3 Simple Ways to Create Nutrition Plans Your Clients Will Actually Use

The perfect meal plan means nothing if no one uses it. Here’s how to build plans your clients actually follow — in real time, after intake, or all on their own.

Written by
Emma Benner Emma Benner
Published on

If a meal plan falls into an inbox and no one uses it, did it ever exist?

You know the routine. You ask the right questions, gather all the preferences, and build a plan that checks every box — balanced, personalized, and beautifully packaged. Your client says they want it. Maybe even thanks you. And then… crickets. No follow-through. No behavior change. Just another lonely, untouched PDF collecting digital dust in the void.

The problem isn’t your expertise — it’s the disconnect between what you deliver and what your client is actually ready to do. If your workflow doesn't support how clients think, eat, and live, even your best work still won’t stick. And let’s be real here: you don’t have hours to spend building plans that never get used.

1. Plan alongside your client

You’re already in the session. You’re asking the right questions, pulling out preferences, talking about goals, allergies, schedules, toddler chaos — whatever’s on the table that day. Instead of saving all that info for some mythical “planning time” later, just go ahead and build the plan right there.

Open That Clean Life, share your screen, and start adding recipes. Let your client react in real time: “I’d eat that,” “Absolutely not,” “What even is tempeh?” You shape the plan together, on the spot. They leave with something they actually helped create (and you don’t have homework).

How it works

  • Share your screen
  • Use filters to find recipes fast (vegan, 30g of protein or more, 30 minutes – whatever they need)
  • Add recipes to the planner or a collection as you talk
  • Edit on the fly based on their reactions
  • Wrap the session with a nutrition plan they’re more likely to actually use

Why it works

People are more likely to follow a plan when they had a hand in making it. This turns the whole thing into a collaboration, not a prescription.

Also, if you bill for your time (or work with insurance), this is gold. You’re doing the work in the session, not tacking on unpaid hours later.

TCL Tip: Recipe filters make this fast and seamless — no awkward pauses, no recipe hunting. Just real-time planning that sticks.

2. Intake and make

Not every client wants to collaborate live, and not every session has the space for it. Sometimes the best move is to take everything you’ve learned, go back to your desk, and build the plan solo.

This is the “intake and make” approach. You collect what you need up front — goals, preferences, routines, red flags — and then build something thoughtful after the session. Whether you deliver a structured meal plan or a curated recipe collection depends on the client, the context, and how much structure they actually need.

How it works

  • Run your intake session. Ask about goals, eating habits, food preferences, schedule, and any clinical needs
  • Choose your format:
    • A meal plan if they need structure and accountability
    • A recipe collection if they need ideas and flexibility
  • Build in That Clean Life using templates or from scratch
  • Add notes, swaps, grocery lists — whatever makes it useful
  • Send it off, ideally with clear next steps or follow-up

Why it works

You get to think. No real-time pressure. No screen sharing. Just a chance to create something smart, tailored, and clinically sound.

And because it’s built after the session, it also works well for billing — especially if you’re charging for plan creation or working with packages that include post-session deliverables.

This method is great for clients who want to feel taken care of — who see value in receiving a polished plan made for them, not with them.

TCL tip: That Clean Life lets you save client notes, build structured plans, and send polished deliverables in minutes. Use ready-made templates to save even more time.

3. Let your client self-plan

This is the method for clients who don’t want a strict meal plan — and honestly, probably won’t follow one even if you give it to them.

Instead of prescribing, you guide. You hand them a curated set of recipes, a blank planner, and a little direction — and let them take it from there. They get to build their own plan, their way. You stay in the expert seat, but shift from “planner” to “coach.”

How it works

  • Ask your client about preferences, cooking habits, time constraints, etc.
  • Build a recipe collection based on their input — think of it as a personalized menu
  • Pair it with a blank planner so they can structure their own week
  • Add simple guidance like: “Pick 2 breakfast recipes, 3 dinners, and repeat leftovers”
  • Follow up next session to see what worked and adjust as needed

Want to go deeper on this method? Check out our guide on how to teach your clients to create their own meal plans — it walks through how to help clients see the value of planning without you needing to create fully customized plans every time.

Why it works

This method gives clients autonomy — which often leads to more buy-in and long-term behavior change. You’re not just giving them a plan, you’re helping them build the skills to plan for themselves.

It also saves you time. Collections are quick to create, and you’re giving value without having to lock yourself into creating something overly structured every time.

This is especially effective for clients who want flexibility, enjoy cooking, or are working on intuitive eating. And it still counts as professional care — you’re providing structure, support, and expert guidance. Just not in a rigid format.

TCL tip: You can build recipe collections and pair them with a blank planner in under 5 minutes.

Choose what works — and make it work for you

There’s no single “right” way to create a nutrition plan. Some clients need structure. Others need flexibility. Some want to be handheld. Others want you to let them cook (literally, and figuratively). And your workflow matters just as much as theirs.

The key is finding the approach that supports both: your time, your expertise, and their ability to follow through.

That Clean Life gives you the flexibility to plan how you work best — whether that means building together, crafting solo, or coaching clients to self-plan.

  • Plan together
  • Build after intake
  • Empower independence
  • Skip the burnout

Try all three approaches inside That Clean Life — sign up today and save 30% off of your annual plan.