Meal prep does not need to be difficult, overwhelming or even perfect. The main reason to meal prep is so that the time consuming steps in making home cooked meals, is out of the way.
I haven’t always been great at meal prep but for quite a few years (even before kids) I have made a general outline for my weekly meal plans. Since being the meal plan pro for Super Healthy Kids, I have found just how much stress can be relieved by meal planning and spending a little time to meal prep.
What foods are good for meal prep?
Some of the best foods to prep ahead of time are hard boiled eggs, muffin tin eggs, grains, veggies, muffins, smoothie packs, proteins (chicken, beef, turkey) and overnight oats.
How long does meal prep last?
For myself, I make sure I am only prepping what will be used within 3-4 days. I also use sealable containers that are either glass or ones that I have bought on Amazon (similar to these but not the exact ones). I love to use containers that can be frozen and thawed without cracking as well as being microwavable.
Is meal prep good for weight loss?
Absolutely! Think about it. You know exactly what’s on the menu because you have worked with your health coach who has offered you lots of great ideas. And with a little time spent to meal prep after grocery shopping, you are able to come home and have dinner ready in a jiff! No more fast food lunches, no skipped breakfasts and perfect nutrition to reach your goals.
How do I meal prep for a week?
On this particular week I decided to do breakfast, lunch and one extra idea for meatless Monday. I bought my chicken from Costco which is organic. I believe it was a package just over 4 pounds, but I only used about 2 1/2 pounds.
Most breasts of chicken are enough for 2 servings of chicken per each meal so I cut the breasts in a butterfly fashion. Another thing, is that although it is a chicken breast, I still cut a bit of the extra fat left there because I think it is just disgusting to taste and eat.
Another big part of this meal plan was the veg. Again, I bought my large bag of veggies at Costco. I love buying them there because they do have a fairly decent variety of both organic and non-organic.
Do I always buy organic?
No, I do not. This particular week I hadn’t because I just wanted something else beside green beans and broccoli and this mix was pretty and delish!
Living so close to Trader Joe’s, I have also found my favorites there as well and this week I grabbed a pretty versatile seasoning that is made of sea salt, chili pepper, red bell pepper, lime juice powder, citric acid and rice concentrate (to keep the mixture from caking). I have used this seasoning on veggies, eggs, burgers and chicken. I also heard that some people like it on fruit!
My grain was a rice dish that was made for my work meal prep. That was simply rice that had added veggies as well. If you aren’t already, chopping up a few different veggies to go into plain ‘ol rice will give you some color, added nutrition and simply liven up your bite!
For breakfast, although I love my eggs, this week I was not feeling it. I opted instead, to do some overnight oats. And guess what? These oats don’t have to be JUST for breakfast. My mom loves them for lunch, too.
Did you know…
that oats are a great source of fiber which ultimately helps to eliminate waste? When we eliminate waste we are naturally detoxing! Woohoo! (Skip the juice fast and simply add more fiber).
What to meal prep for meatless Monday
No matter how “clean” and “protein rich” I am trying to eat, I always use Mondays as my day off from animal protein. This week I had sweet potatoes, almond butter, edamame and some yummy spices. Really, you don’t have to depend on animal protein to get enough quality protein.
Check out this video for more information regarding how I went about this simple meal prep. If you are looking for the exact recipes, leave a comment!
I would love to know what you thought and if you are going to use this plan for an upcoming week.
