Monster Mash: The Vertical Diet Staple (and Why We Love It at State College Strength)

Monster Mash: The Vertical Diet Staple (and Why We Love It at State College Strength)

If you’ve spent any time around strength sports, bodybuilding, or performance nutrition, you’ve probably heard the term Monster Mash. Popularized by Stan Efferding as part of his Vertical Diet, Monster Mash is a simple, repeatable, and highly effective meal designed to fuel performance, support muscle growth, and minimize digestive stress.

At State College Strength, we’re big fans of meals that are:

• Easy to prepare
• Easy to digest
• High in quality protein and carbs
• Scalable for athletes with big training demands

Monster Mash checks every one of those boxes.

What Is Monster Mash?

Monster Mash is essentially a one‑pot meal built around lean red meat, white rice, and easy‑to‑digest vegetables, cooked together with broth and fat. It’s designed to be nutrient‑dense without being complicated — which is exactly why so many lifters eat it daily.

Stan Efferding created this meal to help athletes consistently hit their calorie and protein needs without gut issues, bloating, or appetite fatigue.

Classic Vertical Diet Monster Mash Recipe

This version stays true to the Vertical Diet principles and works perfectly for meal prep.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7)
• 1 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 1 cup chicken broth or bone broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes or bell peppers
• 1 cup carrots (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping)

Instructions

1. Brown the beef
   In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
2. Add liquids and rice
   Pour in the chicken broth and water. Stir in the uncooked white rice.
3. Add vegetables
   Add spinach, tomatoes (or peppers), and carrots. Place the remaining tablespoon of butter on top.
4. Simmer
   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked.
5. Mix and portion
   Stir everything together until evenly combined. Divide into meal prep containers.
6. Reheat and eat
   Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of broth if needed and top with cheese if desired.

Why Monster Mash Works

Monster Mash aligns perfectly with performance‑focused nutrition:

• High‑quality protein from red meat supports strength, recovery, and iron intake
• White rice provides fast‑digesting carbs for training fuel
• Low‑FODMAP vegetables reduce digestive stress
• Simple ingredients make consistency easy

For athletes training hard multiple days per week, consistency matters more than variety — and Monster Mash makes consistency realistic.

Watch Stan Efferding Make Monster Mash

If you want to see the original source in action, check out Stan Efferding’s video where he walks through Monster Mash and explains the reasoning behind it:

👉 Monster Mash – Vertical Diet (YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVNlaH_mcIY

All credit for the Monster Mash concept and Vertical Diet principles goes to Stan Efferding.

How We Use It at State College Strength

Many of our members — from general fitness clients to competitive athletes — struggle with:

• Under‑eating protein
• Inconsistent meals
• Poor recovery due to low calorie intake

Monster Mash is one of the simplest solutions we recommend for:

• Busy professionals
• Strength athletes
• Anyone training 3–5+ days per week

If you want help dialing in your nutrition around your training, talk to one of our coaches — we’ll help you build something sustainable that actually supports your goals.

Train hard. Eat smart. Recover better.

— State College Strength

Macro Breakdown (Monster Mash – 93/7 Ground Beef)

Based on: 1 lb 93/7 ground beef (Sam’s Club), 1 cup dry white rice, 2 tbsp butter, vegetables & broth (minimal calories). Recipe yields 4 servings.

Whole Recipe

• Calories: ~1,555 kcal
• Protein: ~105 g
• Carbohydrates: ~148 g
• Fat: ~55 g

Per Serving (¼ recipe)

• Calories: ~390 kcal
• Protein: ~26 g
• Carbohydrates: ~37 g
• Fat: ~14 g

Macros are estimates and will vary slightly by brand and portion size. Cheese not included.

‍