Meal planning sounds amazing in theory—cook once, eat all week, never stare into the fridge wondering what’s for dinner. But if you have ADHD, the whole process can feel like trying to organize a sock drawer during a tornado. Too many decisions. Too much prep. Too overwhelming.
So let’s simplify it. No color-coded spreadsheets. No hours of chopping. Just a simple, low-effort system to get meals on the table without stress.
1️⃣ Step One: Stop Trying to Plan for a Whole Week
ADHD brains struggle with long-term planning. Instead of mapping out seven meals, start with:
✅ 3 go-to dinners you actually like (rotate them each week)
✅ 1 flexible “whatever works” night (leftovers, breakfast-for-dinner, takeout)
✅ 1 backup emergency meal (frozen pizza, mac & cheese, something brainless)
🎯 The Goal: Less decision fatigue, fewer wasted ingredients, and an actual plan that works.
2️⃣ Step Two: The ADHD Grocery List Hack
Forget writing a new list every week—you’ll lose it anyway. Instead, create a Master ADHD Shopping List on your phone:
📌 Use the Notes app (or a checklist app)
📌 Save it as a reusable list with your staple foods already written down
📌 Add only 5-10 extra things each week
🔹 Bonus Tip: Organize it by store sections (produce, dairy, frozen) so you spend less time wandering.
3️⃣ Step Three: Prepping for Lazy People (aka Us)
You don’t need to meal prep like an influencer. Instead, do The Lazy ADHD Meal Prep Method:
✅ Pre-chop just one thing (onions, peppers, or whatever you use a lot)
✅ Batch cook protein (grill/bake chicken, brown ground beef)
✅ Use shortcut ingredients (pre-chopped veggies, frozen rice, rotisserie chicken)
💡 Remember: Small prep = big wins. Even just cooking extra portions for leftovers is ADHD meal prep.
4️⃣ Step Four: Make Meals Stupidly Easy
Instead of following complicated recipes, stick to meal formulas:
🥘 Protein + Carb + Veg + Sauce = Dinner
- Chicken + Rice + Broccoli + Teriyaki Sauce
- Ground Beef + Tortilla + Cheese + Salsa
- Pasta + Marinara + Sausage + Spinach
🎯 The Goal: No overthinking, just mix & match what you already have.
5️⃣ Step Five: Embrace the Chaos (Because Some Nights Will Be a Mess)
Even with a plan, some nights will be survival mode. And that’s okay. Keep these on hand for no-brainer meals:
✔ Snack Plate Dinner (cheese sticks, crackers, hummus, fruit)
✔ Frozen Dump Meals (walmart meals, frozen stir fry kits)
✔ Breakfast-for-Dinner (eggs, toast, yogurt)
💡 PRO TIP: Make peace with imperfection. Some nights, cereal is a meal. You’re still winning.
Meal Planning, but ADHD-Friendly
The key to meal planning with ADHD? Keep it flexible, low-effort, and brain-friendly. No complex systems, just a few small habits that make life easier.
💡 What’s your biggest ADHD meal planning struggle? Drop a comment below!
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