I'm a BIG fan of meal planning because I know how easy it can make life, especially during the busy weeks that never seem to end!But you may be wondering if meal planning is the right thing to do if you're trying to get past having food rules with intuitive eating...well I'm here to tell you that meal planning is totally possible, minus any rules around it, as well as give you my tips on how you can meal plan intuitively and be prepared to make your busy life even simpler.Tip #1 Figure out what it is you actually like to eat I know what you may be thinking..."Taylor, I already know what I like to eat, why would I need to figure it out?"Because for someone who has dieted for so many years, sometimes it's hard to truly know what you like! That's because diets would give you lists of foods you should and should not eat, so instead of actually eating foods you love, you're just eating foods someone else told you to eat.Which likely translated to how you created your grocery list right?? You weren't writing down foods on the list you truly wanted while dieting, you were writing down foods someone else told you to eat!So get a piece of paper and a pen out and take 5-10 minutes and jot down some of your favorite foods, meals, and snacks that can get you through the week. P.s. if you are struggling with this, try out some new foods you've never had before and experiment!Need some new meal or snack ideas?? Check out some of my favorite recipes here!Tip #2 Plan for your week ahead Depending on how often you go grocery shopping, look at the week or two ahead on what your schedule looks like.What days will you be busy and have less time to cook or put meals/snacks together? What days do you have extra free time where you could cook a larger meal or get things prepped for another busy day?On days where you are less busy, you can plan to cook larger meals or take more time to decide what you want to eat that day. On days where you are busier, plan ahead and have meals/snacks ready for that day by either prepping foods ahead of time or relying on leftovers from another day earlier in the week.Tip #3 Check Your fridge and pantry before heading to the store One thing that can not only make your life easier but also save you a little bit of money is incorporating foods into your dishes that you already have in the house.For example, that bag of spinach you bought last week that's starting to get bad in your fridge? Use that in a really delicious pasta sauce for extra nutrients and less waste!Or that chicken broth you thought you needed to buy for a recipe this week? Turns out you had some in your pantry hiding behind a box of mac and cheese!My point is, check your fridge and pantry and see if there are any foods you can use to make a meal that will cut back on what you have to buy or can simply be added to a meal so it doesn't go to waste.Tip #4 What to do once you've made your list and gone to the store Okay so by now you've gone through tips 1-3 from me, you've gone to the grocery store, and you have all the foods on your list.Now, before you go and put everything away, stop for a second. What foods could you keep out and take 15-20 minutes to prep for your week to make it easier to access, especially on your busy days?For example, could you take some of the fruits and vegetables you bought and chop them up, having them ready to go in the fridge to grab and enjoy on their own or add them to a meal or snack you're making?Or let's say you know Monday you're going to be way too busy to make dinner while running your kids to all their after school activities. So, instead of scrambling on Monday, you decide to make ground beef in the crockpot on Sunday and keep in your fridge until Monday night to pull out and heat up for tacos...bonus points for making extra and keeping in your fridge all week to add to meals for an easy protein option.If there are any foods you can make ahead of time that will make your life easier during the week when it comes to meals, then do it!Tip #5 How to keep intuitive eating a part of your meal planning So you may be thinking, "How is meal planning intuitive at all if I'm literally planning out all my meals?!"This is where I want to remind you to be practical, yet flexible with yourself and your meal plan!Yes, meal plans can make your life so much easier, but life happens and you can't always follow your meal plan to a T...which is okay! Instead of being strict with your meal plan, remember to be flexible and allow for change when necessary.If you get to Wednesday and realize you don't want to eat what you had planned for that day, then change it! It's always better to be open to that change and actually enjoy the food you want at the time then it is to force yourself to eat something you don't want. Plus, you can likely save what you had planned to eat for another day.There will also be times where you may need convenience over what you actually want to eat. For example, maybe you have a meeting in a half hour and know you need food right now or else you won't be able to eat for a few hours and your stomach is already growling. This may force you to eat something that isn't necessarily what you wanted or super satisfying, but at least gave your body the energy it needed to get through your meetings.So while I do encourage you to try to eat what you want and satisfies you the most, sometimes, convenience and practicality with food win over satisfaction.Lastly, give yourself options. In order to be flexible and eat intuitively with a meal plan, having options allows you to have an idea but ultimately pick what you want in the moment.For example, instead of coming up with one dinner option each day, give yourself 2-3 options to choose from!Meal planning is a big part of what I teach the clients I work with as they learn to eat intuitively in their own life. I'm such a fan of meal planning, I've even added a whole topic on "How to Make Meal Planning Your Superpower" in my online course, The Path to Food Freedom.To get access to this transformational online course that will give you all the resources you need to eat intuitively and heal your relationship with food, plus meal planning tips and more, click here!Disclaimer: If you purchase products through links posted on this site, I may earn money through affiliate partners, however, all opinions on products are genuine.