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One Week In Tokyo: A Foodie’s Guide To Eating In Japan

March 11, 2020 by Talia Koren

What’s your ULTIMATE foodie destination? For me, it’s Japan. I can’t wait to share everything I ate, saw and did during my one week in Tokyo!

Japanese food is my favorite. So when I planned a Japan trip last year, I wanted to focus on the food. Throughout the year I spent time studying the different food options in Tokyo and different styles of cooking online. When I arrived in Tokyo I knew exactly what to expect which made my experience so much better. I hope you’ll feel more inspired to visit Japan or more secure about what to expect after reading this post.

What's In This Post

  • The Brief Backstory Of My Trip To Japan
  • One Week In Tokyo Itinerary For A Solo Traveler
  • 10 General Tips About Eating And Getting Around In Tokyo
  • My Japanese Food Bucket List
  • The Top 10 Food Experiences I Had In Tokyo
  • Resources I Used To Plan My Epic Solo Trip To Japan
  • Cooking Classes And Food Tours To Try In Tokyo
  • Where I Stayed In Tokyo As A Solo Traveler
  • Useful Japanese Phrases
  • How Much I Spent In Tokyo

The Brief Backstory Of My Trip To Japan

Originally, I chose to travel to Japan by myself for an epic snowboarding trip. But you can’t just go to Japan for a week from NYC, so I tacked on four days in Tokyo on both ends of the snowboarding tour just to accommodate the shipping of my snowboard. Initially, I had no idea what I would do with those extra days in Tokyo, but I had months to figure it out (more on that later!).

The snow in Japan is usually incredible. My ski club organized a trip to Hokkaido a few years ago, but I couldn’t afford the trip. I was devastated. So I promised myself that I would get there eventually. Over the years I stashed $6,000 for this trip and meal prepping was a big part of that!

Unfortunately, the snow conditions didn’t cooperate this year. The good news? I got to spend more time eating. And I can’t wait to share everything I learned about Japanese food with you in this post!

One Week In Tokyo Itinerary For A Solo Traveler

Here’s a general overview of my itinerary! Feel free to click on anything to jump right to the details in this post. Note that in the middle of my time in Tokyo, I went to Morioka for a snowboarding trip which I won’t talk about in this post.

Red = it was on my food bucket list!

Day 0

  • Arrived in Narita in the afternoon, took the limousine bus to Shinjuku
  • Checked into my hotel
  • 7/11 for dinner – onigiri

Day 1

  • Breakfast at Mr. Donut – only breakfast place open at 6am
  • Shinjuku Station Exploring
  • Metropolitan Government Building – Tokyo views for free!
  • Lunch at Coco Ichibanya in Shinjuku
  • Isetan Basement Food Hall (click here for a guide) – picked up sushi and financiers
  • Don Quijote – dollar store, a must-visit! 
  • Dinner at Zundou-ya Shinjuku Shop (Ramen)

Day 2

  • Cooking class with Sato at Comburger + Nakano tour (5 hours)
  • Dinner in Ikebukuro at Hanamaru Udon
  • Tokyu Hands shopping: picked up pens, stickers and bento accessories

Day 3

  • Meiji Shrine – free park
  • Pancakes at Rainbow Pancake house in Harajuku
  • Window shopping in Harajuku – lots of vintage shopping and streetwear! 
  • Ueno – Ameyoko Market – lots of snacks, spices and small restaurants
  • Izakaya tour in Shinjuku with Ninja Food Tours

Day 4*

  • Sushi at Kinka in Roppongi (with a friend!)
  • Tokyo Station: Ekibenya Matsuri (bento store) + Ramen Street (here’s the place with vegan ramen I tried)
  •  Shinkansen to Morioka (*I spent 7 days there! then went back to Tokyo)

Day 5

  • Okonomiyaki at Teppanyaki Okonomiya Masaru (Osaka style)
  • Kappabashi Street in Asakusa – a street full of kitchenware stores!
  • Sensoji Temple – very touristy, but so cool.
  • Bento Cooking Class in Omori via Air Kitchen

Day 6

  • Lunch in Shimokitazawa at Bassanova
  • Coffee at Bear Pond Espresso
  • Candy and snack shopping at Niki No Kashi
  • Omakase dinner at Ichiyanagi – reserved through Tableall

Day 7

  • Tsukiji Outer Market Tour via Airbnb Experiences
  • Itoya – stationery Store
  • teamLab Borderless – a digital art exhibit
  • Yakiniku dinner at Jiromaru in Shinjuku – it’s solo yakiniku! And you stand while eating.
  • Cocktails at Ben Fiddich – custom cocktails, no menu. Loved it

Day 8

  • Ichiran Ramen for breakfast
  • Shinjuku Gyoen National Park – $5 to get in, but worth it
  • Back to Narita to head home! 

10 General Tips About Eating And Getting Around In Tokyo

I learned a lot prior to coming to Japan to make my trip easier. Here are some of the tips and tricks I found most helpful in restaurants and in general while visiting Tokyo as a tourist who doesn’t speak Japanese.

1. A Suica pass is essential.

It’s your key to convenience – literally! You can load money on it via the mobile app (it syncs up with Apple wallet), shop at convenient stores wit hit and it gets you on all the metro lines you’ll need to scoot around Tokyo. 

2.  English menus are somewhat common.

You’ll be okay for the most part! Generally, restaurants have pictures on the menus so you can at least point to what you want. You can also ask for a recommendation!

3. A few apps can get you far in Tokyo

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps both worked great while in Tokyo. I downloaded but never used Hyperdia. Google Translate is good for communicating with people when you need to, but useless (but good for a laugh) when it comes to trying to translate menus. And a Yen to USD converter app was extremely useful! There are a bunch of free ones on the app store.

4. Renting Wifi at the airport was the best thing I did on this trip!

It was a last-minute decision (you can do it at the airport) and it was worth the ~$100. Free (and secure) wifi isn’t always easy to find in Japan. Being a solo traveler, I was happy to always be connected no matter what.

5. Get a hotel with coin-operated laundry!

That way you can pack light and save lots of room for souvenirs.

6. If there’s a line for a restaurant or food stand and you have time, get in it.

Chances are it’s amazing (it worked out every time for me!)

financiers

I waited in line for 30 minutes for these financiers at Isetan and it was worth it!

7. Yelp won’t help you in Tokyo

Instead, they use Tabelog and Google reviews. If you see a 3 star rating online for a restaurant, it actually means that place is pretty good! I read over and over again that Japanese people rate restaurants a little differently.

8. Gift giving is a thing in Japan

If you stay with an Airbnb host or take cooking classes/do food tours, I highly recommend bringing something small (even if it’s just a snack from your home country) to give to your guide or host – since they’ll probably give you one too. I got small gifts from many people I met during my trip! It was very touching.

9. When in doubt, watch the locals.

I found myself in many situations where I didn’t know how to eat something or didn’t know what to do. Taking a minute to watch others do it first helped me feel more confident!

10. If you have food allergies, Japan can be a tough place to find good food.

Soy, gluten, dairy, eggs, fish and meat are pretty common in Japanese dishes and they aren’t very allergen-friendly yet. So it’s advised that you print out a card that dictates your allergies in Japanese to show to restaurant staff before you order food!

Also, learn about Japanese food etiquette before you go! Learning how to use chopsticks is a good idea too.

My Japanese Food Bucket List

As I mentioned, I did a lot of research before going to Japan. Below, I’ll share some of the resources I used! But along the way, I came up with having a food bucket list. The bucket list made its way into my notebook, where I could check things off and journal about my experiences. The list grew during my trip, and I was able to check all but one thing:

japanese food bucket list

All but one thing!!

On the list: sushi, yakitori, udon, katsu, gyoza, ramen, okonomiyaki, shabu shabu, curry, department store meal, matcha, convenient store/drug store breakfast pancakes, onigiri, ekiben (bento), tempura, omakase meal, soba, matcha ice cream, mochi, takoyaki, 7/11 meal (and snacks), ichigo daifuku, kit kats, korokke, fried chicken, Japanese cheesecake, curry bun and yakiniku.

When you travel, making a bucket list like this is so fun! It really helped make the food experiences more memorable.

The Top 10 Food Experiences I Had In Tokyo

10. Onigiri (rice balls) & Convenient Store Food In General

This was the first thing I ate when I arrived in Japan – from a 7/11 next to my hotel. It comes wrapped up in plastic (like most things in Japan) and you have to open it a certain way to make sure the nori (seaweed) wrapped around the rice ball stays intact. Don’t worry if that’s news to you – I had no idea and opened it completely wrong. It felt weird to bite into a ball of rice at first, but it was so comforting! These were my go-to breakfast throughout my trip.

9. Hotcakes (pancakes)

I was told many times that the pancakes (called hotcakes) in Japan are next level and it’s true – they’re amazing. I enjoyed this stack of strawberry pancakes at Rainbow Pancake in Harajuku, one of the coolest places to people-watch in Tokyo if you like crazy fashion. These pancakes are different from what we normally find in a diner or our own kitchens on a Sunday morning because they’re made souffle style. Egg whites are beaten until stiff, then folded into the batter. It seems like a lot for a pancake but it’s worth it. My pancakes were topped with a strawberry cream with strawberry ice cream, butter and strawberry preserves. If you’re a breakfast lover, definitely try pancakes in Japan!

8. Omakase Meal

Omakase means “I leave it up to you.” It’s a meal where the chef decides the menu — there is no actual menu for customers to read and choose from. In my case, my omakase experience involves a 20-course meal with sushi and small plates. It was one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had! I got to sit right in front of the sushi chef and watch him work, lead his staff, check on his guests and chat with his regular customers. The food was delicious and the experience as a whole was worth every penny (this cost about $350! more than the cost of one month of groceries for my partner and me).
sushi omakase

7. Teba Gyoza (gyoza stuffed chicken wings)

Before joining this Izakaya food tour via Airbnb Experiences, I had no idea teba gyoza existed. It definitely wasn’t on my radar before I left, but now that I’ve had it, I realize how special it is! teba gyoza is a fried chicken wing that’s stuffed with filling you’d normally find in gyoza – it’s delicious as it sounds. An Izakaya is a bar where you can enjoy small Japanese plates (like tapas) and cold beer. Izakayas are a big part of the nightlife culture in Japan and it was so cool to experience a bunch of them on the food tour.

6. Japanese Curry

I love how every Asian country has a different style of curry. You might know that curry is one of my favorite meals to make at home, and we’ll definitely feature a Japanese curry in the WWL Program soon. At one of the ski resorts, I enjoyed fried chicken curry with rice. It’s one of the most comforting foods I’ve ever had. The texture of the fried meat with the saucy curry and chewy rice is on another level.

5. Okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancake)

Okonomiyaki is one of the dishes you’ll read about over and over if you’re planning a trip to Japan. It’s a savory pancake made with cabbage, a little wheat flour batter, pork, eggs, green onion and after that? Whatever else you want – kind of like pizza. There are 2 types of okonomiyaki: Hiroshima style and Osaka style. The main difference is that the Osaka style involves mixing all the ingredients together before cooking it, and Hiroshima style is all about layering the ingredients. We had Hiroshima style with mochi and cheese. On top is tons of “sauce” (Japanese BBQ sauce) and nori. It truly is soul food!

4. Ramen

My first ramen experience was a little intimidating! I had to order ramen from a machine, then bring a printed out ticket to the waitress inside. Luckily, there’s an English menu! Eating (and slurping) ramen properly is also kind of intimidating if you don’t know how to use chopsticks well like me. I have no idea why this ramen tasted so good (I have a hunch it’s the broth) but it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted and I could have kept eating this forever.

3. Sushi

It’s official: Japan has ruined sushi for me. It’s just different. In most American sushi restaurants, you can get some pretty crazy rolls with tons of ingredients. But in Japan, the focus is on the fish and the rice. It’s so fresh! It doesn’t need anything else. My favorite part of eating sushi in Japan is that the wasabi is already mixed into the sushi! Japanese food isn’t spicy at all, so the wasabi they add is really the perfect amount of heat.

2. Ekiben (station bento)

An Ekiben is a bento meal (usually lunch) that you buy at the station before a long train ride, making it the ideal option for the bullet train. That’s exactly what I did on my way up to the mountains from Tokyo. I went to Ekibenya Matsuri (a bento shop in Tokyo Station) and picked out a bento from the “recommended” section. All I knew for sure is that it had chicken in it. Everything else was a (delicious) surprise, especially the sweet potato in the sweet section. The experience of eating this bento on the train while watching the landscape change from the bustling city to open fields and mountains was just beautiful.

1. Homemade Miso Soup & Teriyaki Chicken

On my second day in Tokyo, I took a cooking class at Comburger with Sato. Sato is a very experienced Japanese home cook who comes from a long line of restaurant and food workers, speaks perfect English and has hundreds of 5-star reviews. He holds cooking classes in his home in Shinjuku for a maximum of four people at a time. I was lucky enough to get a 1:1 class! Sato taught me how to make miso soup from scratch, the most perfect teriyaki chicken you’ve ever seen, Japanese rice with veggies and fried fish cakes. Of course, this meal takes the #1 spot because we made it all! There’s nothing better than home cooking. I’ll never forget this experience and I can’t wait to make this at home (and develop a meal prep version!). And just look at this impeccable table setting:

The food I ate in Japan really opened my eyes to different flavor combinations, ways to use flavor and why the rituals around food are so important to different cultures. Japanese food is all about balance and that’s something I want to bring back to my kitchen at home.

Resources I Used To Plan My Epic Solo Trip To Japan

Abroad in Japan Podcast

Chris Broad and Pete Macdonald host Abroad in Japan, a podcast where you can learn everything about what it’s like to live in Japan without actually going there. I listened to almost every episode before heading out and learned to love Chris and Pete’s sense of humor. Chris, who is originally from England, also has a YouTube channel dedicated to life in Japan since moving there.

Paolo From Tokyo

I love Paolo! He’s very passionate about Japan, easy to watch and has probably a decade-worth of content to watch — all about life in Japan and traveling in Japan. He helped me a lot prior to my trip!

TabiEats

For more food-focused content, I loved watching the duo behind TabiEats. They get into more specifics behind the food culture in Japan compared to other channels!

I read a ton on of blogs too! You can pretty much google any question you have about traveling in Japan and I can promise you that someone out there has answered it.

When it comes to booking reservations, tours and classes in Japan, here are the sites that helped:

  • Voyagin – I booked my transportation from Narita to my hotels via this site.
  • Viator – I originally booked food tours through this site, but they were canceled due to lack of sign-ups in my case, thanks to the coronavirus and low tourist season in general
  • Tableall – I used this site to reserve a table at a Michelin star sushi restaurant and would totally do it again
  • Airbnb Experiences – this is great for finding last-minute classes and tours
  • Air Kitchen – great for local cooking classes
  • Cookly – more cooking classes here (with ratings)

Cooking Classes And Food Tours To Try In Tokyo

During my stay, I got to experience two cooking classes in Tokyo. Both of them were in my top 5 meals while visiting!

A cooking class with a local person (no matter where you travel) will give you key insights into the food and culture from a different angle: cooking at home. You’ll be able to ask specific questions about the food and traditions that you may not have otherwise been able to find out, especially with the language barrier!

Learning how to make teriyaki chicken with Sato at Comburger

Sato is an awesome teacher. He’s very warm, welcoming and knowledgeable as I mentioned above! Sato’s class was an incredible introduction to Japanese home cooking. He gave me enough confidence to try making authentic teriyaki chicken and miso soup at home, plus he inspired me to buy my very own donabe.

Cost: $98 – includes a meal and post-class tour!

sato comburger tokyo cooking

Mastering the art of bento meals with Junko

This was a last-minute decision when I found out I’d have an extra day in Tokyo thanks to bad weather in the mountains. I found Junko and her cooking classes via Air Kitchen. When I saw the menu on her bento class (onigiri, ichigo daifuku, karaage, etc) I knew I had to take this class. Junko is so sweet, approachable and loves food.

Cost: $57 – includes a meal!

I’m lucky that I was able to take what I learned in these classes and apply it to one of our special Workweek Lunch Meal Plans!

Click here to learn more about getting access to meal plans like this.

Hitting four Izakaya restaurants with Ninja Food Tours

Izakayas are bars that serve small plates (like Japanese tapas) and the more I read about them, the more they intimidated me as a solo traveler. Some eating experiences in Japan are great for solo travelers, and some are better for groups. This is definitely better for groups! A food tour was the best way to experience Izakaya eats as a solo traveler.

Ninja Food Tours offers tons of foodie experiences and I highly recommend going with them for food tours in Japan! We hit four Izakaya places and tons of food: yakitori, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, gyoza and lots of beer.

Cost: $90 – includes all the food and drinks!

yakitori at an izakaya japanese food tour

Experiencing the Tsukiji Outer Market with Ami

When doing research about Tokyo, the Tsukiji Market came up a lot. I learned that the actual fish market (aka inner market, where fisherman auction off freshly caught fish) has moved to a new location and has a completely different experience for tourists, but the outer market still remains. It’s a great way to learn about the history of the market and the way fish is caught and sold throughout Japan. I learned a lot about drinking and social culture with my awesome tour guide, Ami, who was super nice and knowledgeable!

Cost: $90 – includes food and sake!

fish at the tsukiji market in japan

Where I Stayed In Tokyo As A Solo Traveler

I was able to book hotels with credit card points for this trip.

My first hotel was Sotetsu Fresa Inn in Higashi Shinjuku, about 15 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. I loved this hotel! The room was small, but perfect for a solo traveler. I think this chain is awesome for first-time visitors to Japan! There are locations all over Tokyo.

hotel room in tokyo

My second hotel was APA Kabukichuo, a business hotel right by the infamous Robot Restaurant (it’s a much busier area), about 5 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. This hotel was just okay. The room was smaller, more awkward and the overall experience isn’t one I’d recommend to first-time tourists. But I’m happy I stayed here during the second Tokyo leg of my trip, when I was already used to Japan a little more!

I spent one night at Ikebukuro Metropolitan (I had a random extra night) and decided to splurge on larger room with a view to work out of fo the day. It was an excellent experience and if you can splurge, it’s worth it! It’s steps from the Ikebukuro station.

view from hotel in tokyo

Useful Japanese Phrases

  • Onegaishimasu – do me this favor (polite way of asking for help – “u” is silent)
  • Sumimasen – excuse me or sorry (mostly when you bump into someone, not to ask for help)
  • Kore o kudasai – this please (while pointing – helpful for when pointing to a menu item or something in a store)
  • Arigato gozaimashita – past tense way of saying thank you (saying arigato alone is more casual)
  • Itadakimasu – something you say before a meal, it means something along the lines of “I received this food” (the “u” is silent)
  • Konnichiwa/Konbawa – good morning/good evening
  • Osusume wa nan desu ka – what do you recommend? (pronounced osusume wa nandeska)

How Much I Spent In Tokyo

Food, Drink & Restaurants for 8 days: $252

Transport in Tokyo for 8 days + airport shuttle: $84

Cooking Classes and Food Tours: $349 (pre-reserved)

Omakase Meal: $355 (pre-reserved)

Entertainment & Shopping: $219

Flights & Hotels: $0 (booked with points)

Wifi & Data: $229 (next time I’ll just get the wifi, not data)

Travel Insurance: $142

Misc/emergency/unexpected: $189

Total for this portion of the trip: $1,819

Total for my trip including the snowboarding guided tour (I spent 2 weeks total in Japan!): $6,139

I found it really easy to eat affordable, delicious meals in Tokyo! It’s amazing how convenience food is a much higher quality in Japan compared to other places (especially the US).

Thank you so much for reading this!

If you have any questions or tips to add, drop them below in the comments!

Filed Under: Blog, Intuitive Eating Tagged With: japan inspired, tokyo, travel

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Workweek Lunch | Talia Koren
Yes, it’s definitely easier said than done but t Yes, it’s definitely easier said than done but this is basically it. 👇🏼
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It seems counterintuitive but the answer to binge eating isn’t more restriction.
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Restriction is generally what fuels binge eating a good amount of time, although not always. This post is meant to address binge eating as a result of restriction, not Binge Eating Disorder. Just to make that clear!
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And I’m sending compassion and virtual hugs to anyone who is currently dealing with binge eating in any form.
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I used to try so hard to avoid chocolate, peanut m&ms (my fave), bread, pasta, cereal and sweets in general by not having them in the house. But guess what I used to think about ALL THE TIME? All the foods I restricted. And when I had an opportunity to eat them, I ate A LOT of them because I thought it was my last chance. Which led to more guilt and more restriction followed by, you guessed it! More binge eating. It’s such a rollercoaster.
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I started making peace with these foods by buying them for the house one at a time until I felt more in control around them. Until I forgot they were even there. Restriction gives food power over us. Permission does the opposite.
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Now I hardly ever binge eat thanks to incorporating all the foods I like into my daily/weekly eating routine AND eating regularly throughout the day, which is why I don’t get ravenous at night. It took time but I feel a lot better.
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Where are you in your journey when it comes to this? What are steps you’re taking/you’ve taken to help make peace with your binge foods?
It feels like a year went by since we put out last It feels like a year went by since we put out last Wednesday’s new meal plan. 😅
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It’s been a crazy and stressful time to be alive yeah? If this week you noticed a change in your appetite caused by stress - that’s NORMAL. Do your best to roll with it and practice self compassion. And maybe cooking can be a good distraction while also giving you an chance to take care of your future self.
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👈🏼Swipe through to see what we have featured this week in the WWL Program for members!
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👍🏼All of these recipes are either new or freshly updated! Lots to try, and if these don’t inspire you, we have HUNDREDS of meal prep recipes to choose from. You can create your own meal plans in our program! Yay flexibility!
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👇🏼We have:
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🍯Honey Dijon Salmon Greens & Orzo Bowls
(Vegan alt: Everything Tofu)
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🥦Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
(Vegan alt: Chickpea balls)
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🥕Sheet Pan Veggie Soup (vegan)
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🍓Berry Parfaits with Homemade Granola
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🧇Nut Butter & Jelly Waffles!
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❓Which are you excited to try? Share below!
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🙌🏼And if you want to dive in with this plan and our recipes, planning tools and private community, sign up for the WWL Program in my bio link! Can’t wait to see you inside and help you have a little less stress in your life.
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Photos and recipes by me and @pinkleme, our assistant recipe developer, meal plan production by @alyssalash28
This weekend’s prep was super fun and fairly eas This weekend’s prep was super fun and fairly easy! I still had plenty of time this weekend to enjoy the farmer’s market, watch movies with my partner, finish an audiobook and do some deep cleaning.
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👈🏼Swipe left to see the cost breakdown of what I spent on groceries this week. We consistently spend the most on produce each week thanks to having a stocked pantry!
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👇🏼MEALS
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BTW most of these might not end up in the WWL Program - more on that later! But I hope they give you some good inspiration.
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🥑Mission-Inspired Burrito Bowls with avocado, crema and pico de gallo on the side! I made the tastiest carne asada for this recipe in my cast-iron.
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🥦🧀Broccoli cheddar soup!
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🌯Roasted sweet potato and chickpea wraps with avocado, kale and radishes. These are meant to be eaten cold or room temp,
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🫐Homemade Granola Parfaits! These are coming to WWL tomorrow for members - learn more in my bio link. Yes, the granola did get soft but I didn’t mind!
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🍿Snacks: celery, homemade hummus, grapes and homemade popcorn.
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📆All of these meals will be eaten by Thursday! We reheat them in the microwave as needed.
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🤷🏻‍♀️I don’t know the calories because I don’t count!
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😍Feels so good to be back into a regular work/prep routine after the holidays and I’m super motivated by our personal financial goals for 2021 to keep going.
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❓Got questions about this prep? Drop them below!
When I stopped dieting (restricting food to be the When I stopped dieting (restricting food to be the smallest version of me) my world opened up.
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✨It was like all of the sudden I had the time and mental energy to focus on other things like side hustling, dating, planning my move to Colorado, exploring NYC with my friends more and reading more. Oh and learning how to cook with regular butter and flour. 👩🏻‍🍳That’s what I remember about that season of my life. I can’t believe how much time I used to spend in the gym, counting calories and generally avoiding social situations where there would be food  that was outside of my control. And the stress!! All that stress and guilt probably did more harm than what I was eating.
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✨Over the weekend I received more DMs than usual about my food choices and how I “balance” certain things I eat. The truth is I don’t think about it that much anymore. It’s taken years to get here but I can trust my body and thanks to cooking, it’s not a challenge for me to incorporate a variety of health-promoting AND flavorful ingredients.
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✨It’s hard to be fully present when our minds are cluttered with thoughts around food based in guilt and fear (thanks to diet culture). Health is important. But is the focus on it holding us back from actually just living?? We all end up in the same place - I know that’s morbid but it’s true.
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✨Something to think about: does the way you think about food serve you or hold you back? No judgement no matter where you are in your journey.
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✨And if you find the diet mentality helps you or is positive, I’m not here trying to change your mind. My aim is to help folks who may be ready to explore new ways to think about food outside of what’s “good” or “bad.”
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✨This mentality switch doesn’t happen overnight! But I hope this post helps you become more aware of how you think about food. Always come from a place of curiosity when it comes to your relationship with food, not judgement.
Here are mine, what are yours? 👇🏼👇🏼 . Here are mine, what are yours? 👇🏼👇🏼
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🙏🏼I hope if you’re stuck on what to make for the week, this can give you some inspiration.
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🙌🏼These are all easy, versatile and the types of meals I make when I need a break from recipe development - which sometimes requires me (and my assistant developer) to eat food we aren’t necessarily in the mood for. It’s part of the job!
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Stay tuned in stories to watch my meal prep session go down today!! Looking forward to this week already... hoping it’s better than the first week of 2021 🙏🏼
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RECIPES for these meals can be found in the WWL Program for members (except for the freezer preps - they’re not ready yet). Learn more about our weekly flexible meal plans, recipes and grocery lists in my bio link! You can jump in on a free trial before you commit.
Last Saturday I prepped 32 dinners for the freezer Last Saturday I prepped 32 dinners for the freezer and we cracked into a few of them this week! 😅Here’s how the freezer prep stir fry went down.👇🏼
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🥦I froze chopped chicken in soy sauce and honey (a very easy stir fry sauce), along with bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, garlic and ginger.
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😮You’re SUPPOSED to blanch veggies (flash cook them in boiling water) prior to freezing, but I didn’t. And it was fine.
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⏰We took the stir fry bag out of the freezer and put it in the fridge at 12pm and cooked at 6pm that day. So the ingredients were partially frozen. I think that’s why I overcooked my chicken - I thought it was more frozen than it was. This takes practice!
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🍜We cooked noodles on the side (my partner is obsessed with noodles) to go with this meal.
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👩🏻‍🍳Was it the best stir fry I ever had? No, mostly because of my chicken mistake. But it was still WAY better than the stir fries I tried to make when I first learned how to cook. And I’m excited to eat it again in a few weeks since we have another batch waiting for us in the freezer!
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🤷🏻‍♀️Also - we got 3 servings out of this. Not 2 like I was hoping for. But I’m not complaining! My partner enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day.
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👉🏼You don’t have to use a plastic bag for these freezer meals. As I explained in my previous post about freezer meals, this was our first go at this and I want to make sure we LIKE this method of cooking before investing money into specific reusable bags and containers for this. I’m all for using less plastic. And saving money. And being practical.
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🙏🏼I hope you find my sharing this experience useful! If you can’t prep full meals on the weekend, this method of freezer prep still helps save time, money and mental energy on busy weeknights.
It doesn’t matter how real I try to keep it here It doesn’t matter how real I try to keep it here on IG, it’s impossible to share everything. So this is a reminder that IG content is never the full picture! And perfect eating does. Not. Exist.
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😤Finding balance is soooo hard. And once you find it, something in life changes and you’re thrown off again. Circumstances change. Priorities change. The weather changes. And we can only control so much.
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🌮For me, balance is very much about meal prepping to reduce the stress of figuring out and dealing with every meal while leaving room for spontaneity.
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🗓If you’ve been here for awhile, you know I leave 1/3 of meals in my personal weekly plan open for random meals, takeout, etc.
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👉🏼Even in the WWL Program (more info in my bio link), our meal plans consist of 14-16 out of 21 planned meals per week (that you can change of course!) because planning every meal is unrealistic, miserable and will eventually lead to food waste.
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🍔I even plan around my cravings! If I’m craving a burger on a Tuesday but still have meals to eat that I prepped, I pencil in a burger date with my partner for later in the week. It helps us avoid food waste AND honor cravings. I’m not restricting by not “allowing” myself to eat a burger the moment I want it - I’m being practical and eating the food available to me first and having a burger later. This is a way I’ve built trust around my body and its cravings.
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💕TL/DR: food choices are personal. They’re different for everyone. You know what’s best for you. And You can never know the full story based on one IG post or one meal your friend/family member orders at a restaurant.
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Hope you have a relaxing weekend 🙌🏼
If you’re a member of the WWL Program this brand If you’re a member of the WWL Program this brand new meal plan is waiting for you in your inbox! 💌
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🌮Every week we share new and updated recipes so you never get bored and don’t have to spend too much time searching for meals that will inspire you (and also work for meal prep). I’m so excited for you to try our new curry taco recipe!!
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👉🏼About the WWL Program:
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🙌🏼It’s not a diet or lifestyle or reset or rigid plan. We provide a little structure but ultimately you choose what’s on your plate. The goal is to save you time, money and mental energy while eating homecooked food. NOT weight loss. 👉🏼We don’t even include calories or macros in the recipes.
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🗓Each meal plan we send covers 15/21 meals for the week. We leave meals open for you to move things around - also planning every meal for every day is miserable and unrealistic. So we don’t recommend it.
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✏️You can make your OWN custom meal plans and change the one we send out with our meal planning tools that work well on mobile, tablet and desktop.
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🍏A grocery list that you can change and email to yourself will automatically generate no matter how you change the meal plans making the process super fast and easy.
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👯‍♀️Lastly, we have an incredible private community for members that’s completely safe for those in eating disorder recovery. We just talk about meal prep and cooking, not dieting/restriction/weight loss etc. it’s pretty amazing!
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🔗Join today in my bio link! We offer a 7 day free trial and discounted long term memberships if you’re not into subscriptions.
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❓Got questions about this plan or the WWL Program? Drop them below!
Who here has been personally victimized by diet ad Who here has been personally victimized by diet ads in the last few weeks? 🙋‍♀️
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I've seen them on my feeds for intermittent fasting, keto, whole30 and more.
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Seeing these ads only adds fuel to the fire of wanting to overhaul everything in the new year, especially the way we eat and move.
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I'm here to tell you right now: there's absolutely nothing you *need* to fix about the way you eat and move right now.
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Overhauling doesn't work anyway. Too many changes at once lands you right back to where ou started in a few weeks or days.
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Instead, let's continue eating "normally" whatever that looks like for you. And if there's anything you want to adjust so you can feel better on the inside (feel more awake, feel more energized, feel more satisfied etc) do it in baby steps. Maybe that means actually eating breakfast in the morning. Maybe it means ending work 15 minutes early to get a satisfying dinner ready to go.
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Be realistic.
Be compassionate with yourself.
Lower the stakes.
Lower your expectations.
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I need to hear this advice too! I'm still struggling to get into a workout routine that feels doable. My sleep schedule is a mess. I have no idea how to relax properly. Luckily with meal prep, the way I eat is very consistent. 
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We already have enough stress on our plates with the new year and getting back into work and school. Eat the way you normally eat because we all have bigger fish to fry in 2021 than trying to arbitrarily shrink our bodies to meet today's insane beauty standards.
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