I think you’re over-thinking this. Find a nice small change that seems to work for you and then try it out. Adjust based on your results.

What works for me–I cook for just me–won’t necessarily work for you. What works for you won’t necessarily work for everyone you cook for?

Yesterday, I had time, so I cooked up 10 servings of pasta sauce with meat and froze them all individually. For me, it’s a handy way to have an easy different meal to pull out of the freezer. This morning I bought some chicken breast and buffalo sauce. I’ll slow cook that, shred it and freeze the portions. Some weeks, I don’t feel like cooking at all. I’ll buy some pre-sliced ham, a loaf of wheat bread or wraps, some cheese and greens, and trust that I’ll use it up that week. And then I’ve also got those other meals to pull out of the freezer for variety.

I think protein is just protein. You find a convenient way to eat it? I think it’s useful to get a variety of fruits and veggies that you’ll eat. Some weeks, it’s the veggies in the pasta sauce, some it’s buy fresh and make salads, some it’s I’m just going to make sure to drink a big glass of V8 each day. Depends on what’s going on in my life?

If you’re doing this with a couple other people, maybe you find efficiency and variety by just having each person plan and cook a healthy meal twice a week?

Cook oats in stock/broth with onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, dried herbs as desired. Toward the end, crack an egg or three into it and let those cook. Or, cook the eggs separately and add them at the end. Pour that over chopped greens so the greens cook/wilt as desired.

Sometimes, just oats in water to cook, stir in some premade Indian sauce (vindaloo, curry, etc) to taste, and any left over meat to warm up.