How to create a meal plan for someone tailored to their needs

December 30, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the USDA, up to 40% of food is wasted annually in the United States, a figure that proper planning can significantly reduce. Creating a custom meal plan is a proactive strategy to address this while also ensuring healthier, more intentional eating for someone and their family.

Quick Summary

A structured approach to creating a customized meal plan addresses individual health goals and dietary needs. The process involves assessment, goal-setting, grocery budgeting, and strategizing efficient meal preparation to reduce stress, save money, and improve overall nutrition and well-being.

Key Points

Start with an Assessment: Before anything else, understand the individual's health goals, allergies, schedule, and preferences to build a personalized plan.
Set SMART Goals: Use the Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound framework for objectives to ensure a clear and realistic direction.
Meal Planning vs. Prepping: Understand that planning is the strategy (what to eat), while prepping is the action (preparing food in advance).
Build in Flexibility: Account for busy days or unexpected changes by scheduling 'leftover nights' or having simple 'Plan B' recipes on hand.
Involve the Individual: Including the person in recipe selection and planning significantly increases their adherence and enthusiasm for the plan.
Create a Streamlined Grocery List: Organize your shopping list by grocery store section to save time and reduce the likelihood of impulse purchases.
Regularly Evaluate and Refine: After each week, review what worked well and what could be improved to continuously optimize the meal plan over time.
Master the Basics First: For beginners, start with simple, familiar recipes before introducing more complex dishes to build confidence.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Meal Planning

Before you can effectively plan meals for someone, you need to grasp the core concepts. Meal planning is the organizational phase where you decide what to eat for a set period, while meal prepping is the hands-on preparation of those meals in advance. Combining both creates a highly efficient system that removes daily decision-making stress.

Assess the Individual’s Profile

This critical first step involves gathering all the necessary information to create a truly personalized plan. This goes beyond simple preferences and delves into specific nutritional requirements.

Health Goals: Are they aiming for weight loss, muscle gain, or simply better overall health? The target will shape the caloric and macronutrient structure.
Dietary Restrictions and Allergies: You must identify any allergies (e.g., nuts, gluten), intolerances (e.g., lactose), or medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease) that require specific food choices.
Lifestyle and Schedule: A busy professional with no time to cook requires a different plan than someone who enjoys leisurely weekend cooking. Consider their daily routines and cooking skills.
Preferences and Budget: Likes and dislikes are crucial for sustainability. If the person doesn’t enjoy the food, the plan won't be followed. Also, ensure the plan respects their financial constraints.

The Step-by-Step Meal Planning Process

Follow these steps to construct a reliable and sustainable meal plan:

Set Specific, Realistic Goals: Don't just aim to 'eat healthier.' Use the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, 'add one serving of vegetables to dinner each night for the next week'.
Choose a Planning Period: Decide whether to plan for a few days or a full week. For beginners, a week is often manageable.
Involve Them in the Process: To increase adherence, involve the person in selecting recipes. This also helps with family meal planning, where everyone can contribute ideas.
Create The Menu: Based on the gathered information, select recipes. Start with familiar dishes and incorporate a few new, simple options to add variety without overwhelming.
Build a Master Shopping List: Consolidate the ingredients for all chosen recipes into a single list, organized by grocery store sections. This makes shopping efficient and reduces impulse buys.
Schedule Meal Prep Time: Dedicate a specific time slot for prepping ingredients or batch-cooking meals. This might include chopping vegetables, cooking grains, or preparing proteins.
Evaluate and Refine: At the end of the week, review what worked and what didn't. Did a recipe take too long? Did a particular meal not reheat well? Use this feedback to improve the next week's plan.

Comparison: Meal Planning vs. Meal Prepping

To clarify the difference between the two concepts, here is a comparison table:


Aspect	Meal Planning	Meal Prepping
Core Activity	Deciding what to eat and creating a grocery list.	Physically preparing food in advance.
Time Requirement	~30 minutes once a week.	A few hours set aside on a non-busy day.
Outcome	A structured menu and shopping list.	Cooked meals or prepped ingredients ready to use.
Primary Benefit	Saves money and reduces decision fatigue.	Saves time and simplifies busy weekday cooking.

Practical Meal Planning Strategies

Themed Nights: Assigning themes like 'Taco Tuesday' or 'Pasta Wednesday' reduces the number of decisions needed each week and helps streamline recipe searches.
Embrace Leftovers: Cooking larger batches of dinner can provide ready-made lunches for the next day, a simple and effective strategy.
Use Meal Prep Containers: Investing in good quality, portion-controlled food storage containers helps organize meals and keep them fresh throughout the week.
Keep it Simple: Especially when starting out, focus on simple dishes rather than complex, multi-step recipes. A protein, a grain, and a vegetable is a perfectly balanced meal.
Flexibility is Key: The best meal plan is one that accommodates real-life changes. Plan for leftovers or a simple 'Plan B' meal like scrambled eggs for nights when things don't go as expected.

Conclusion

Creating a meal plan for someone is a valuable act that promotes healthier eating, saves time and money, and reduces stress. The process is not a rigid chore but a flexible, customizable system that improves with practice. By assessing individual needs, setting clear goals, and implementing effective strategies like batch prepping, you can empower someone to build sustainable, nutritious habits for the long term. For more personalized, professional guidance, consider consulting with a qualified dietitian. The effort invested in a well-thought-out meal plan will pay off in improved health and a more relaxed daily routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

The first step is to thoroughly assess the person's needs. This includes understanding their health goals, identifying any dietary restrictions or allergies, and noting their lifestyle, schedule, food preferences, and budget.

Meal planning is the strategic process of deciding which meals to eat and creating a grocery list. Meal prepping is the physical act of preparing ingredients or full meals in advance to save time during the week.

To make a meal plan budget-friendly, incorporate budget-conscious ingredients like seasonal produce, dried beans, and lentils. Planning ahead with a list also prevents costly impulse purchases.

Plan 'build-your-own' meals, like tacos or pizzas, where picky eaters can choose their own ingredients. Incorporate familiar and well-liked dishes, and involve everyone in the planning process to boost enthusiasm.

If a meal plan isn’t working, evaluate what went wrong. Was it too time-consuming? Was the food disliked? Adjust recipes, simplify meals, and remember that flexibility is key. It's a continuous process of refinement.

Ensure the meal plan includes a variety of foods from all five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. A balanced approach also considers portion control and reducing foods high in saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars.

You can plan for any period that fits your routine, but weekly is a common and manageable frequency. Re-evaluating weekly allows for adjustments based on the past week's experience and upcoming schedule changes.