Do you try to eat healthy meals but find it hard to stay on track with your busy, on-the-go lifestyle?
Let’s dig into the benefits of meal prepping!
Planning and prepping meals for the week is a great way to guarantee that you have a nutritious option instead of grabbing something unhealthy on the go during your busy day.
Organization and planning
Let’s start with meal prepping which requires organization and smart planning. Preparation should include choosing the right containers to store your meals for the week. This may seem like a small step, but you are going to want a container that has kept your servings separate and fresh; otherwise, you may end up eating something unappetizing. Containers, whether they are plastic (make sure you get BPA-free), metal, or glass, should have divided sections to keep your portions from touching one another, and also make sure your container is microwave safe. You also want to choose something with a tightly fitted lid to ensure your meals stay fresh in the refrigerator throughout the week.
To start, choose a day when you have a little extra time to prepare your lunches for the week, right after grocery shopping is recommended. Before even putting your food away, lay out all the ingredients you need and get to prepping. Because different foods have varying windows of freshness, you want to consider this when prepping your meals. For instance, if cut vegetables like onions and peppers are stored in airtight containers, they should keep for around three days, whereas, heartier chopped vegetables, like carrots, radishes, and winter squash will keep for a week.
Now that you’ve got the organization down, here are tips on creating a well-balanced meal. Try to include a protein, starch, fat, and fruit or vegetable.
Create a well-balanced meal
Now that you have mastered the organization, here are some tips for creating a well-balanced meal. Try to include a protein, starch, fat, and fruit or vegetable.
PROTEINS
Chicken, fish, eggs, beans, hummus, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu, soybeans, yogurt, cottage cheese
STARCH
Quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, whole grain bread, brown rice, cassava tortillas, amaranth
FRUITS/VEGETABLES (Eat the rainbow)
Red: tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, beets
Orange: carrots, bell peppers, oranges, apricots
Green: kale, lettuce, spinach, grapes, cucumber, zucchini, snap peas Yellow: bell peppers, bananas, squash, beets, onions
Purple: eggplant, red onions, blueberries, cabbage
Brown/White: onions, mushrooms, turnips
FATS
Avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, nut butters Raw nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios Seeds: flax, chia, sunflower, pumpkin
Benefits of meal prepping:
Save Money
Meal prep helps you avoid impulse buying and eating out. Buying in bulk is also a great way to save.
Portion Control
Dividing your meals up into smaller containers helps to control how much you eat, versus what you may end up eating if you grab lunch or breakfast on the go.
Save Time
Preparing all of your food at once requires some time, but you save time on the days you would regularly be heading out to buy something fast.
Manage Calorie Intake
Meal prep allows you to choose all of the ingredients that go into your body, so there are never any surprises or sneaky calories, like those you may find in a grab & go or takeout meal.
By following these tips, you’ll be a meal prep expert in no time! This means you’ll be feeling good about your lunchtime decisions, all while getting healthier too.
Need some support and more ideas on how to start your wellness journey? Connect with me here!
