MEAL PREP
Two words that can evoke a lot of different emotions.
For a person that is new to meal prep, it can be a scary and overwhelming thing. My words of advice…HAVE A PLAN!
Before you prep I suggest you do the following things:
- Create a menu… You will need this so you can create your shopping list. You will need this so you will know how much you will need to cook. You will need this so you will make sure that you will have enough food to get you through so you will not have to steer off of your plan and on a impulse go grab something that is not healthy.
- You will need a shopping list…I like a shopping list because it allows me to stay on task when I go to the store. I like to wonder around the store and grab things that look new and delicious. BUT when I have a list I run in, grab what is on the list, and leave.
- Have enough containers… This can be Tupperware containers, zip lock bags, or whatever else you would like. You will need these to help you portion out the food that you cook.
So this is what you need to do to get started: create your menu, create your food list, go to the store and purchase the food that you need, and make it home and organize the food that you have purchased to cook.
This is the hardest part….cooking and preparing the food.
HAVE A PLAN! Figure out what you can cook simultaneously so you can use your time efficiently. I always start with the things that take the most time. I will cook the meat in the oven or on the grill and then come back and cook the other items while the meat is cooking. You have to be efficient with your time to ensure that your meal prep time is used in a productive way.
Once you have everything cooked you will want to go ahead and portion those foods out! You will want to make sure that you have them ready and available for you to grab when you need them. I usually cook enough food for me to have for about a month. I will put 3/4 of the meals in my deep freezer and put the other 1/4 in the fridge. This will allow me to use the meals that are needed and freeze/store the other meals so they do not go bad.
You can get creative and cook a ton of chicken BUT use them for different things such as:
- chicken fajitas
- chicken salad
- chicken veggie stir fry
- chicken bbq sandwich
- chicken breakfast burrito
- chicken soup
The goal is to make the staple products (such as the meat) so you will have it when it is time to eat. You can then get creative and use the meat however you would like to create meals.
It is all about planning! That is the hardest part BUT it is the necessary part.
With snacks and any other store bought things I also suggest to go ahead and portion those out and have them in your fridge/pantry so you can have them when you need them. This will help you to limit over eating and you will have it if you are busy and you need to grab something.
Question? Comments? Concerns? LET ME KNOW!
I am here to help!
ALSO feel free to check out THIS POST to get more information on meal prep AND how to meal prep on a budget!
