Steps to Meal Prep
After the Holidays it can be difficult to get back into a consistent routine for meal prep. All it takes for meal prep is one day to stock up your fridge and be set for the week. The first thing that you need to focus on for your meal is protein. Protein helps regulate appetite and prevents mindless snacking.
If you prepare protein ahead of time, the bulk of your meal is already taken care of.
- Taco Meat
Prepare 1.5 lbs of extra lean ground beef or lean ground turkey with your favorite taco seasoning. After it has cooled, put into 5 separate containers (approx. 5 ounces each).
- Baked Chicken
Find your favorite recipe and bake 4-5 chicken breasts to eat throughout the week.
Meal Prep!
Veggies
- Roasted
Roasted veggies provide an excellent snack when you’re craving something salty and also make an excellent easy side dish for lunch or dinner.
- Fresh
Chop up any fresh vegetables that you enjoy. Examples include bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, snap peas, tomatoes. Place them in zip-lock bags so that you can grab them for salads or have them with hummus during the week.
- Frozen
Keep some frozen veggies in your freezer for busy evenings. They are flash-frozen at their peak stage of ripeness so you’re not skimping on nutrients. Bonus: you don’t have to worry about them going bad if you don’t eat them fast enough!
Complex Carb
- Cook up a large batch of wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes and/or beans. Put them in ½ cup containers or 1 large container to pair with your lunch and dinner during the week.
- Microwavable options. Microwave containers of brown rice and quinoa are great when you’re in a rush. Pop them in the microwave but be sure to consume just ½ cup. Most microwavable packs contain several servings.
You can get as creative with your meal planning as you’d like. This is a very basic template to get you started. If you have healthy options available, it will save you money and keep you from hitting the drive through.
Resources:
http://www.prevention.com/food/easy-meal-prep-ideas
http://www.self.com/story/8-meal-prep-tips-from-a-healthy-cooking-pro
