← Meal Plans Monthly Plan
April 2026
Target: 1,800–2,000 cal/day | Structure: Monday batch cook · 3 meals + 1 snack Anchors: Lemon Pepper Chicken · Garlic Herb Beef Skillet · Overnight Oats
Month-Start Bulk Shopping
- Full itemized list with quantities: April Month-Start Bulk Shop →
- Costco / Sam’s: Chicken thighs (10–12 lbs), ground beef 90/10 (3–4 lbs), shrimp (4–5 lbs), oats, brown rice, olive oil, butter, chicken broth, chia seeds, honey, almond butter, frozen cauliflower rice (stock up — used in 2 recipes), frozen blueberries, Greek yogurt multi-pack, parmesan.
- HEB — Spices: Lemon pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, Cajun seasoning.
- Thaw weekly protein portions in the fridge each Friday night for Monday batch prep.
Week 1 — April 7–11
Proteins: Lemon Pepper Chicken · Garlic Herb Beef Skillet · Shrimp · Overnight Oats
Daily Meal Plan
| Day | Breakfast (~380) | Lunch (~490) | Snack (~200) | Dinner (~360–490) | ~Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 4/7 | Overnight Oats | Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice Bowl | Greek yogurt + blueberries | Garlic Herb Beef & Cauliflower Rice Skillet | ~1,730 |
| Tue 4/8 | Overnight Oats | Garlic Herb Beef & Cauliflower Rice Skillet | Apple + almond butter | Garlic Butter Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice | ~1,740 |
| Wed 4/9 | Overnight Oats | Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice Bowl | Greek yogurt + blueberries | Garlic Herb Beef & Cauliflower Rice Skillet | ~1,730 |
| Thu 4/10 | Overnight Oats | Garlic Butter Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice | Apple + almond butter | Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice Bowl | ~1,850 |
| Fri 4/11 | Overnight Oats | Garlic Herb Beef & Cauliflower Rice Skillet | Greek yogurt + blueberries | Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice Bowl | ~1,850 |
Calorie note: Beef skillet days run ~1,730–1,740. Add ½ cup brown rice as a side (+~110 cal) on those meals to hit the 1,800 floor if tracking closely.
Gout note: Beef appears 4x this week — on the higher end. Watch how you feel; pull Fri lunch to something else in future weeks if needed.
Batch Cook Timing — Monday (~90 min)
| Task | Method | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Brown rice | Stovetop/rice cooker — start first, runs parallel | 35–40 min |
| Overnight oats — 5 jars | No cook, prep while rice cooks | 10–15 min |
| Lemon pepper chicken — 4 thighs | Ninja Crispi 380°F, flip halfway | 18–22 min |
| Garlic Herb Beef Skillet | Stovetop (runs while Crispi is going) | 25 min |
| Roasted veggies | Ninja Crispi 375°F, shake halfway | 18–20 min |
| Shrimp | Cook fresh Tue + Thu — do not batch | 10–12 min per cook |
Weekly Grocery — April 6 (HEB Fresh)
Bulk staples should be on hand from Costco month-start run.
- Ground beef 90/10 — 1.5 lbs (if not already stocked from Costco)
- Zucchini — 4–5 medium (Beef Skillet + Roasted Veggies)
- Bell peppers — 4 (any color) (Beef Skillet + Roasted Veggies)
- Broccoli — 1 large head or 12 oz florets
- Lemons — 3 (Lemon Pepper Bowls + Shrimp finish)
- Apples (Gala or Honeycrisp) — 4–5
- Mixed greens — 1 bag (side salad)
- Eggs — 1 dozen (backup / snack)
Weeks 2–4 — April 14 – May 2
Rotate same recipe set · swap proteins weekly · Monday batch cook structure Rotate shrimp to max 2x per week for gout management. Weekly plans and grocery lists to be added.
Health Notes — April 2026
- Shrimp max 1–2x per week — moderate purine, do not exceed.
- Ground beef max 2–3x per week — moderate purine, stagger with shrimp days.
- Lemon pepper chicken is the safe daily anchor — low purine, batch-cook friendly.
- Brown rice only for rice bowls — no white rice this month.
- Plain Greek yogurt only — no flavored varieties.
- Reheat standard: 375°F for 5–8 minutes in Ninja Crispi, shake halfway through.
- Shrimp reheat: 375°F for 3–4 minutes only — do not overheat.
- Beef skillet reheat: stovetop with a splash of broth, or microwave covered 2 min.
- Target daily calorie range: 1,800–2,000 cal. Track against this weekly.