chop your vegetables while the eggs are cooking. Try to challenge yourself to cook as if you’re putting a puzzle together. How can I organize myself so everything is done on time and made with minimum number of pots and pans?

When you are putting dinner leftovers away, use this opportunity to pack lunch for the next day. It makes a world of difference when you’re rushing to work in the morning or are working from home jumping from meeting to meeting its good to have something on hand. In addition to getting your entree ready, also make sure you set aside some fruit or anything else you will want to add to your meal, so it’s all ready to go.

Lastly, if you know you have a crazy week ahead, plan a few healthy ordering in meals. Review the menu of your favorite restaurants online and choose the best options for the week. For instance I love to order from door dash my top go-to spots are, Clean Juice in Wyckoff for a quick shake, The Salad house in Ridgewood makes amazing salads and more, Bareburger in Ridgewood as their seasonal menu now offers healthy balanced bowls and salads and Titos burritos in Ridgewood also offers healthy bowls that you can create and ensure is balanced for a healthy meal. A little planning will support your body through its stressful week while helping maintain your health goals.