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Stacy Craft

Trim Healthy Mama – Understanding the THM Plan

April 8, 2021 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Heard of Trim Healthy Mama and want to know more? You will learn the basics and start understanding the THM plan in no time!

Trim Healthy Mama - Understanding the Plan Basics

Trim Healthy Mama is a weight loss program that focuses on separating carbs and fats at meals. There are also some other things like eliminating sugar and eating protein with every meal in an effort to avoid blood sugar spikes.

I have personally followed the Trim Healthy Mama plan since March 2018 and lost 60 lbs that I gained while pregnant with my second child. Then my husband lost 40 lbs and improved multiple health issues that he was having. 

If you want to learn more about this way of eating, I’ll share the basic principles that will help you to succeed and some tips I’ve learned along the way. THM can help you whether you want to lose weight, increase your energy levels or just live an overall healthier lifestyle. 

(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 – Understanding the THM Plan

The very core of the THM plan is to separate fuels when eating in order to help perpetuate maximum movement on the scale each week. 

But when you first start looking at all the acronyms associated with THM, it can seem like a foreign language. Don’t worry – I’ll make it totally easy! 

Understanding THM Fuel Types

Let’s start with a quick & easy definition for the fuel types on Trim Healthy Mama. 

THM S Meal

A thm s meal is essentially a low carb or Keto meal. There are some small differences but if you get that principle, you will do well with S meals. 

An example of an ideal S plate would include healthy fats, protein, non-starchy vegetables and would be low in carbs. 

THM E  Meal

E meals include healthy carbs and are low in fat. Not all carbs are created equal though! Examples of allowable THM carbs would include (but not limited to): sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, beans or fruits like apples or pineapple. 

An example of an ideal E plate would include a healthy carb source, protein, non-starchy vegetables and would be low in fat. 

THM S & THM E Meal Examples

THM XO Meal

A thm XO meal includes both fats and carbs in one meal. 

An example of a XO (also referred to as a “Crossover”) would be a significant source of both fats and carbs. So a steak (fatty meat) + a serving of brown rice (Healthy Carb) would be a crossover. 

The example above has too many carbs to be an S meal & too much fat to be an E meal. So it bridges the two together (and blends the fuels vs. separating them). 

Eating XO’s all the time may not result in losing weight as quickly as you would like. But don’t write them off completely! A lot of us find that an occasional XO meal can actually help us to start losing again. 

THM S Helper 

An S helper is an S meal that introduces a partial carb source. For example, bacon, eggs and a piece of sprouted toast is an S helper. 

THM XO & THM S Helper

THM Fuel Pull Meal

A thm fuel pull (FP) is what I call a “nothing” food. If you have ever followed Weight Watchers, it is like a zero point food. A freebie. 

THM FP

You have two options with a FP. You can have an entire fuel pull meal. An ideal FP meal would consist of foods that do not have a significant source of fats or carbs. An example might be a skinless chicken breast (rotisserie or grilled) with green beans. 

Your other FP option is to use them in other fuel meals since they are freebies. Here is an example of how to use green beans (FP) in an S & and E meal) 

Pork Chops (S) with Green beans (FP) = S Meal 

Chicken Breast (FP) with Green beans (FP) & a Medium Sweet Potato (E) = E Meal 

My Favorite Recipes

There are always a handful of recipes that you just make over and over. I’m not talking about complicated desserts (although this 2 layer pumpkin cheesecake is worth repeating) but rather just simple meals that you can whip up on a Tuesday between school, work, ballet & soccer. 

Here are some of my go to easy meals: 

Cottage Cheese Bowls – There are E & S options listed. Fun Fact? I hated cottage cheese before THM but adding in fun mix ins make cottage cheese pretty appealing. 

Lean Ham & Beans – You can make this meal in 15 minutes and it is one that my whole family eats!

White Chicken Chili Pantry Meal – Everything you need to make this is in your pantry & it comes together in 15 minutes!

Instant Pot Green Chile Pork 

Crock Pot Zevia Pulled Pork

Walking Tacos

Getting Started On the Trim Healthy Mama Plan

As a beginner, THM can seem a bit overwhelming. In fact, the first time that I did THM around January of 2017, I did it a week or two and quit. Why? Because I make it into a second job. 

You don’t have to make it hard! Follow these tips to make it easy to start eating the Trim Healthy Mama way. 

  1. Read the plan book. I can write all the cliff notes in the world to give you the gist of it but if you are really serious, read the book. It really is helpful to understand the details of the plan and you will feel more confident in your approach. 
  2. Pick A Protein – When you are ready to start planning meals, remember that you want to pick a protein regardless of the type of meal that you are eating. The protein helps to keep you full and may help to keep your blood sugar stable.
  3. Separate Your Fuels – Eat s meals, fuel pull meals and e meals in a rotation. You don’t have to follow a particular pattern. I follow the “feed my body what it feels like” method. You can read more about THM Fuel rotation here. 
  4. Eat Simply – I don’t recommend trying to create a bunch of complicated recipes your first week. Just try what you are comfortable with. Grilled meats and roasted veggies are just fine when you are starting out (and still some of my faves as a veteran). 

What Can’t You Eat on THM?

Now that you know how to separate your fuels, you need to learn the foods to avoid while following the Trim Healthy Mama Diet. 

Here are a few of the major things that we avoid:

  • Sugar – A big sugar detox is in your future! It isn’t fun but it is so healing for the body once it is done. I know you will feel better after you quit the sugar. 
  • Artificial Sweeteners – THM does not allow artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. The on plan sweeteners are natural sweeteners such as Stevia. 
  • White Flour – White flour is not used on this program. Sprouted grains are an allowable carb for e meals if you are looking for an on plan bread option. Here is a list of breads you can find at your local grocery. 

There are also a few myths surrounding a few foods. Many people that read the original book without listening to the podcasts or reading new updates may believe that potatoes and bananas are off limits. 

However, the sisters have come back to clarify that both are ok to consume in moderation in e meals. 

Is THM Just Another Fad Diet? 

I 100% think it is a sustainable approach to eating healthy. My husband and I typically follow this way of eating about 90-100% of the time. 

We do occasionally go off plan for certain holidays/special events. I’m also a sucker for when my 3 year old decides to share some of his sweet treats (don’t worry, the sharing isn’t frequent!). And if that little blue eyed boy gives me a gummy worm, I savor that moment with my baby & exercise what we refer to as food freedom. 

Food freedom is the ability to give yourself grace when you go off plan. 

Back to fad dieting. Since THM focuses on eating whole and clean foods, I feel that it is pretty much impossible to label it as a fad diet. 

With that being said, some of the complicated recipes and multiple ingredients could cause some people to view it as having fad tendencies. But if you take the simple and easy approach to THM that I do and just eat healthy food, it is definitely possible to follow this plan long term. 

THM Special Ingredients – What is the Deal? 

I actually wrote an entire post on this topic. You can read it in it’s entirety here but I will give you the short version now.

You don’t need special ingredients to succeed on the plan. You can go years without buying 200 flavor extracts, weird teas and flours. I’ve never tried matcha and don’t know how to pronounce Baobab. (Now I’m feeling a bit uneducated so here I go to Google).

In fact, 3 years in and most of my meals are just real, whole foods that you can find at your normal grocery store. 

So why does THM promote a lot of these special ingredients? I have my opinion but I’ll give you a couple. 

  • They Sell Them – The THM store has a variety of sweeteners, protein bars, extracts and baking blend. They even sell personal care products. I have tried quite a few of these over the course of time and they make good products. Of course the sisters would promote products that they produce, sell and believe in – any good Boss Lady would do the same!So my advice would be to buy it if you want to. If the convenience is appealing or you just love the blue skies colada hydrates (slow, unashamed hand raise), get them. Enjoy your special stuff.But don’t think it is a requirement.Do you remember Atkins when it first came out? People were able to eat low carb before the Atkins brand came out with protein bars and TV dinners. And you can do the same with THM if you want to. Or you can buy the protein bar – totally your call. 
  • Special Ingredients are Fun – What sounds more appealing? #1 is an apple. #2 is a sugar free apple streusel with a cinnamon “sugar” oat topping and caramel glaze.Probably the second one sounds a little more enticing.The special ingredients are sexy, fun and more like recipes that you might be used to from your pre-THM time. And I think that is why special ingredients get a lot of “screen time” on places like the THM facebook group! But if you don’t want to buy a bunch of special ingredients you can still find fun and free recipes on my blog and even in the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook (marked as NSI – no special ingredients).  Like how about THM FP Dippin’ Dots that only use one ingredient and take about 5 minutes to make?? That is fun too. It is also cheap & can be found at your grocery store.

Now I don’t want to sound like I hate special ingredients! They have their place.  

For example, if buying some special extracts helps you to create a sipper that gets you to stop drinking soda – go for it! 

If you just like trying all the newest THM trends. Great! 

What I don’t want is for someone to see a recipe with 10 things that they have never heard of and think THM isn’t going to work for me. It doesn’t fit my busy life or my budget. Because I promise you that you CAN do it without those special things. 

The only special things that I use on a very consistent basis is an on plan sweetener. On rare occasion I may also use some on plan flour or the THM baking blend. Other than that, I am special ingredient free normally aside from some store bought convenience foods.

Meal Frequency

On Trim Healthy Mama you will hear the 3 hour term frequently. 

The recommendation is to eat every three hours in an effort to keep your blood sugar stable (and I also think it helps to avoid binge eating when you don’t eat for many hours and then you are starving and as a result overeat). 

Meals and snacks can basically be viewed as the same. While I do eat less for snack time, the items that you can eat are the same. The basic rule is to eat enough to keep you full for 3 hours. 

As a general rule, we don’t measure, count calories or macros on the THM diet. 

What I Love About the Trim Healthy Mama Lifestyle

Aside from the fact that it helped me to lost 60 pounds postpartum? Yeah, that kind of takes the cake but here are a couple of other things. 

  1. Back on plan in 3 Rule – If you go off plan for whatever reason, the “rule” is to hop back on plan in 3 hours. Starting back at your next meal is something I never did before eating this way. If I ate something “bad” or off plan, I would start saying ok, I’m going to start back on Monday (even if it was only Wednesday). 
  2. No Counting/Measuring – I hate counting calories and measuring out 12 chips to put on a plate. I’ve never counted macros but I’m betting that I would hate that too. Not having to do that makes my life a lot easier. 
  3. Portions That Work For You – There is no such thing as a one size fits all and I’m glad that this way of eating doesn’t make that assumption. The amount that I eat may be way too much for some or way too little for others but if it works for me that is what matters. 

Weight Gain & Stalls on THM

If you are eating on plan and rotating your fuels properly, you should not gain weight. Quite the opposite. You should be losing weight if you are rotating E meals, S meals and FP meals. 

However, there can be a learning curve to the plan. For example, my husband dropped a ton of weight last summer by eating mostly S meals & 1-3 E meals a week. 

But lots or women that are in menopause or post menopause find that eating more E meals and lighter S meals help them to achieve optimal weight loss. 

I’m in my mid-30’s, a female and moderately active. I find that I can do primarily S meals (even some heavy S meals with plenty of cheese or dairy) and then about 5 E meals a week and lose weight at a moderate pace. 

So if you are gaining weight on THM, I would first try to rotate your fuels a bit and see if you can find that sweet spot. I also wrote a post on things to do if your weight loss stalls on Trim Healthy Mama. Try some of those tips out if you are struggling.

And of course if you want to gain weight using THM, you can eat more Crossover meals which would mean eating meals high in fat and higher in carbs in one setting. Crossover (XO) meals can also be good for pregnant or nursing mamas. 

But don’t be afraid of those XO meals even if you are trying to lose weight. I love a XO now and then and find that sometimes I lose even while eating those. 

Trim Healthy Mama & Type II Diabetes, High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol

First, let’s start with the good stuff. While I am a “nursing school drop out” as my mom likes to say (in the most loving way of course), I am not a medical professional. This is just my personal experience but please, please speak to your doctor before starting a program. 

My husband was diagnosed the summer of 2020 with Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and his previously diagnosed hypertension was through the roof. 

Since THM focuses on keeping blood sugar levels stable, it seemed like the perfect route for us to try and reverse diabetes and insulin resistance. 

It worked for us! He lost 40 lbs, decreased his insulin medication, decreased his BP meds and avoided having to start cholesterol meds. You can read the entire post here – his before and after pic is worth it!

Want more resources to help you on your THM Journey? 

  • THM A to Z – A complete guide to all things Trim Healthy Mama 
  • Ultimate THM Grocery List
  • THM Food Analyzer App – This free resource is great for figuring out what fuel a jicama or a black cherry is! Just type in the food & bam, the fuel will be listed. 
  • Family Friendly THM Dinner Recipes
  • Free Trim Healthy Mama Meal Plan Template

 

Filed Under: Featured, Trim Healthy Mama Tagged With: Basics, THM, Understanding the Plan

Keto Blueberry Cobbler with Carbquik

April 4, 2021 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

This Keto blueberry cobbler with Carbquik is going to be your go to, simple summer dessert this year.

Keto - THM S Blueberry Cobbler

I don’t cook a lot of the same things at my house. In fact, I often say that my tradition is never cooking the same thing twice. 

Because I love to try new things, I don’t make the same cake over and over. Switching up the recipe and tweaking something here or there is just my jam. 

So when I tell you that I’ve made this Keto blueberry cobbler twice in as many weeks, that should tell you something! The simple list of ingredients and shortcut help with the Carbquik makes this dessert doable on a busy weeknight! 

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.

Keto Blueberry Cobbler with Carbquik (THM S) 

Keto Blueberry Cobbler - THM S

If you are craving a sweet cobbler dish on your low carb lifestyle, I’ve got you! This recipe is bursting with sweet blueberries that are covered in a buttery crust. Top it with a big scoop of whipped cream and your Keto dessert is served! 

What You Need for the Low Carb Blueberry Dessert:

Carbquik cobbler ingredients

  • Wild Blueberries (regular will work too but I love the wild berries)
  • Butter
  • Carbquik
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • Monk Fruit 
  • Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Preparing the Cobbler 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. 

Add the Carbquik, almond milk and monk fruit to the melted butter and mix with a spoon until combined. 

Spread the mixture into a pie plate or a 9×9 pyrex dish. 

Butter & Carbquik mixture

Pour the wild blueberries over the top of the mixture and spread until evenly distributed. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top if desired. 

Bake for about 40 minutes. You want the cobbler crust to be a golden brown and some of the blueberries will burst creating a gorgeous color. 

Low Carb Sugar Free Blueberry cobbler

Serving the Blueberry Treat

I call this Keto blueberry cobbler with Carbquik a dessert because that is the way that I first prepared it. 

To serve as a dessert, top with some FF Reddiwhip (for a THM S treat), homemade whipped cream for Keto or with a low carb vanilla ice cream like Rebel or Halo Top. 

But here is where I’m going to throw you a curve ball. Can you eat blueberry cobbler for breakfast? I think you can! Serve it with a big scoop of vanilla Two Good yogurt for some protein and call it a meal. 

Trim Healthy Mama S Blueberry Cobbler Dessert Recipe

Is Carbquik Keto & Can I use it on THM? 

According to this source, you can use Carbquik on the Keto diet. You just want to watch your serving and don’t eat this whole blueberry cobbler in one sitting!

Ok, great. But is Carbquik on plan for THM? Trim Healthy Mama admins have said that Carbquik can be used as a personal choice S on Trim Healthy Mama. 

The Carbquik does not have the purist ideal ingredients that THM strives for. However, you can use it on occasion if you so choose. And it is really good so I choose to do it! (but I’m a self proclaimed THM Rebel)

Low Carb Carbquick Blueberry Dessert

Want More Keto/THM S Desserts? 

Keto Peanut Butter Pie 

23 Store Bought THM Desserts

Low Carb Super Simple Dippin’ Dots

Print Recipe
Keto Blueberry Cobbler with Carbquik
Servings
Servings
Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp Butter (melted)
  • 1 1/4 cups Carbquik Mix
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup Monk Fruit
  • 2 cups Wild Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 Half Lemon (juice)
Servings
Servings
Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp Butter (melted)
  • 1 1/4 cups Carbquik Mix
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup Monk Fruit
  • 2 cups Wild Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 Half Lemon (juice)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.
  3. Once the butter is melted, combine it with the Carbquik, almond milk and monk fruit. Mix until combined.
  4. Spread the mixture into the pie pan or 9x9 pan.
  5. Top the mixture with the blueberries and spread so that they are distributed across the entire cobbler.
  6. Top with the juice of half of a lemon if desired (optional).
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cobbler is set and the crust is a golden brown.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Desserts, Featured, Plan, Recipes, Trim Healthy Mama Tagged With: Blueberry Cobbler, Carbquik, Keto, THM

11 THM On Plan Protein Bars

March 27, 2021 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Need some THM on plan protein bars that you can buy at the grocery store? You are in luck, there are quite a few options!

THM On Plan Store Bought Protein Bars

It happens to us all. We end up working late, get stuck at the ball field all day long or simply decide to go grocery shop on an empty stomach. 

You end up hangry and ready to inhale anything you can find. On plan what? You don’t even care. But you know you will regret an off plan choice later once those hunger pains wear off. 

Or if you have you life together (unlike me!), you might be looking for a THM on plan protein bar that you can stash in your car, purse and desk drawer to always be ready for a protein emergency!

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.

11 THM On Plan Protein Bars

Protein bars are tricky because most store bought protein bars have a lot of off plan ingredients, fillers and sweeteners. 

But that doesn’t meen you are doomed to a life of making homemade protein bars! There are still lots of options that are either fully on plan or approved as a THM personal choice. 

Here are your choices! 

THM S Protein Bars 

Kiss My Keto Bars (S)- You can find these on Amazon, Kroger, Walmart, Sams, Sprouts or Vitacost. 

THM Protein Pleasure Cookie  (S)- From Official THM Store

THM Protein Chocolate Bar (FP) or Strawberry Baobab Bar (S)- From Official THM Store

Epic Bars (S)- While these are not your traditional protein bar, they are indeed packed with protein, portable and ready to eat!

THM Personal Choice Bars

Think Thin (S)

Quest (watch for those sweetened with Sucralose. Those are not even allowed as a personal choice). Here are the ones sweetened with only on plan sweeteners (S): Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Sprinkled Doughnut, Cinnamon Roll, Double Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Cake, Mocha Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Brownie Smash.

Kirklands Protein Bars (from Costco – S) 

B-Up Bars (S)

Built Bars (FP) 

Love Good Fats Bars (S) – Not highly endorsed due to the syrups. 

No Cow Protein Bars (S)

Kind Bars (S) the dark chocolate and sea salt variety is your best option with this one. 

Are Larabars THM Approved? 

Larabars are not on plan. Although the THM app does say that they could be used as a rare personal choice if you are pregnant, nursing or at goal weight (and it would be a XO). The reason that Larabars are NOP is because it is dried fruit combined with fats. 

The dates & dried fruit are likely to spike blood sugar. 

What about the other fruit bars that are on the market? Most of these will still be a personal choice because of the concentrated fruit which is higher in natural sugar but there are some decent choices. 

And I’m always going to say that any of these are better than a candy bar or a drive thru burger! So if it is between eating this or making a really bad choice, eat the fruit bar. 

  • Pressed by Kind (E) – These are low in fat and fit in the carbs for an E meal. They are also date free which I like and contain only on plan ingredients. But at only 1 gm of protein, you will have to add in a protein source. 
  • That’s It (E) – These contain only 2 on plan ingredients and are date free. Same as above, they are low in fat and fit the carbs but you will need protein. 

Again, these have fruit in a concentrated amount so I wouldn’t make a daily thing out of these. But to keep in your purse in case of emergency? I feel good about it. 

Need More Easy & Store Bought THM Options? Check out these Trim Healthy Mama buying guides:

  • THM On Plan Peanut Butter
  • THM On Plan Jelly
  • 23 Store Bought Desserts on THM 
  • THM Store Bought Bread 
  • On Plan Chips and Crackers 

Filed Under: Featured, THM Store Bought Food Lists, Trim Healthy Mama Tagged With: Protein Bar, store bought, THM

Easter Trail Mix With Carrot Bugles

February 28, 2021 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

This simple Easter trail mix with carrot Bugles is easy to make with just a few ingredients. 

Easter Trail Mix & Bugle Carrots

An Easter trail mix with carrot Bugles is a fun snack for the kids this holiday and it can be made in just a few minutes. 

I don’t know about you but I love having easy holiday treats that can be made quickly and are just as cute as the more elaborate alternatives. And this bunny tail snack mix with chocolate carrots fits the bill! 

The main trail mix is easy enough for your toddler to help with and the Bugle carrots are just a simple melt & dip for the adults (or older kids). 

Let’s get to making Easter trail mix!

(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.)

Easter Trail Mix With Carrot Bugles

Easter Trail Mix with Bunnies, Bunny Tails, Carrots and M&Ms

What You Need:

To make this Easter Bunny snack mix with carrot Bugles, you will need just a few ingredients. 

You can easily adjust this recipe to accommodate for likes/dislikes or what you have on hand. 

  • Easter M&Ms
  • Annie’s Bunny Grahams
  • Mini Marshmallows
  • Bugles
  • Orange Candy Melts

Making the Carrot Bugles 

Easter Chocolate Dipped Bugle Carrots

Creating the carrot Bugles is easy and adds a little bit of extra to an otherwise simple Easter snack mix. 

Start by melting the candy melts in the microwave according to the directions. You will want to work in two batches so save a small portion of your bag to melt later. 

Hold the Bugle chip by the widest part with your fingers and dip into the melted orange candy. So you are dipping the pointed part up to your fingers, leaving a small portion of the Bugles undipped. 

Place on a silicone baking mat or sheet of wax paper to dry. Continue melting Bugles until you run out of chocolate.

Next, melt the second batch of candy melts according to directions. 

Pick up each Bugle by the tip this time (the portion already dipped). Dip the wide portion into the melted candy and then immediately dip into the green sprinkles. 

Place the Bugle Carrots back on the silicone mat to dry. 

First and second Dip

Mixing the Easter Trail Mix Up

Fun Easter Trail Mix for kids

Now for the easy part, mixing up the Easter trail mix with carrot Bugles. 

Dump in one bag of Easter M&M’s, one box of Annie’s Bunnies, half a bag of mini marshmallows and the carrot Bugles. 

Gently toss the ingredients together, place in a bowl or individual cups or bags for serving. 

Simple Easter Bunny and Carrot Snack Mix

Need More Easter Ideas? 
Easter Egg Honeybun – Kids Decorate!

Infant Easter Basket Fillers Under $5

Preschool Easter Basket Fillers Under $5

Personalized Easter Basket Items for Teen Girls

Toddler Easter Basket Ideas

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Traditions & Fun, Play Tagged With: Easter, Snack Mix, trail mix

9 THM Meals For Off Plan Family – Cook Once

February 27, 2021 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

When starting a new way of eating, your family is not always quick to jump on board. Here you will find 9 THM meals for off plan family that is easily adapted for those on plan and following Trim Healthy Mama!

THM Family Meals - Cook One Meal for On & Off Plan

Making two meals for supper is something I’ve never been a fan of (even for my little kids). So I thought I would share how we cook THM meals for off plan family and still only cook one meal. 

Before my husband embraced THM, lost 40 lbs and reversed his Type 2 Diabetes, he ate off plan. I also have and elementary aged child and a toddler as well. And let’s be honest, they might love broccoli today and hate it tomorrow.

Even though I was the only one consistently eating on plan, I didn’t cook multiple meals. I found a way to adapt a main meal to please on plan and off plan family members and now I’m sharing that with you! 

(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.)

9 THM Meals For Off Plan Family – Cook Once

Being able to cook once at dinner time is very important to me. After working all day, cooking two different meals is not in my vocabulary. 

Here are examples of THM meals for off plan family that can be adapted for on plan members and off plan kids or family. It may also work if you want your kids or husband on plan but they have different needs than you.

For example, growing kids that need XO’s or maybe you feel like an E and hubby wants an S. 

We will talk about many possibilities using the same base meals that are all Trim Healthy Mama family favorites. Allowing you to cook once and have your entire family eat! 

Spaghetti 

Spaghetti 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

For spaghetti, I do normally have to cook a different base to serve our pasta on but we all eat the same sauce. The exception is if we are all eating Dreamfields because the whole family likes that. 

S Option: Ground beef/Italian sausage meat sauce over Dreamfields pasta, zucchini zoodles, french style green beans or spaghetti squash. 

E Option: Roasted chicken breast with marinara over a lentil pasta. 

XO Option: Ground beef/Italian Sausage meat sauce over lentil pasta.

Off Plan/Kid Option: Regular  pasta with the meat/sauce of your choice. 

Tacos 

Tacos 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

For taco Tuesday, let’s first talk about the meat. 

This is the best ever taco meat, made in the Instant Pot. You can easily adapt to use lean ground beef or turkey for an E. 

I use this homemade taco seasoning with Nutritional Yeast. It is easy and cheap to make. Mix up a batch and you will have it ready for several weeks of Tacos. 

S Option: Taco Salad – meat, cheese, olives, sour cream, fajita veggies (peppers & onions) or taco meat on low carb tortilla. 

E Option: Tacos in a Bag (My daughter loves this) 

XO Option: Taco meat plus beans in a low carb tortilla. 

Off Plan/Kid Option: Using the same meat, you could offer regular taco shells/tortillas

Chili 

Chili 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

Chili is one that is a bit tougher to do just one meal but you can make it happen. Make Pearl’s Chili from the cookbook.

S Option: Per the book, watch the number of beans you eat. 

E Option: Make Pearl’s chili using extra lean ground meat and add an extra can or 2 of beans (adjusting liquid and adding more if needed)

XO Option: Take the E chili option and serve over hot dogs.

Off Plan Option: Serve whatever chili you make over hot dogs on regular buns. 

Salad Bar 

Salad Bar 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

This might not sound incredibly kid friendly but here is how we do it to make it good for kids and adults.

S Option: Leafy greens with bacon, boiled eggs, cheese, nuts.

E Option: Chickpeas or black beans, cranberries, peaches, apples or pineapple (maybe not all on one salad)

XO Option: Black beans, cheese, southwest ranch, chicken 

Off Plan/Kid Option: I make Lunchable style plates for my kids that are not salad eaters. Meats, cheese, raw veggies and regular croutons or crackers (NOP).  

BBQ 

_BBQ 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

Our favorite is this recipe made in the crockpot & is a THM FP!

S Option: Pulled pork on a salad with cheese, avocado and nuts or on a low carb tortilla quesadilla style. 

E Option: Pulled pork on sprouted bun. 

XO Option: Pulled Pork on Sprouted Bun with a mayo based slaw.  

Off Plan/Kid Option: Pulled pork on white or wheat bun. 

Sloppy Joes

Slim Sloppy Joes in the THM cookbook are a good option for sloppy joes. Just watch out for canned “sloppy joe” sauces. Most if not all will have sugar and unwanted ingredients.

S Option: Serve on a low carb, plan approved bun. 

E Option: Use an extra lean ground meat and serve on sprouted bread or on plan sourdough!

XO Option: Ground beef (not extra lean) on sprouted bread or sourdough.

Off Plan/Kid Option: Regular bun.

Baked Potato Bar

_Baked Potato 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

S Option: N/A

E Option: Baked Sweet Potato or other on plan potato and top with shredded chicken, sugar free bbq sauce or wing sauce and plain Greek Yogurt. The wing sauce is my fave, something about that little bit of sweet and spice.

XO Option: On plan Potato with an S chili or bacon and cheese. 

Off Plan/Kid Option: All of these are kid friendly options, right?!

Pizza

_Pizza 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

Friday night pizza is always fun after a long week. A lot of pizza restaurants will make you a pizza in a bowl with no crust but you can make this family fave at home too.

Once you have all your toppings out, it is easy to throw toppings on a variety of crust options. 

S Option: Tortilla Pizzas – Use low carb tortillas. Another option is to put pizza toppings on a salad. 

E Option: N/A (because I can’t figure out pizza without cheese)

XO Option: Pizza toppings and cheese on a sprouted crust or homemade sourdough crust. 

Off Plan/Kids Option: Traditional crust 

Grilled Meat with Sides

_Steak 2 ways - THM On Plan & Family option

S Option: Any S meat (pork chops, steak, chicken quarters or drumsticks) with Cheesy Zucchini, mayo based slaw, broccoli and cheese.

E Option: Grilled Chicken or Pork Tenderloin (the only pork lean enough for an E). Serve with an on plan potato, brown rice or quinoa. 

XO Option: Steak and baked potato. 

Off Plan/Kids Option: Most off plan people that I know would eat the XO option and be perfectly happy. The only off plan thing I can really think of would be an off plan roll/bread.

Want More THM Family Favorites? 

Pigs in a THM Blanket

PB&J Tik Tok Wrap Hack – THM S

THM FP Dippin’ Dots

Follow my THM food diary on Instagram for daily food ideas that you can implement in real life. Nothing fancy (ok, not usually)! Just real food made by a real busy mama. 

Filed Under: Featured, Main Meal, Plan, Recipes, Trim Healthy Mama Tagged With: Cook Once, Off Plan, THM Family

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Hey - I'm Stacy! Join me on a journey to buy smart, plan and save so that you can also PLAY!

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