Building Go-To Meals
The most underrated nutrition strategy isn't a diet — it's having 5-7 reliable meals you can make without thinking. Build your rotation and stop deciding what to eat.
The Case for Boring Meals
Decision fatigue is real. Every meal that requires a decision is a point of failure. When you're tired, busy, or stressed, "what should I eat?" becomes "I'll just grab whatever" — and that's where nutrition falls apart.
The most consistent eaters don't have willpower — they have systems. They eat roughly the same things most days, not because they're disciplined, but because they've removed the decision entirely.
Having 5-7 go-to meals you can make without thinking removes the biggest daily nutrition obstacle: "what should I eat?" You already know. You already have the ingredients. You just make it.
What Makes a Good Go-To Meal
Protein anchor
Built around a protein source (chicken, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, fish)
Simple to make
Under 15-20 minutes, minimal ingredients
Ingredients you always have
No exotic items that require special shopping
You actually like it
Doesn't matter how healthy it is if you won't eat it repeatedly
Portable or preppable
Works for meal prep or easy to take to work
Rough calorie awareness
You know approximately what's in it without tracking
Building Your Rotation
Breakfast
- Overnight oats + protein powder + berries
- Eggs + toast + avocado
- Greek yogurt + granola + fruit
Lunch
- Chicken + rice + veg (meal prep classic)
- Big salad with protein + dressing
- Wraps with whatever protein/veg you have
Dinner
- Stir-fry (any protein + any veg + sauce + rice/noodles)
- Sheet pan meal (protein + veg, oven does the work)
- Pasta + meat sauce + side salad
Snacks
- Protein bar
- Apple + peanut butter
- Cottage cheese + fruit
- Handful of nuts + fruit
The Assembly Method
Don't think in recipes, think in components: Protein + Carb + Veg + Flavour. Pick one from each column and combine. This gives you dozens of meals from the same ingredients.
Protein
- Chicken
- Beef mince
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Fish
Carb
- Rice
- Pasta
- Bread
- Potatoes
- Wraps
Veg
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Peppers
- Mixed frozen veg
Flavour
- Soy sauce
- Salsa
- Pesto
- Curry paste
- Hot sauce
5 proteins x 5 carbs x 4 veg x 5 flavours = 500 combinations from just 19 ingredients. You don't need a recipe book — you need a well-stocked kitchen.
Prep on Sunday
Even 30 minutes of cooking protein and carbs gives you building blocks for the week. You're not making full meals — you're creating components you can assemble quickly on busy days.
Keep it flexible
Go-to meals are defaults, not rules. Eat out, try new things — but have the defaults for when you need them. The goal is removing the "what should I eat?" decision, not eliminating all spontaneity.
Iterate slowly
Start with 3 meals you already eat. Add one new one per week. Don't overhaul everything at once. The best rotation is one that evolves naturally from what you already like eating.