How to make meal prep easier and faster like Sarah Michelle Gellar

For actress and entrepreneur Sarah Michelle Gellar, eating well has long been a priority.

But, like many of us, she’s struggled to balance her health goals with the demands of a fast-paced career and a packed family schedule.

“As a busy mom who’s always working toward health goals, I was looking for a way to streamline my weekly meal preparation,” she says. That’s when she started using a meal planning tool to transform how she approaches nourishing meals, MyFitnessPal reports.

“The idea of having a tool that could help me plan balanced meals, create efficient shopping lists, and provide recipes was really appealing,” Gellar says.

“I thought it might help me make the most of my one big shopping trip on Sundays and ensure I had healthy options ready for the week ahead, including lunches to bring to set (because there’s just too much temptation with craft services).”

Her motivation to try meal planning reflects a common challenge. Many people are tired of feeling overwhelmed with diet decision-making. They want meals that are personalized, nutritious, and fit seamlessly into their busy lives.

But did the strategy pay off? Here’s what Gellar has to say after putting meal planning to the test.

1. Reducing food waste and maximizing grocery efficiency

One of Gellar’s favorite things about planning her family’s meals with this meal planner is how the process helps her use groceries more efficiently.

“It encourages me to use ingredients in multiple recipes, which is great for items like fresh herbs or scallions that might otherwise go to waste,” she explains.

Why does this matter?

Wasted groceries are bad for budgets and a huge contributor to household food waste.

With the right meal planning tool, ingredient lists are thoughtfully organized so that what you buy on your next grocery shopping trip gets used across multiple recipes.

This is especially important to reduce the waste of fresh produce, like fruits and vegetables, which tend to get tossed the most at home.

For example, you might buy a bag of peppers and see them pop up in two or three dishes throughout the week.

This efficient use of produce is baked into any meal planning tool worth a place on your phone. By connecting similar ingredients across recipes, you can reduce food spoilage, save money on groceries, and have less unused food to toss out at the end of the week.

It’s a benefit that supports both your wallet and the environment.

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2. Bringing structure and support for health goals

“As someone who likes structure when it comes to cooking, I find a meal planning tool incredibly helpful,” says Gellar. “It provides me with recipes and guidance, which is exactly what I need.”

She shares that it also helps her stay on track with her health goals, such as increasing protein intake. That’s become a big priority as she focuses on adding more strength training to her fitness routine.

How does consistent meal planning support your nutrition targets?

A meal planner tool can customize meal selections to your specific dietary preferences, calorie goals, macro targets, and more.

Sometimes you can even indicate preferences such as higher protein, Mediterranean-style, or vegetarian eating. Meal planner tools can even suggest recipes and detailed nutrition facts for each.

Instead of following broad nutrition guidelines, personalized nutrition and recipe options mean that every meal supports your individual health and fitness plan. This way, you can make better progress toward your goals.

If you’re striving for consistency in making healthy changes to your diet, this kind of structure can mean the difference between frustration and success.

3. Convenience for a hectic schedule

“I selected the option that I only wanted recipes that took 30 minutes or less to prepare,” Gellar says.

Busy professionals and parents know that a lack of time can make healthy eating and home cooking tough.

Planning and preparation can be the most time-consuming aspects of home cooking, especially when you have specific health goals in mind.

Gellar emphasizes, “Meal planning fits into my busy schedule and time constraints when it comes to home cooking.”

Ideally, with a meal planner tool, you’ll receive tailored suggestions that respect your schedule, not just your goals.

If you have just half an hour between soccer practice and work emails, meal planning can ensure you won’t waste time searching through endless Pinterest recipes or preparing lengthy, complicated meals.

You can batch-cook, use leftovers, and let the grocery list generator speed up your next shopping trip, too.

This time-focused approach makes healthy eating realistic, even when life gets unpredictable.

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4. Confidence in nutritious, family-friendly meals

Eating well is about more than counting calories. It’s about nourishing yourself (and your family) with meals you can be proud of.

“I feel good about the recipes I’m making now,” says Gellar. “I know I’m putting nutritious meals on the table for myself and my family. That way, it’s that much easier for us to show up as our best selves in other areas of life.” 

How does meal planning boost meal confidence?

The best meal planning tools will curate recipes for you with nutrition and balance in mind. You should also get detailed descriptions and portion sizes. Each meal is vetted for healthfulness, so you aren’t left second-guessing whether what you’re cooking is actually a good choice.

Plus, your meal-planned dishes should be designed to please a crowd. Say goodbye to special orders.

If you or a family member has a food allergy or simply dislikes certain foods, like seafood or peanuts, meal planning can make life easier. A great meal planning tool will let you add these ingredients to the list of foods to avoid in recipes.

This means that you and your family members can enjoy the same delicious meal together while continuing to stay on track with your healthy eating goals.

Meal planning supports health goals (and sanity)

“Health became an even bigger priority for me after having kids,” says Gellar. “It’s not just about looking good. I want to live a healthy life and live longer. I want to set a good example for my kids when it comes to a healthy relationship with food. And I want to have more control over what my family eats and how they nourish their bodies.” 

She’s not alone. Multiple studies support the advantages of consistent home cooking:

• Better overall nutrition quality, including higher intake of fruits and vegetables
• Reduced risk of obesity and developing diabetes
• Cost savings compared to eating out
• Greater family connection and well-being

Meal planning makes these benefits accessible by creating structure around what you eat and how you grocery shop.

Of course, everyone has off-weeks or the occasional Friday night pizza, but planning ahead makes those meals the exception, not the norm.

The bottom line

“Let’s be real: I don’t have all the time in the world,” says Gellar. Still, amid juggling parenting and a demanding career, she’s made meal planning a priority.

“It’s about nurturing my family with home-cooked meals within realistic time constraints,” she says.

“That’s why meal planning is so crucial. It helps me make the most of my limited time and ensure we have healthy options throughout the week, even on crazy busy days or weeks.” 

“But it’s not about perfection,” she emphasizes. “I’m not aiming for Instagram-worthy meals every night. Or ever. What I need are nutritious, doable options that fit into real life.”

For Gellar, meal planning is now an integral part of maintaining a balanced life. It helps her reduce stress, cut food waste, and serve up meals that she (and her kids) can feel good about.

Her final rating of meal planning? A resounding “10/10,” highly recommended.

This story was produced by MyFitnessPal and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.