Meal Planning for the Tired and Hungry (with shopping list!)

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in front of the fridge, too tired to think but somehow still hungry (hi, it’s me), this meal plan is for you. I teamed up with Taylor—writer, mom, medical miracle, and all-around inspiring human—to create Meal Planning for the Tired and Hungry. It’s a low-effort, high-comfort plan full of simple recipes, and loved by kids and adults alike. Whether you’re navigating fatigue, recovery, or just the everyday chaos of life, these meals are here to make things a little easier—and a lot more delicious. And bonus – the meal plan includes a shopping list!

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When Taylor—writer, rare disease survivor, and all-around powerhouse—reached out about collaborating on a meal plan for her Substack Rare Disease Girl, I immediately said yes. Taylor is the wife of one of my lifelong friends (Zach of the Dustbowl Revival band – they’re amazing – and I’ve known Zach since 1st grade!), and knowing her story makes this partnership even more meaningful. After a traumatic birth experience that nearly cost her her life, Taylor has become a beacon for others navigating medical crises, caregiving, and the sheer exhaustion of just trying to get through the day. Her goal? To make life a little easier for people who are already carrying too much.

Together, we created Meal Planning for the Tired and Hungry—a realistic, feel-good plan that includes a shopping list and a week’s worth of easy, healthy-ish meals and snacks. These are the recipes I turn to on busy weeks with my own family of six. Think: Applesauce Oatmeal Pancakes you make once on a Sunday and reheat throughout the week. A fruit-filled smoothie that satisfies the sweet tooth and sneaks in a little nourishment.

There are also two entrees that come together in under an hour—like a sheet pan salmon dinner with built-in sides, and a no-chop, no-prep baked chicken dish that practically makes itself (you literally put ingredients into a baking dish, that’s it). A chickpea salad for when the stove feels like too much, and peanut butter energy balls to keep you going between school pickups and doctor appointments (or let’s be honest… just getting out of bed some days).

When Taylor wrote, “Bonus points for things that can be meal prepped and ready to eat throughout the week. The idea is easy and healthy. Because I know so so so many folks who have to live fatigued and are short-cutting with unhealthy choices,” I knew exactly the kind of plan we needed. Every recipe is built with that in mind: kid-friendly, low-lift, and genuinely satisfying.

This isn’t just about food—it’s about showing up for yourself in the smallest, kindest ways. I’m so honored to have worked with Taylor on this project. Her words, her wisdom, and her Substack are a gift. I hope this meal plan feels like one too. Just click here for the meal plan (it includes a shopping list!!) Meal Planning for the Tired & Hungry

Here is more about Taylor “I’m Taylor and I want to help you save your own life. When giving birth to my daughter, I almost died a handful of times when an idiopathic rare disease triggered multiple organ failure. After spending a year getting back on my feet and going to dialysis, my prognosis is stable and I aim to help others navigate medical challenges and unexpected life upheavals. My article I Spent Weeks Near Death In The ICU. Asking My Doctors To Do This 1 Thing May Have Saved My Life trended to Number 1 on Apple News.

My Substack Rare Disease Girl is a reader-supported digital atlas for navigating life’s inevitable challenges: personal memoir, health systems, mental wellness, patient-life, life-saving tips, and motherhood.

At some point in life, we are either the patient or the caregiver. It’s intrinsically part of the human story. And in those moments of challenge, I’m here for you.

You can find me on Instagram with a steady stream of my life in Santa Monica with my musician husband, Dustbowl Revival’s Zach Lupetin, toddler daughter and a very needy rescue dog named Sunny.

This meal plan was created with real life in mind—fatigue, full schedules, and the need to just get something nourishing on the table. Whether you’re recovering, caregiving, or simply trying to make it through a busy week, we hope these recipes offer a bit of structure and support when you need it most.