white sparrow food co.

What I Eat in a Day as
a Gluten-Free Personal Chef
(Real Life Edition)

Real Life.

Let me tell you something funny:
I cook for other people all day… and sometimes I stand in my kitchen at 6 p.m. wondering what’s for dinner.

People assume every meal I eat is beautifully plated and chef-level perfect. It’s not.

Some days? Sure.
Other days? I’m eating lunch over the sink at 2 p.m. after cooking for clients all morning.

So here’s what I actually eat in a day as a gluten-free personal chef — the routines, shortcuts, repeat meals, favorite snacks… and how different client meals vs. my meals really are.

Spoiler: there are a lot of bowls.

Morning: Creature of Habit Energy

Greek yogurt + blueberries + paleo granola.

I aim for 30g of protein at breakfast because if I don’t start there, I’m playing catch-up all day. It’s simple, filling, and works for me.

I usually drink mushroom coffee with coconut milk, plus water with electrolytes and green tea throughout the day.

Other breakfasts on repeat:
• Avocado toast + eggs
• Paleo protein waffles with maple syrup

"What I’ve learned. Food doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to work for your life. For me that usually looks like: -protein first -vegetables always -bowls often -shortcuts unapologetically. And honestly? That’s real life.."

Snack (Mid-morning or late afternoon)

I’m not a huge grazer, but sometimes I just need something.

Usually:

Check out these posts.

Lunch (A Work In Progress, Honestly)

Lunch can be all over the place. Some days it’s a few taste testers at a client’s house. Other days it’s a 2 p.m. salad when I finally get home. And sometimes it’s a quick grocery stop because I suddenly realize I need protein immediately.

When I’m home, I usually throw together a big salad with greens, chicken, dates, cucumbers, goat cheese, nuts, and balsamic dressing. Random, but good.

Lately though? I’ve been bored with lunch. So I made myself one rule: always keep cooked chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and leafy greens around.

It changes everything.

• Wraps
• Chicken salad sandwiches
• Quick bowls
• Rice + veggies + sauce

Simple shortcut. Huge difference. My go-to prep:

Simple. Flavorful. Makes your house smell amazing. And the leftovers? Gold.

Dinner (Where It Gets Real)

We eat around 7-ish because sports basically run our lives.

And feeding multiple people with wildly different preferences?

I have:

  • a vegetarian
  • a meat lover who doesn’t eat fish
  • and two of us who refuse meat-and-potatoes monotony

Bowls and stir-fries save me. Plus simply roasted vegetables and roast chicken, ground beef or steak. It doesn’t have to be fancy – I do focus on whole foods and clean ingredients.

Meals on Repeat:

1. Greek Ground Beef Feta Bowls

Huge favorite. I roast vegetables alongside so everyone’s happy.


2. Chicken Shawarma Bowls

These happen at least weekly. Always.


3. Beef Hokkien Mee Stir Fry

Big flavor. Everyone likes it. Miracle.


4. Enchiladas (Most Requested Meal in My House)

When I have time its enchiladas two ways:

And somehow they’re even better the next day.

Real-Life Dinners (When I’m Tapped Out)

Because yes — cooking for clients all day sometimes means the last thing I want to do is… cook.

So on those nights:

  • Meatballs
  • Air fryer chicken thighs
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Rice or pasta

And once a week? We go out for to a fast casual spot after soccer practice. Because this mom is human.

Have you seen these recipes yet?

Hi, I'm Kat.

Welcome to my Kitchen Counter. I’m excited to share with you a new series called “Make my kitchen work for you” along with a collection of blog posts about a variety of topics – building a gluten free pantry, staples to always have on hand and gift guides for the Chef in your life. Take a look around. I’d love to hear from you – do you like these posts?

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