Plan

5 THM Things I Don’t Do

February 18, 2019 by Stacy Craft 2 Comments

5 THM things I don’t do according to the plan and the one thing that I always do in order to make the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle work for me.

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Trim Healthy Mama is a lifestyle (not a diet) that teaches you to basically alternate between low carb meals (S) and low fat with healthy carb meals (E). There are a few more details in the book but that is a very basic overview. The THM plan has worked well for me as a way to eat healthier and lose weight. However, many people find it complicated and difficult to follow.

I decided to share 5 THM things I don’t do that are mentioned frequently in the book or on the Facebook support groups. For me, simplifying the plan allows me to be more compliant. And therefore, lose more weight!

5 THM Things I Don’t Do

Let me start this off with a little disclaimer. These things that I don’t do are probably beneficial to some people. I am sure they help some people stay on plan or to lead a healthier lifestyle. I don’t want this post to sound like I am telling you not to do these parts of the plan.

I just want you to know that they are not necessary in order to succeed. The plan actually started based on the very simple principle of separating fuels (fats from carbs) and some of the newer and more complicated add ons may scare some people off from starting.

So if you like these 5 things that I skip, by all means do them. But if you are struggling with feeling overwhelmed, overworked in the kitchen or just scared to start, read this and know that you can make it work without all the special items and complicated meals.

1. NSI (No Special Ingredients)

If you have read many things on Protecting Your Pennies, you know that saving money is our thing! And one reason that I do not use many or any special ingredients is because of money. The special items tend to cost a lot more than just buying whole foods.

When I committed to the program, a change in my eating habits was my goal. So I stopped trying to eat like I was eating (meaning that I am not attempting to THMify a triple chocolate molten lava cake). And I started trying to eat healthy, simple and whole food meals.

So as opposed to trying to figure out how to take 10 ingredients to make a waffle or a cupcake, I just skip those things. And that is hard for me to say because I LOVE sweets. I choose to go off plan once in a while and eat a treat that will really be enjoyed. Yes it takes some willpower to hop right back on plan but it works for me.

The second reason that special ingredients are skipped in my house is the complication that they add to my life. You will read more about this in number 3. When I hop in the kitchen, I want quick and easy. I want foods I am comfortable with and know that will develop into a meal that my family will eat with no waste.

Special Ingredients Used at My House

While talking about 5 THM things I don’t do, I should probably include what I do purchase. There are a few personal choice items that make my life easier instead of complicating it! So for that reason, I do buy a few of those items fairly consistently. The best news is that these items are typically available at Walmart (and sometimes even Aldi).

Joseph’s Lavash Bread & Pitas

Mission Low Carb Tortillas

Halo Top Ice Cream

Stevia (I very rarely use this but I do usually have it in the pantry)

2. No Shakes, Trimmies, GGMS, Sippers

The first time I did THM and failed, I did try lots of the shakes and GGMS. While I don’t care for the GGMS, many of the shake recipes that I tried from the cookbook were good. I liked them. They were packed with healthy items (although I skip those Okra recipes, I just CAN’T) and tasted yummy.

So why do I not do something that I like? I have two kids and work full time. I am the diaper changer and the runner to extra curricular activities. I am also trying to squeeze in a workout here or there for me. So just like many of you, I am busy.

Although I like the shakes as a snack, most times my snacks need to be quick and even premade or proportioned for grab and go portability. I will make a green smoothie as a breakfast on occasion but in general, my blender stays in my cabinet collecting dust. Only to be used on special occasions.

I know this is not for everyone. I have read on the Facebook groups about plenty of women that have literally burned their motors up from all the use that they give their blenders. But I am just more of a string cheese and handful of nuts THM girl.

3. No Complicated Desserts or Homemade Bread

Lots of people seem to struggle with the desserts that are on plan. The recipes can be time consuming and use lots of special ingredients making them costly. And then if you don’t like the taste, it can be really frustrating to see all of that effort and money wasted.

Since I am not one to stock a ton of special ingredients, I stick to a few very simple desserts that can eliminate my sweet tooth in a pinch. Choosing this path also makes my time in the kitchen much less.

For the bread, I purchase a loaf of sprouted bread for my E meals every week (Aldi makes this so affordable). As I said in number 1, THM meant life changes for me. So as opposed to trying to make a bread that I can eat with S meals, I just don’t eat bread with those meals. It is a small sacrifice for me when I can eat bacon, steak or cheese during those S meals if I choose. And if I am just desperate for something that “feels” like a carb in an S meal, I might choose to have a Mission tortilla or a Joseph’s product.

4. No Eating When I am Not Hungry

The recommendation is trying to eat every 3-4 hours on THM. So for this “rule” I feel like I kind of follow it and kind of don’t.

I never really eat a morning snack. I don’t need a snack in the morning so I don’t eat one. Avoiding a morning snack works for me and I don’t find myself eating more at lunch because I skipped the mid-morning snack. I also don’t experience the sugar valleys with the space between meals here.

I do typically have lunch, an afternoon snack and then dinner. I don’t always have an afternoon snack but I do enjoy one pretty frequently. Lots of people seem to ask on the Facebook THM groups if you HAVE to eat every 3-4 hours.

The principle about why to eat that often is a good one in my opinion. However, sometimes life gets in the way. I also don’t like to eat when I’m not hungry because it isn’t a good habit for me. You may hear to eat smaller meals so that you get hungry by the 3-4 hour mark.

My policy is just to listen to my body. I don’t eat a big breakfast typically so their is not much to cut. I think it is probably the coffee that gives me a full feeling. So for me, sometimes I eat a snack, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I eat every 3 hours and sometimes I go longer. It what works for me.

5. Few Veggies at Breakfast and None Stuffed into Desserts

Ok, so this is not a steadfast rule for me. I will occasionally eat veggies for breakfast. I do like zucchini with my eggs occasionally or a little fresh spinach on a breakfast sandwich. But in general, I don’t eat a lot of veggies at breakfast and I don’t do it daily.

So if you are great about eating veggies at breakfast, just skip this! I think eating more veggies is a great thing and I do TRY to make an effort to include a veggie a couple of times a week in the morning. I just in general can’t stomach eating a veggie for breakfast, so I don’t make myself miserable forcing it. And I still lose weight. Maybe I will get better!

I also don’t make brownies with Okra or muffins with spinach. It just isn’t appealing to me. I choose to eat my veggies at my other meals and snacks. I just try to make sure I get plenty non-starchy veggies throughout the day. Don’t stress about the time of day that they are going in!

1 THM Policy That I Follow Religiously

After writing about the 5 THM things I don’t do, I thought it was only right to tell you the one thing that I always do when following Trim Healthy Mama!

I eat simple, real food meals while alternating fuels. I can tell you 100% honestly that I do not spend any more time in the kitchen when I am doing THM than I would if I was eating in another manner.

By separating fuels at meals, you eat what the plan calls S meals or E meals. There are a few variations listed in the book (Deep S, S helper, FP), however, I think when you are just starting out that just sticking with S or E makes it easier.

My Trim Healthy Mama Success & Resources

You can read about my trim healthy mama story where I have now lost a total of 60 lbs since having my baby boy at the end of 2017.

I have a couple of popular meal plans on the blog that may help you if you are just starting out on THM or if you just need a fresh idea or two. The 7 Frugal THM Dinners meal plan is great if you are on a budget. And the 7 Day THM Meal plan will be of interest if you are visual because I photographed everything that I ate for a full week – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

And if you are a “drive thru Sue” looking for what you can eat on the go, check out my THM S Meals Fast Food Cheat Sheet.

10 Keto Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice

January 27, 2019 by Stacy Craft 1 Comment

Find 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice that will spice up your dinner table but keep your pants fitting well!

A bag or two of riced cauliflower is always living in the bottom of my freezer. It is kind of a Keto/low carb rite of passage. It is the Kale of 2015.

The trend is to eat cauli rice so of course, I buy it and put it in my freezer. But what do you actually do with it? Because I can promise you I am not just popping it in the microwave and putting it on a plate. No Ma’am, too plain and blah for me. These 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice will show you how to easily doctor that lonely bag of frozen cauliflower into something amazing!

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Why Eat Cauliflower Rice?

Want to know a secret? When I first started eating low carb, I didn’t like cauliflower rice. Not just didn’t like it, I despised it. The smell of cooked cauliflower does not please me but I wanted to eat it. Remember that 2018/2019 cauliflower bandwagon that I wanted to hop on?

But why should we eat cauliflower? There are lots of reasons and here are a few of my favorites.

High Nutritional Value

Cauliflower is rich in vitamins and high in fiber. It is also very low in calories so it allows you to bulk up your meal without adding lots of excess calories. The cool thing about keto is that you don’t need to count calories but you also don’t want to go crazy with your calories either.

Budget Friendly

Cauliflower is also relatively inexpensive, even when buying it as a convenience item (like riced in the frozen food section). Since it is economical, you can use it to add volume to your meal and have plenty of money in your grocery budget left for more expensive items like meats and cheese.

Great Substitute for High Carb Items

Lets be honest. Many of us want to eat the same way that we did before making the choice to move to a healthier and lower carb lifestyle. Rice and potatoes and bread are all comfort foods that we grew up with. Being able to find a substitute to give you the feeling of a comfort food dish without all the unnecessary carbs and calories is a win.

10 Keto Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice

As I said up top, I didn’t always love cauli rice. You know why? Because it is not good plain. I am sure someone out there will disagree with me but to me it needs to be doctored up a bit (or a lot).

These 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice will give your dinner rotation a fresh new feel while incorporating a vegetable packed with vitamins and nutrients. I love that each of these recipes gives a completely different flavor profile and cuisine to the cauliflower rice that you haven’t known what to do with.

Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauliflower Rice – This is my top recipe on my blog and was pinned more than 100,000 times in 2018. It features a simple 2 ingredient queso to drench your cauli rice and chicken in. And it is ready in 30 minutes!
Low Carb Cajun Shrimp Casserole – An old family favorite, this recipe of my grandmother’s was adapted to be low carb by subbing the white rice for cauliflower rice. It is rich and delicious.
Keto Hawaiian Haystacks – Keen for Keto shows you how to make a completely customizable Hawaiian Haystacks meal using cauliflower rice. She shares that it is great for her large family because everyone can choose exactly what they like. I am definitely adding this to my meal plan the next time we have all the kids over. Trying to please 5 kids (3 teens and 2 toddlers) is next to impossible.
Chicken Divan – Broccoli, chicken, cheese and rice just go together. They are keys to a great casserole and buy simply subbing cauli rice for the white stuff, you can eat it on your low carb / keto diet. Yum!
Cajun Cauliflower Rice – Valerie at Thyme and Joy has created a delicious take on New Orleans dirty rice with this recipe. My husband is from Louisiana so Cajun food hits our table often. And as a busy mama, I love simple one skillet meals like this one.
Bacon Burger Casserole – Burgers are always a family pleaser and a casserole is great for an easy week night meal.
Keto Chicken Korma – One of my step-daughters loves Indian food. This dish has all of the classic Indian flavors and comes together in 30 minutes. It is going on my meal plan for this week!
Tumeric Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup – A quick soup that is loaded with vegetables and turmeric is a great week night remedy to keep you feeling your best.
Cauliflower Fried Rice – One of the first cauli rice recipes that I ever made was a low carb fried rice. Even my cauli rice hating husband ate it and like it. It is a great way to get your Chinese take out fix without cheating.
Louisiana Seafood Gumbo with Cauliflower Rice – This recipe from A Sprinkling of Cayenne is a little more time consuming than the others in this list but I just couldn’t leave it out. I had written off gumbo while eating low carb and boy was I wrong! Check out this yummy recipe when you have a little extra time on your hands and want a big bowl of Cajun love.

Other Keto / Low Carb / THM Recipes

And if this list of 10 Keto Recipes using cauliflower Rice leaves you wanting more, I have many more Keto/low carb/Trim Healthy Mama recipes that you may want to try! Feel free to stay a while and look around! Some of my favorites are Leftover Cheeseburger Soup, Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Faux Sushi, and Parmesan and Pork Rind Crusted Pork Chops.

If you love low carb / keto but you feel like you could use a healthy carb every now and then, read about how I have lost 60 lbs postpartum using the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

Nutella And Strawberry Puff Pastry

January 17, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Puff pastry stuffed with Nutella and strawberry sauce for a new take on the traditional chocolate covered strawberry. A Nutella and strawberry puff pastry on your breakfast or dessert table will please everyone in sight!

Valentine’s Day Treat

The Nutella and strawberry puff pastry was inspired by Valentine’s Day that will be here before you know it (didn’t we just finish Christmas?!). My daughter helped me set out all of our pink and red heart shaped decorations this weekend and it put me in the V-Day mood. And made me want to bake something.

A sweet breakfast treat that would have some flavors often associated with Valentine’s day is what I came up with. And when I think of Valentine’s, I of course think of chocolate. But I also think of big, juicy strawberries drenched in delicious chocolate. And puff pastry is just amazing.

This Nutella and strawberry puff pastry is stuffed with a chocolate covered strawberry filling and also shaped into a cute little heart. Such a cute and easy Valentine’s Day breakfast or even dessert that tastes amazing.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Nutella And Strawberry Puff Pastry

Do you know what I love? A fun, holiday inspired treat that doesn’t take ten years to make. All through out the year we make seasonal treats like Halloween Mummy Cakes and Turkey Egg in a Hole Breakfasts. Keeping with my simple holiday motto, before you know it you will have a sweet V-day treat on the table for your family to enjoy.

Unfold the puff pastry sheet. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the first puff pastry sheet. Don’t roll it thin, just spread it out a bit. A couple of firm rolls of the pin horizontal and vertically is all that i did. Do the same for the second puff pastry sheet.

The puff pastry was folded in thirds, so you will see 3 vertical “columns.” The filling is going to go in the middle column. First spread the Nutella out, go light at the top and bottom so that it doesn’t spill out when you wrap it. I used 1/2 cup of nutella between the 2 puff pastry sheet.

If you hate measuring, don’t. Just spread some Nutella! That is the beauty of this Nutella and strawberry puff pastry. It is easy.

Then spread the strawberry topping. I used a tablespoon per pastry.

Create the Puff Pastry Braid

Now you need to cut the pastry so that the braid can be created. I use a pizza cutter. Start on one side and cut until you meet the filling. Skip over the filling and cut the same size on the other side. I try to do about an inch thick but I am not very meticulous and it works out fine.

Fold over first strip of pastry from the left and then the right starting at the bottom. Continue overlapping the strips until you get to the top. You may need to pinch the ends at the top and bottom a little to prevent the filling from spilling.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Gently take the two separate pastry braids and shape them into a heart shape if you want this to have even more of a Valentine theme.

Using a silicone brush, spread a beaten egg over the top of the pastry. This is optional but it gives a nice shine to the top.

Bake the Pastry

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Watch it close so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Mine was done in about 13 minutes.

Top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

I hope you enjoy this Nutella and strawberry puff pastry recipe for Valentine’s Day or anytime you are craving the combo of strawberries and chocolate!

Nutella and Strawberry Puff Pastry

Cook Time

10-15 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

2 TBSP Smucker's Strawberry Topping Separated
1/2 Cup Nutella Separated
1 Box Puff Pastry
1 Whole Egg Beaten
Powdered Sugar (For Garnish)

Cook Time

10-15 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

2 TBSP Smucker's Strawberry Topping Separated
1/2 Cup Nutella Separated
1 Box Puff Pastry
1 Whole Egg Beaten
Powdered Sugar (For Garnish)

Instructions

Thaw puff pastry on the counter for 30-45 minutes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Gently unroll the first puff pastry and remove paper.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry slightly.
Spread 1/2 of the Nutella down the center of the puff pastry.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the strawberry topping on top of the Nutella.
Cut 1 inch segments of the puff pastry on the left using a pizza cutter, skip the middle (where the filling is), cut 1 inch segments on the right side. Repeat until the entire pastry is cut.
Starting at the bottom, fold in the left side of the pastry over the middle. Next lay the right side over the left that you just folded. Continue to "braid" until you reach the top.
Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and remaining Nutella and Strawberry topping.
Place on a greased baking sheet. If you wish, shape the two puff pastries into the shape of a heart.
Brush the top lightly with beaten egg.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide For S Meals

January 12, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Eating out does not have to be detrimental to your waistline. You can eat according to THM principles using this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide!

You have the plan down while you are at home but you know that eventually you will have to venture out into the real world. At some point you will probably find yourself sitting in the drive thru line needing to grab something quick. Will you just have to start again in 3 hours after eating something fatty and loaded with carbs? Nope! Use this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide to give you easy “S” meals that you can eat on the run.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Trim Healthy Mama Planning For Success

Ok, ok. I know that the reason you are sitting in that fast food drive thru lane is because you didn’t have time to plan. The kids have practice or your meeting ran late at work and you need quick and easy.

What I mean is to plan for this emergency to happen. The biggest complaint that I have with eating fast food out on plan is that sometimes the meal seems kind of dinky. You know what I mean? A cheeseburger without a bun, while ok sometimes, doesn’t always seem as satisfying as it would with that big huge bun.

To combat those dinky meals, you can literally stock your car, purse or top drawer at your office for success. Here are the things that I like to have to help make my meal out more substantial.

Stock Your Car

If the conditions are extreme outside, you may be better keeping these things in your purse so that it moves in and out of the element with you. But you can be the judge of that! Here are the things that I think make this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide more substantial.

Joseph’s Lavash or Pita Bread – These make great vehicles to wrap up your low carb burger or grilled chicken to make it more filling. You could even dump part or all of a side salad in with your meat to bulk it up.

Mission Low Carb Tortilla – If you want something amazing, stuff a Taco Bell protein bowl into one of these tortillas for a delicious S taco on the run.

Lily’s Chocolate Bar – I like Lily’s but I also eat other brands of on plan chocolate. By keeping a piece of chocolate with you, you can finish off your fast food meal without being tempted by a milkshake or cookie.

True Lemon – I broke my addiction to diet soda but I am still sometimes tempted by a big Coke when I am in line. A packet or two of the true lemon takes up no room in your purse and will give your water a little flavor.

Pork Rinds or Whisps – Ok, we might be getting outside of what can comfortably fit in your purse unless you are Mary Poppins. But unlike the chocolate, I think both of these would be safe to just keep in your car. These will help you have a good “side” to go with your bunless burger.

Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide for S Meals

Arby’s

Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad, meat with no bun (they will put it in a bowl for you) and a side salad (dump the meat on top of salad or put it in a wrap you brought from home home), French dip meat on a side salad, Beef N Cheddar in a wrap (that you bring from home) would be amazing but the cheese will be your choice – it has additives that won’t be on plan. But still way better than eating that big onion bun, in my opinion!

Burger King

Whopper and side salad

Chick-fil-a

Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap with the Avocado or Ranch Dressing

Cobb Salad with Grilled nuggets,

In-N-Out

Burger “Protein Style” – They will wrap your burger in lettuce if ordered like this.

Jimmy Johns

Unwhich – Sub ingredients wrapped in lettuce.

McDonald’s

Bacon Cheeseburger (no Bun) & Side Salad

Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

Grilled Ranch Snack Wrap (The ranch sauce has some less than desirable ingredients. You could use a little of their ranch dressing which is also not perfect but ok for Drive Thru Sue’s; Also throw out the tortilla it comes in and replace with a low carb tortillas). This is less than $2.

Popeye’s

Blackened Chicken Tenders with Green Beans

Subway

Chopped Salad with lots of veggies, cold cuts or grilled chicken, cheese.

Sandwich Filling into your own low carb tortilla (feed the sub roll to the birds)

Taco Bell

Grilled Chicken Protein bowl (no rice or beans). Bring 2 low carb tortillas and you can make 2 huge tacos.

Taco Salad (No Beans, Rice or Shell)

Wendy’s

Baconator and side salad

Whataburger

Grilled Chicken Melt (no Bun) & Side Salad

I hope this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide helps you make easy and good choices at your favorite drive thru. Don’t forget to stock your car or purse up so that you can round out your meal in the most cost efficient method possible.

My Favorite THM Drive Thru Option

Here is an example of how I used the Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide and a stocked car to have an amazing Drive Thru Sue lunch the other day.

I ordered the Taco Bell chicken protein bowl with no beans or rice. I was kind of worried that the remaining food was going to be small (you know these restaurants love to bulk up meals with the cheap fillers). But I was pleasantly surprised. Excuse the lap picture but here is what it looked like in the bowl.

I took the lovely spork that they gave me & divided it out into 2 Low Carb Tortillas. It was so good!

Pin this Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide to your THM board so that you have some good S Meal ideas to choose when you are out. It is so nice to know that you can stay on plan while still living your busy life.

If you would like to read more about my journey on THM postpartum, how I make the plan work for me and a free 2 week meal plan, read this post. 7 Frugal THM Family Meals and a Free 7 day meal plan may be helpful in your weight loss journey as well.

7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama Dinners

January 4, 2019 by Stacy Craft 2 Comments

Trim Healthy Mama can seem overwhelming and expensive. Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a ton. Here we have planned 7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners for your family of 4 (that your non-THM family will actually eat).

When I am following Trim Healthy Mama, I like to keep it really simple. Simplifying the plan helps this working mama of 2 young kids stay sane and eating healthy. Today I am going to share 7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama Dinners that we eat frequently. They are all quick to prepare, will feed your family of four and are inexpensive.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Eating Cheap On Trim Health Mama Plan

Myth #1: Eating healthy is too expensive! Ya’ll that is fake news! I know you can buy junk food that is cheap. Sure you can buy a frozen pot pie, a can of chips or a box of orange mac n cheese for a $1 or so.

But you can also buy a carton of 12 eggs. Yesterday at Aldi, for less than a $1.50 I found a huge bag of gala apples. So I can eat a hard boiled egg (S) or an apple (E) for snacks and I spent less than $2.50 for both.

To make those snacks complete, I would add probably add a lite string cheese or even a slice or two of lean deli meat. Another tip to save money on THM is to only buy the lite string cheese or the lean deli meat. If you pair your boiled eggs with the lean cheese or meat, you are still getting enough fat from the eggs to make the snack an S. However, you won’t have to buy additional cheese and meat to go with your E snacks like an apple where you can only have the lighter varieties.

I encourage you to open your heart and mind to researching the plan and finding ways that you can do it, even on a tight budget. It may be a little more difficult than just walking into the store and buying whatever you want. However, it is so worth it to have your family eating better foods.

These 7 frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners will help get you and your family on the right track.

7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama Dinners

Myth #2. You will be in the kitchen for hours a day on THM. Ok, ain’t nobody got time for that! Whether you are working 40+ hours a week with two little ones at your feet like me or you may be running from the football field to ballet every night, we need quick and easy and THM compliant. That’s not too much to ask, right?

My favorite THM meals are cheap, quick to prepare and something that my whole family will eat. My husband will usually at least partially participate in my Trim Healthy plan so long as I don’t get too crazy with cauliflower or onions (or other things he doesn’t think he likes). My daughter (5) is in that phase where if it isn’t shaped like a chicken nugget, she may or may not eat it. The baby will currently eat anything, so naturally he is my fave.

So, getting my family to eat the food that I prepare can be a challenge. These meals are all things that my family of four eats frequently and for the most part all enjoy. (being 5 can be tough, so her level of love can vary from day to day!)

Trim Healthy Mama Meal Plan

Here is the list of 7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners that we eat at our house often.

Day One: Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauliflower Rice (S)

Ingredients: Steam bag of Cauliflower rice, Salsa Verde, cream cheese, Frozen Chicken tenders (1/2 bag)
Recipe: My most popular Recipe, read all about it here!
Tips: Use mild salsa if you want kids to eat this. The medium is quite spicy. This is a very rich and filling meal. If you want an additional side, I would go with a green vegetable or a side salad.

Day Two: Black Bean Tacos (E)

Ingredients: black beans, Mission Low Carb Tortillas
Recipe: Warm your black beans and serve in tortillas. Top it with some greek yogurt as a sub for sour cream if you have it, Shred some fresh spinach (you should have some to spare from Day four), some hot sauce and a sprinkle of cheese (go really light if you want it to be an E, too much and you will XO)
Tips: This is such a quick meal. It is probably our go to “it is 6:30 and we have no dinner plan” meal. We love it.

Day Three: Whole Baked Chicken, Steamed Vegetables, Sweet Potato (E)

Ingredients: Whole Chicken, bag of mixed vegetables, sweet potatoes
Recipe: Season and roast your chicken (I use a Rotisserie similar to this but you can do it in the oven or even buy one already cooked from the grocery), Steam the veggies in microwave and cook your sweet potato.
Tips: This can be an “emergency” meal if you pick up an already cooked chicken at the store and do your sweet potatoes in the microwave to prevent a drive thru run.

Day Four: Smoked Sausage with Grilled Vegetables, Cheesy Spinach (S)

Ingredients: Smoked Sausage, onion, Red, green and yellow Bell peppers, Fresh Spinach, portion of heavy whipping cream, Portion of cheese
Recipe: You can find the recipe for the sausage and veggies here. For the spinach, wilt the spinach and cheese it up with the HWC and cheese
Tips: I really prefer this with Chicken sausage but Walmart doesn’t have one that fits the plan that I can find (I get it from Aldi). The meal itself is pretty light so make sure you bulk it up with all the veggies. Adding in a zucchini or yellow squash would be good too.

Day Five: Ground Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry (S)

Ingredients: Ground Pork, Stir Fry Vegetables
Recipe: Just brown your pork, drain any fat and combine with vegetables. Cook until veggies are softened. Add in a tablespoon or so of liquid aminos and some ground ginger (tsp) if you have it.
Tips: Very quick meal. You could add in some cauliflower rice if you wanted to bulk this meal up.

Day Six: Grilled Chicken Tenderloins, Fried Radishes, Cheesy Zucchini (S)

Ingredients: Remaining 1/2 bag frozen chicken tenders, Radishes, Zucchini, Small portion Heavy whipping cream, portion of shredded cheese
Recipe: Just season your tenderloins with what you have on hand, fry radishes in olive oil (save some bacon grease from breakfast for extra flavor) and make the cheesy zucchini
Tips: the cheesy zucchini makes it to our plate at least once a week. Just sub the HWC for milk in the original recipe. It took a little convincing to get my girl to try it but it tastes a little like mac n cheese!

Day Seven: Turkey Ham & Beans (E)

Ingredients: 1/4 – 1/2 of turkey ham, white (Northern) beans
Recipe: Easy 15 minute recipe here
Tips: Top it off with a little parsley if you have it. This is so easy and my kids always eat it. If you can find sprouted rolls, those are yummy as a side.

Walmart Grocery List

A low grocery bill is great. But I also need my THM grocery list to be easy to get. Going to three different grocery stores is not something I have time to do on a weekly basis.

I do shop at Aldi often, but I know not everyone has access to this store. So I chose to show this meal plan with a Walmart grocery order since I think most people have access to a Walmart. And because I love their free grocery pickup! It saves me so much time and sanity to just pull up to a parking spot and get my food. No getting the kids out of carseats!

Here is exactly what I put in my cart to make the 7 frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners. This list does assume that you have a few basics like olive oil, seasonings and liquid aminos (I just use regular soy sauce but that is not on plan, you can read how I make the plan work for my budget here).

Also, your family, your meals. These are ideas for basic meals. Add additional veggies or fruit as you see fit. If you buy fruit or veggies in season, you can usually get a serving of 4 for around $1. Also, frozen veggies are almost always available for around $1 a bag.

Cost Per Meal

Using this 7 Frugal Trim Healthy Mama Dinners meal plan, the average cost of dinner is $8.15 per meal. That works out to $2.03 per person.

These meals easily feed our family of four which consists of my husband, a 5 year old, a 1 year old and myself. My husband is a pretty big eater and most meals we still have some type of leftovers.

At the end of this meal plan, you should also have about half of the turkey ham leftover, most of the heavy whipping cream, some shredded cheese and some fresh spinach leftover. You could make some yummy omelettes or 2 minute microwave eggs with those ingredients.

More THM Help

If you found these 7 frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners helpful, here are some other things that may make your THM life easier! As a working mama, easy lunches are a must. Here are 6 THM lunches for work and 5 things to do with leftover chicken for lunch.

Another easy and fairly low cost dinner option is a twist on my popular cheesy salsa verde chicken and cauliflower rice. These Salsa verde chicken enchiladas require just a handful of ingredients and 20 minutes in the oven.

If you want something totally different, try my Granny’s low carb cajun shrimp casserole. She always made it with white rice but I THM’d it by using cauliflower rice. So good!

You can find two other meal plans here & here if this 7 frugal Trim Healthy Mama dinners guide was more your style.

What are your THM goals this year?