Meal Prepping” for Busy People...AKA Everyone.

By now unless you are living under a rock, everyone has heard the phrase, “meal prep”. It is especially common among those who are health conscious or trying to lose a few extra pounds.  Depending on your lifestyle & goals, I think meal prep looks differently for everyone. However, in the end it all comes down to time. Because it can just take SO much time which is why it is no surprise that food delivery services are so popular...and expensive.

Considering the well known statistic that 75% of weight loss is contributed to diet and 25% exercise, it is imperative to eat well the majority of the week.  This is not only true for those who want to lose weight, but also those trying to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. Don’t worry, this does not mean you have to eat boiled chicken and broccoli every day.

Thus, why I plan accordingly.  For me, food is EVERYTHING. I truly look forward to every meal in my day.  So you can imagine why the thought of eating boiled chicken actually depresses me. Enter- Meal prep!  Every week looks different, where sometimes I invest more time or creativity, but the important thing is I ensure it happens! 

Here’s why: 

  • Save $$

  • Don’t waste food

  • Usually always have a healthy option

  • Alleviates boredom

  • Saves time over all

  • Food is meant to be enjoyed

Here is how it all works…

  • Step 1: I make a list! I pick 3 meals/dinners for the upcoming week to prepare. For example, this week in my house was:

    • Monday: Baked Fish & Veggie

    • Tuesday: Tandoori Chicken & Veggies with a yogurt sauce

    • Wednesday: Turkey Burgers, sweet potato fries & roasted veggies

    • Thursday: Crockpot shredded chicken w leftover veggies

    • Friday: TBD -- leftovers

  • Step 2: Once you have your list, hit the grocery store. OR do a delivery service! I am a fan of shipt these days.

  • Step 3: PREP day.

    • Cut up all your veggies and have them ready to go for you dishes. This includes extras like cilantro, parsely, basil etc.

    • Pre-cook meat or cook in a slowcooker. If you plan on meatballs, meatloaf, or burgers for that week, preassemble them. If you have time even cook them and then reheat them in the sauce day of.

    • Pre- cook starches like rice or quinoa. So easy to make a quinoa or rice bowl with shredded chicken or lunch or dinner on leftover day!

    • Make all sauces needed. For example, this past week I made my yogurt sauce in advance.

I think the max I ever spend prepping is 2 hours. The minimum is 1 hour. Most weeks, I do this on Sunday. However we all know life happens, so every week will look different. And that is OK.  It doesn’t really matter what day you do it, but that you plan to do it! We were away this past weekend, so my turkey burgers are not assembled like they would be if I had time Sunday. But guess what? They are still on the plan and the ingredients are in the fridge!

If I have some time extra time I usually prep some extras for go-to snacks and easy breakfasts during the week: 

  • Batch of healthy muffins or banana bread

  • Protein balls for a quick sweet treat (these don’t take long)

  • Hardboiled eggs (I always have these in my fridge)

  • Frozen sweet potato fries (these are so delicious and go great with those bunless burgers)

Obviously this is not for everyone. Some of you may like the boiled chicken & veggies way of life. If so, then all the power to you! But if you are like me, a foodie at heart, I challenge you to try this for 2 weeks and see what happens. I guarantee you will make smarter choices without feeling deprived. You may be surprised by how simple it really is.

Life is too short to eat bad food. Get prepping.

LifestyleAngelica Flaniganmeal prep, food, busy