Hey Hon!
What’s one of your biggest struggles when it comes to eating well consistently? The number one thing I hear from most clients are meal prepping. Those annoying questions and thoughts…” what should I eat”, or “I have nothing to eat”, can be overwhelming.
I get it, meal planning and prep is not the sexiest thing in the world, however, with a few of my tips, it can help you achieve that sexy, fit look we all desire.
So why meal prep? What’s the big deal? Glad you asked!
Planning and Prepping your meals is thee biggest deal because it will literally save precious time, money, reduce stress, and most importantly keep you on that healthy eating track that so many of us fall from.
Okay, stay with me, here’s the tips:
- Check your weeks schedule. What does it look like?
Most of us know what the next 7 days will look like. Do you have a packed week of zoom meetings, project deadlines, kids’ virtual classroom time, etc.?
Will you have time to cook daily, a few times a week, or just one day during the weekend?
Taking a quick look at your upcoming schedule will shape your weeks menu, shopping list, and preparation.
- Now that you know your schedule, plan your meals and shopping list.
Create it as simple or fancy as time will allow. The important thing is your weeks meal/menu should be health inspired and balanced (protein, fiber, complex carbs, healthy fats). We can go through what a balanced meal looks like in another post.
Then shop and buy ingredients around the meals you’ve planned (this is where your shopping list is critical).
Side note: if you have menu brain block (when you just can not decide what meals to make), buy seasonal ingredients that looks inspiring and on sale, then plan your meals around those ingredients.
For example: your store may have a sale on broccoli, mushrooms, and zucchini…well that sounds like the making of a delicious veggie stir fry.
- I’m sure you’re heard this before…PREP as many items, as you can, when you get home from the market.
I can’t tell you how many times prepping my ingredients have saved me on time and stress. You want your ingredients ready when you’re ready to cook.
For example: When you bring your greens home (kale, collards, swiss chard, cabbage) rinse, cut, and place in zip lock bags.
- Make sure to have airtight meal containers with fitted lids on hand (I use portion control meal containers, 28 to 32 ounces in size).
After preparing your meals, pack them immediately in those containers and store in fridge for grab and go…these days, grab and go may be from the kitchen to your home office.
- Bonus Tip: I know you like to snack, so to keep it easy, healthy, and guilt free; don’t forget to also prep your snacks.
For example: I love hummus, olives, and my granola. So, I always have those on hand portioned out in snack containers.
I hope you try these tips and let me know how it goes!
