Why Meal Planning Works: Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Enjoy Meal Time Again

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2 Why Meal Planning Works: Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Enjoy Meal Time Again We know that eating healthy, weight loss, and the weekly scramble of grocery shopping and getting dinner on the table every night is hard. All too often when we don t have a plan in place, we end up reaching for processed foods, take-out, or eating plain chicken breast for the fourth time in one week. This leads to dinner-time stress, adds to unwanted pounds, and sometimes even brings on feelings of guilt that we aren t feeding our families (and ourselves!) the healthy food that makes us feel good. This is only amplified when life gets busy, we get stressed, or we don t make healthy eating a priority. One week of unhealthy eating turns into one month and five pounds turns to twenty-five before we know it. Personally, I know this all too well. Before starting my own weight loss and health journey, every night consisted of panic as I stared blankly into the fridge, frustration when I sprinted to the store or called for pizza again, and unfortunately multiple failed weight loss attempts. I felt out of control and unsuccessful. That all changed when I finally started meal planning. It truly was the key to losing weight, getting healthy, and feeling good about meal time again. For the first time in years, I started to lose weight, keep it off, and most importantly enjoyed and cherished meal time again. However there is no denying that creating a meal plan from scratch takes time. And most people just don t have that time. Almost everyone I talked to about meal planning said they knew it worked but in the same breath said, I just don t have time to find healthy recipes, make shopping lists, and plan meals. It seems easy, but it takes forever. That s why we are here to help! By doing all the hard work of meal planning for you, we make it easy to eat healthier, lose weight, and enjoy meals again without stress! We can t wait for you to get started! - Kristen & the Slender Kitchen Team

3 Weekly Meal Plan Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chicken (5) Sesame Green Beans (1) 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (3) Skillet Vegetable Lasagna (9) Parmesan Crusted Pork Chop (7) Crispy Balsamic Brussel Sprouts (2) Thai Basil Ground Beef Bowl (6) Baked Blackened Tilapia (3) Honey Roasted Carrots (2) Roasted Garlic Broccoli (1) 420 (9) 327 (9) 383 (9) 300 (6) 314 (6) Values in parentheses are SmartPoints. All SmartPoints and nutritional information are calculated by Slender Kitchen. Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc.

4 Shopping List Dairy and Refrigerated 1 egg 1 egg whites 5 tbsp parmesan cheese 1/2 cup part skim ricotta 6 tbsp part skim shredded mozzarella cheese Produce 1 cup asparagus 1 1/2 cups baby carrots 3/4 lb broccoli florets 1/2 lb brussels sprouts 1 small cauliflower 1 tbsp fresh ginger 5 garlic cloves 1/2 lb green beans 2 green onions 1 lemon 1/2 cup mushrooms 2 tbsp onions 2 cups spinach 2 tbsp Thai basil (or regular) 1/2 zucchini Meat & Poultry 2/3 lb 95% lean ground beef 2/3 lb boneless lean pork chops 2/3 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh 2/3 lb tilapia Grains, Pasta, Bulk 1/2 cup brown rice 3 no boil lasagna noodle Canned & Jarred 10 oz tomato sauce Pantry Spices black pepper chili powder dried basil dried thyme garlic powder Italian seasoning kosher salt onion powder oregano paprika salt salt and pepper sesame seeds Refrigerated Asian garlic chili paste (like sambal oelek) butter Other low-sodium soy sauce balsamic vinegar brown sugar coconut oil cooking spray honey olive oil panko bread crumbs sesame oil My Items

5 Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chicken Prep Time: 10 Min Cook Time: 4 Hours Total Time: 4 Hours, 10 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 6 oz. Amount Per Serving Calories 249 Calories from Fat 6 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6g 1% Saturated Fat 2g 1% Monounsaturated Fat 2g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 0% Cholesterol 132mg 0% Sodium 1138mg 49% Total Carbohydrate 14g 5% Dietary Fiber 1g 3% Sugars 10g Protein 31g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 2/3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (GF if needed) 4 tsp brown sugar (or honey or agave) 4 tsp Asian garlic chili paste 1 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp ginger, minced Directions 1 Stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic paste, garlic, and ginger in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the chicken and stir to coat the chicken completely. 2 Cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is fully cooked. Shred using two forks. 3 Optional but highly recommended: Add the liquid from the slow cooker into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for 8-10 Notes minutes until it reduces by half and thickens. Toss chicken in this sauce or drizzle on top. The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 5 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (5 Old SmartPoints ) (6 PointsPlus )

6 Sesame Green Beans Prep Time: 5 Min Cook Time: 10 Min Total Time: 15 Min Ingredients 1/2 lb green beans 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 garlic clove, minced 1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds Directions 1 Heat the sesame oil with the garlic until fragrant. Add the beans and cook until tender crisp. Toss with 1 tbsp. sesame seeds. Notes SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 3/4 cup Amount Per Serving Calories 62 Calories from Fat 22 % Daily Value * Total Fat 2g 4% Saturated Fat 1g 2% Monounsaturated Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 8mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 9g 3% Dietary Fiber 4g 14% Sugars 4g Protein 3g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 1 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (1 Old SmartPoints ) (1 PointsPlus )

7 Skillet Vegetable Lasagna Prep Time: 15 Min Cook Time: 25 Min Total Time: 40 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 1 slice Amount Per Serving Calories 327 Calories from Fat 114 % Daily Value * Total Fat 13g 20% Saturated Fat 6g 31% Monounsaturated Fat 1g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 86mg 29% Sodium 1261mg 55% Total Carbohydrate 35g 11% Dietary Fiber 5g 19% Sugars 9g Protein 21g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. Ingredients 1/2 tsp olive oil 2 cups spinach 1/2 zucchini, sliced very thin 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese 1 egg white 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp dried basil 10 oz canned tomato sauce 3 no boil lasagna noodles 6 tbsp shredded part skim mozzarella Directions 1 Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture and set aside. 2 In a bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, and dried basil. Set aside. 3 Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Add about 1/2 cup of sauce to the bottom. 4 Cover with a lasagna noodles, breaking them if needed. 5 Then layer on half the zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. 6 Layer on half the ricotta mixture and then sprinkle with 1/8 cup mozzarella. 7 Add another cup of spaghetti sauce. Then make another layer starting with 1 noodles, then the remaining vegetables, the remaining ricotta, then 1/8 cup mozzarella cheese. 8 Top with the nal noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with last 1/8 cup of mozzarella cheese. 9 Cover and cook (directly on the stove top) for 25 minutes. Notes 9 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (9 Old SmartPoints ) (9 PointsPlus )

8 Parmesan Crusted Pork Chop Prep Time: 15 Min Cook Time: 25 Min Total Time: 40 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 1 chop Amount Per Serving Calories 278 Calories from Fat 82 % Daily Value * Total Fat 9g 14% Saturated Fat 4g 21% Monounsaturated Fat 2g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 0% Cholesterol 109mg 37% Sodium 335mg 15% Total Carbohydrate 6g 2% Dietary Fiber 1g 3% Sugars 1g Protein 41g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 2/3 lb lean boneless center cut pork chops, trimmed 1 egg whites, whisked 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 2.5 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning Salt and pepper 1/2 lemon Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 2 Season the pork with salt and pepper. 3 Combine the Parmesan, Panko, and Italian seasoning. 4 Dip the pork in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture. Place on a prepared baking sheet. 5 Bake for minutes until fully cooked and browned. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 7 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (7 Old SmartPoints ) (7 PointsPlus )

9 Crispy Balsamic Brussel Sprouts Prep Time: 10 Min Cook Time: 20 Min Total Time: 30 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 3/4 cup Amount Per Serving Calories 105 Calories from Fat 49 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 1g 4% Monounsaturated Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 326mg 14% Total Carbohydrate 13g 4% Dietary Fiber 4g 18% Sugars 4g Protein 4g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 1/2 lb fresh Brussels sprouts 2 1/2 tsp olive oil 4 tsp balsamic vinegar, divided 1 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper Directions 1 Preheat oven to 450. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. 2 Rinse sprouts in cool water and then chop o the tough ends. Chop sprouts in half. 3 Whisk together oil, half the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle it over the chopped sprouts and then toss to combine. Spread the sprouts out evenly over the baking sheet. 4 Roast for minutes or until the sprouts are tender-crisp. 5 Drizzle with the remaining vinegar, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 2 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (2 Old SmartPoints ) (3 PointsPlus )

10 Thai Basil Ground Beef Bowl Prep Time: 10 Min Cook Time: 15 Min Total Time: 25 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 2 cups Amount Per Serving Calories 300 Calories from Fat 37 % Daily Value * Total Fat 12g 18% Saturated Fat 6g 32% Monounsaturated Fat 3g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 0% Cholesterol 94mg 31% Sodium 521mg 23% Total Carbohydrate 14g 5% Dietary Fiber 5g 21% Sugars 5g Protein 38g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 2/3 lb 95% lean ground beef 2 scallions 1 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced 1 cup asparagus, chopped 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos) 1 tsp Asian garlic chili paste (like sambal oelek) 2 tbsp Thai basil 1 small cauliflower 2 tbsp onion 1 garlic clove 1 1/2 tsp coconut oil (or olive oil) Directions 1 Prepare the cauli ower rice. Chop the cauli ower into orets and add to a food processor with the onion and garlic. Pulse into ne rice like pieces. You may have to do this in batches depending on your food processor. To cook, saute the cauliflower rice in 1 tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat until soft. You can also microwave it for 4-5 minutes. 2 Add the beef to a hot nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown and break up the larger chunks as you go until no longer pink. 3 Add in the garlic, ginger, green onions, and asparagus. Cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 3-4 minutes. 4 Add the soy sauce, chili paste, and basil. Cook for 30 seconds and remove from heat. Taste and season as needed with additional soy or chili sauce. 5 Serve the Thai Basil Beef over the cauliflower rice. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 6 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (6 Old SmartPoints ) (8 PointsPlus )

11 Baked Blackened Tilapia Prep Time: 5 Min Cook Time: 15 Min Total Time: 20 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 6 oz. Amount Per Serving Calories 193 Calories from Fat 80 % Daily Value * Total Fat 8g 14% Saturated Fat 5g 23% Monounsaturated Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 91mg 30% Sodium 388mg 17% Total Carbohydrate 4g 1% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Sugars 0g Protein 29g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 2/3 lb tilapia 1 tbsp butter (or olive oil or ghee) 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 2 Place the sh in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Melt the butter and brush or drizzle onto of the fish. 3 Mix together the spices to create the blackening rub. Coat on one side for a milder avor or on both sides for a spicier avor. You may have some extra seasoning. 4 Bake for minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 3 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (4 Old SmartPoints ) (5 PointsPlus )

12 Honey Roasted Carrots Prep Time: 5 Min Cook Time: 30 Min Total Time: 35 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 2/3 cup (89g) Amount Per Serving Calories 46 Calories from Fat 31 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 1g 2% Monounsaturated Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 4g 2% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 4g Protein 0g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups baby carrots 1 1/2 tsp honey 1 1/2 tsp olive oil salt and pepper cooking spray Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 2 Place carrots into a shallow bowl and generously coat with cooking spray, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. 3 Arrange carrots on a baking sheet and roast for minutes. Shake carrots around about half way through so they roast and get crispy on all sides. 4 Return carrots to bowl and add the honey. Stir to coat well. Taste to see if they need any additional salt and pepper. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 2 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (2 Old SmartPoints ) (1 PointsPlus )

13 Roasted Garlic Broccoli Prep Time: 5 Min Cook Time: 20 Min Total Time: 25 Min SERVINGS: 2 Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 1 cup Amount Per Serving Calories 75 Calories from Fat 21 % Daily Value * Total Fat 3g 4% Saturated Fat 0g 2% Monounsaturated Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 351mg 15% Total Carbohydrate 12g 4% Dietary Fiber 5g 18% Sugars 3g Protein 5g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients 3/4 lb broccoli 1 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 tsp olive oil 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper Cooking spray Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 2 Toss the broccoli with the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. 3 Spread out the broccoli on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are in one layer. Spray with a bit more cooking spray on top. 4 Roast for minutes until just browned. Notes The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method. 1 Freestyle SmartPoints New! (1 Old SmartPoints ) (1 PointsPlus )

14 The Basics: What a Slender Kitchen Membership Includes Since every household is different, we provide three meal planning options included in your membership. That way you can pick the meal planner that works for you and change if you ever need something different in the future. Option 1: Interactive Meal Planner Best for someone who wants ideas for all of their meals but may want to make changes based on family size, dietary preferences, or schedules. Start with our suggested healthy, low carb, or vegetarian meal plan. Choose your plan and set the number of servings in your Settings. Use our simple interactive weekly meal plan calendar to adjust the meal plan for your family s needs. You can delete meals you don t need, add new recipes you want to try, and even add your own items/recipes. Download your updated meal plan and shopping list. Option 2: Build Your Own Meal Plans Best for someone who wants full control of their meal plan and is looking for a tool to make it easier to create the meal plan and shopping list. Use the simple interactive meal planner to create your meal plan from scratch. Choose from our database of thousands of recipes (or add your own recipes!) to create your own custom meal plan. Just drag and drop recipes into the calendar and we ll make your custom shopping list, calculate nutritional info, and create your printable meal plan. Option 3: Ready Made Meal Plans Best for someone who wants a ready made solution that tells them exactly what to cook and shop for each week. Choose the pre-made healthy, low carb, or vegetarian meal plans and whether you want a complete plan (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) or Dinners Only. With one click, download the plan and you re ready to eat healthy all week. Each plan comes with categorized shopping list, fallback meals, and all the nutritional info. Accessing each option is easy. 1. Make sure you are logged in. 2. Under the Meal Plans menu, choose Weekly Meal Planner to use the interactive meal planner or build your own meal plans. Choose Ready Made Meal Plans for pre-made meal plans. 3. If you choose to build your own meal plan, turn off the Suggestions in the Settings or at the top of the meal planner.

15 How it Works To help you make the most of your meal plan, we encourage you to watch a brief video to make sure you have a great experience and check out the Quick Start Guide. Don t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. Other Helpful Info New meal plans come out every Thursday to make sure you have plenty of time to prepare and shop before the week starts. As a member you get access to all our meal plans and options. You can switch between plans as often as you like. All meal plans include nutritional information and the option to show Weight Watchers SmartPoints. You can choose to set calorie goals or not.

16 We love leftovers and often utilize them for lunch in our meal plans for easier meal prep. Our interactive meal planner lets you add leftovers to your meal plan in one simple step. Ready Made Meal plans come for 2 or 4 people and are available as complete plans or dinner only. For those using the interactive meal planner or build your own meal plan options, use the Settings to control the number of servings you want, which plan you would like to utilize, calorie settings, and more. Plans do auto-renew but you can cancel at any time from your profile page. Common Questions 1. What is the difference between the Ready Made Meal Plans and interactive meal planner? The Ready Made Meal Plans are exactly that meal plan PDFs that contain a complete (or dinner only) meal plan with all the recipes you need, a categorized shopping list, and nutritional information. It is a flat file that can only be altered the old fashioned way, with paper and pencil. The interactive meal planner allows you to make changes to the weekly meal plan using an easy drag and drop calendar. Each week you get a suggested meal plan automatically loaded into the calendar that is adjusted to your desired number of servings. Then you can make changes to the meal plan based on your preferences and needs by adding/removing recipes and items. It gives you the control to make the meal plan work better for you. Once you finish, you automatically get a shopping list and printable meal plan that reflects the changes you made. 2. How do I swap out a recipe? What if I am going out to eat or don t plan on cooking? When using the interactive meal planner, just click on the title of the meal you would like to change (i.e. breakfast). Then use the X or trash can icon to remove the recipes you don t want to use. If you aren t planning on cooking that night, just leave it blank. If you want to add a new recipe, just drag in a new recipe from your Favorites or Recipe Queue. 3. How do I add leftovers to my meal plan? We love leftovers and know that many of our members do as well so we wanted to make sure it was easy to incorporate them in the meal plans. To add leftovers to your meal plan, simply drag the same recipe into your meal plan more than once. When you add the recipe a second (or third or fourth) time and choose Use Leftovers, the original recipe will automatically be adjusted to include the extra servings you need.

17 4. How do I switch between meal plans? Switching between meal plans is easy. You can either switch plans in your Settings or use the drop down menu at the top of the weekly meal plan to change the plan you see. 5. Where do I download the meal plans? Ready Made Meal Plans can be downloaded here. To download your meal plan from the interactive meal planner, simply click the Download Meal Plan box on the left side bar next to the weekly meal plan. 6. Does the meal planner automatically update when I make changes to my meal plan? Absolutely! Any time you make changes to your meal plan, the shopping list and downloadable meal plan are automatically updated as well. 7. What do I do if I have food allergies or my family doesn t like a meal? If you have food allergies, picky eaters, or specific dietary preferences then the interactive meal planner will be your best option. Simply delete any recipes that won t work for your needs and drag in a new recipe that will. 8. How do I access previous meal plans? For Ready Made Meal Plans, you will have access to the current week as well as the previous three weeks. We recommend saving the meal plans if you would like to access older plans. For the interactive meal planner, all your meal plans are saved in the Meal Plan Archive, which can be found under the Meal Plans menu when you are logged in. You can access them at any time. 9. How do I add my own recipes into the meal planner? If you have a family favorite recipe or meal you want to add to your meal planner, simply enter it here. Once you enter the recipe, we will calculate the nutritional information for you and you once the recipe has been approved. Then you can add it to your meal plans at any time. 10. How do I save recipes to my Favorites or Recipe Queue? Saving recipes to your Favorites and Recipe Queue makes meal planning much more efficient. To save recipes to these areas when browsing the website, simply click on the + in the corner of any recipe photo and choose the heart icon to save to Favorites or the arrow icon to save to your Recipe Queue.

18 Tips and Tricks from our Meal Planning Members The best advice for making the most of our meal plans comes directly from our members. Check out their tips and tricks below. Don t forget to save recipes to your Favorites and Recipe Queue! I can t tell you how much time this saves me when I need to swap out a recipe in the meal planner. Every time I am on the website and see a recipe I think my family would like, I immediately save it and then I am never stuck searching for recipes. - Donna Try new recipes and food! One of the best things about Slender Kitchen meal plans is that it opens you up to try all kind of new foods and recipes. My family has tried so many new recipes that we love and had we not been willing to be a little adventurous, this never would have happened! - Sam Watch the videos! I am not the most tech savvy person and struggled a lit bit to understand the interactive meal planner at first. Then I watched one overview video and all the sudden everything made sense! Watch, watch, watch! - Kat Spend some time every Sunday prepping for the week. I save so much time by prepping meals and side dishes ahead of time. Always prep your veggies and get everything organized on Sunday. It truly will save you during the week when things always get busier than expected. -Karen Each week I spend a few minutes checking off items I already have on the Shopping List. It seems like such a simple step and only takes a couple minutes but I can t tell you how many times I was buying spices and ingredients I actually already had! - James