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Day 4: Build Your Meal Formulas

Published: Dec 16, 2025 by admin · This post may contain affiliate links · Nutrition values are estimates only. Leave a Comment

Welcome to Day 4 of The End of "What's For Tomorrow?" challenge. This is the day everything clicks. You're not planning individual meals anymore. You're creating formulas you can use forever.

Day 4 Meal Formulas on blackboard graphic

Goal

Create simple meal templates that you fill in with different options each week.

Why This Matters

This is the real unlock. Instead of asking "what should I cook?" every single day, you ask a much smaller question: "which dal today?" or "which curry this week?"

When your formula already includes protein + veggie + fiber, you don't have to think about balance. It's built in. You just pick from your Home Menu and plug it into the formula. Done.

Your Task

  1. Decide which formula style fits your life (see options below)
  2. Write out your breakfast formula using dishes from your worksheet
  3. Write out your lunch formula
  4. Write out your dinner formula
  5. Check that each formula hits your nutrition goals (at least one P or F dish)

Open the Home Menu Worksheet

Choose Your Formula Style

Pick the option that fits your life. You can also mix and match.

Option A: Full Thali (4-5 components)
Best for families that enjoy complete, traditional meals.

Option B: Simple Plate (2-3 components)
Best for busy weekdays, smaller families, or when you want less cooking.

Option C: Mix
Simple plates on weekdays, full thali on weekends.

Example Formulas

Full Thali Breakfast:
Pick ONE from: Idli, Dosa, Upma, Pongal
+ Chutney (coconut, tomato, or peanut)
+ Veggie side
+ Optional: Sambar

Full Thali Lunch:
Rice or Roti
+ Dal (rotate varieties)
+ Protein (chicken, paneer, or egg)
+ Veggie side

Full Thali Dinner:
Rice or Roti
+ Curry with protein or fiber
+ Side dish (salad or raita)

Simple Plate Breakfast:
One-pot dish (Upma, Poha, or Pongal)
+ Chutney

Simple Plate Lunch/Dinner:
Rice or Roti
+ Dal or Curry
+ Yogurt or Pickle

You don't need to copy these exactly. Use your own dishes from your worksheet. The formula is just the structure.

What You'll Discover

Decision fatigue disappears. You're not starting from scratch every day. You're just filling in blanks.

Balance is automatic. When your formula includes protein + veggie + fiber, you don't have to think about it.

Flexibility built in. The formula stays the same, but the dishes rotate. Monday's dal is different from Wednesday's dal, but it's still "Rice + Dal + Protein + Veggie."

Your family gets variety. Same structure, different meals. No one gets bored.

What's Next?

Tomorrow is Day 5: The Prep Check. You'll tag what to freeze, what to batch-prep, and what to cook fresh. This is how your Sunday prep becomes automatic.

Share your formulas in the WhatsApp group. What does your breakfast formula look like? Lunch? Dinner?

More Uncategorized

  • Day 3 Nutrition Check on black board graphic
    Day 3: The Nutrition Check
  • Day 2: The Family Audit
  • words written on a black board with home menu challenge 1
    Day 1: The Brain Dump
  • The End of "What's For Tomorrow?" A 6-Day Challenge to Build Your Home Menu

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Abhi indian food blogger focused on Marcos

Welcome!

I'm on a mission to bring balance back to our plates, one delicious Indian meal at a time. ThaliMethod is my way of shaking up how we think about our kitchens and our food. We're not about restrictive diets; we're about smart portions and celebrating the incredible variety of Indian cuisine. Join me, and let's redefine what a 'balanced meal' really looks like.

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