Meal Prepping Made Easy

Meal Prepping Made Easy

Meal prepping can be a cost effective way to ensure we consume the balanced diet needed to fuel our minds and our bodies. If you’re like me and have a busy schedule, skipping meals probably happens more often than you realize. A great solution for busy weekdays is planning your meals ahead of time.

When we plan ahead it forces us to pay attention to what we’re putting into our bodies. Eating on the go, we’re more likely to eat unhealthy, over processed foods, that not only cost more but also lack the variety of nutrients we require on a daily basis to stay healthy. Having our meals ready and prepared at home means we’ll be less likely to skip a meal or make unhealthy choices. Nothing beats a good home-cooked meal and knowing where your food came from and how it was prepared offers peace of mind with every bite.

Here are seven tips to get you in the habit of planning your meals.

Make a date with yourself and keep it! Pick one night a week to do your grocery shopping and meal preparation and put it in your calendar like you would any other commitment. You’re more likely to follow through with your plan if you put it in your calendar and set a reminder. I work Monday to Friday, so I always do my shopping and preparation for the week on Sundays. We should be just as committed to our health as we are about our work, our friends, and our families.

Choose your recipes ahead of time and make a grocery list. I love Pinterest for this reason. I’m always looking for new recipes to try, and adding variety to your diet not only ensures you’re getting all the necessary nutrients but it also prevents us from getting bored and falling back into old habits. I love finding a recipe that calls for ingredients I’ve never tried before, or finding the recipe for a dish at my favorite restaurant and trying to recreate it.

Buy in bulk! Buying in bulk is a cost effective way to purchase your ingredients. Whether it’s making snacks for the week or a batch of vegetarian chili for my dinners, buying in bulk means I always have ingredients on hand to make the dishes I love. Buying in bulk also means more options to choose from including options without the additives and preservatives found in most prepackaged foods.

Shop the perimeter of your grocery store. With few exceptions, I try to avoid buying anything located in the grocery aisles. It can be tempting to go for the quick and easy, pre-packaged foods when we’re busy or shopping hungry at the end of a long day. Having a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates and fats can be a challenge, but sticking to the outer edge of the store will help you find the fresh, whole foods that you’re looking for.

Reusable containers.  Having reusable containers on hand makes everything easier. Though it’s not necessary, I like to use glass containers. Glass containers are easy to clean, microwave safe and environmentally friendly. Having a variety of sizes makes meal prep easy. So whether it’s for your afternoon trail mix, morning yogurt or homemade soup, having enough containers on hand makes prepping easy.

Pre-wash and chop your veggies. I like to wash and chop my veggies ahead of time. If I want to make a fresh salad or a stir-fry, having all my veggies chopped and ready to go is really convenient. Preparing vegetables like peppers, cauliflower and onions is a great way to save time. After a long day, the idea of having to wash and chop veggies, and prepare a meal can seem like a chore and if I haven’t done my prepping I’m more likely to order in. Make eating at home easy, after doing your shopping, wash and chop everything before you put it away in your fridge.

Make it saucy! Having a variety of sauces and seasonings on hand can keep our taste buds guessing. Most people get bored eating the same thing every day, having a variety of sauces and seasonings can easily change up any dish. I like to make a couple different marinades for my tofu, citrus garlic sauce, and a spicy black bean is a couple of my favorites. Adding toppings to each meal is also a great way to change up the taste and texture of your meal. Adding nuts and seeds to your salad or adding hemp seeds and chia seeds to your yogurt is a great way to mix things up while increasing your calorie intake, healthy fats, and proteins.