Meal Prep Madness
Meal Prep.
Two words that everyone has seen + heard on social media. Two words that used to give me such anxiety. Such a daunting task. Something that I never had time for but knew I needed to do.
I used to feel so much pressure to meal prep on Sundays even though I wasn't working a "typical" schedule + was hard for me to do. Which was long runs Sunday morning followed by long work hours. I felt like I wasn't "fitting in" since I couldn't get it to stick as a routine.
I didn't know where to start. It was so overwhelming. And was worried that I would spend on this time + the food would go bad. (I hate wasting anything) Or even worse, I would get sick of eating that.
It seemed everyone else made it look so easy so why the f*** couldn't I make it stick. That's when I realized I was doing it wrong for me + my schedule.
Once I wasn't working, I felt I had no need to meal prep. That I would cook as needed when needed. Then that got off routine + I wouldn't eat. (real talk, I was a little depressed this time last year)
Then it hit me.
I needed to meal prep in batches + not just meals but different things that meals could be made into different things. Once I found certain ingredients that I could transform into other meals, I was onto something. It finally clicked. I found ingredients that didn't bore me + that I enjoyed eating. Ingredients that I could mix + match + create tons of meals so I wouldn't get bored.
This was what I was waiting for.
After three years of “failing” at meal prep, I finally figured out the secret. I needed to break up the tasks into smaller, manageable chunks.
What I do now is:
Friday:
I peep my favorite recipe developers + cookbooks to get some inspo for the week.
I check my fridge + pantry to see what I have on hand
I make my list + check it twice.
I make a spreadsheet of my meals. I’m a visual learner.
Saturday:
I head to the store, which is usually Wegmans, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. I get certain items at each store.
Unpack everything + review my list to make sure I have everything I needed. I usually just hit one store, unless there’s something that I absolutely needed for a recipe.
Sunday:
Start the prep
Defrost any protein sources
Usually do some sort of Crock Pot meal + get that going before my first class
Clean up as I prep - biggest time saver
What works for me, may not work for you. And that's ok. What I make usually every week may sound boring to you but it works for me. I keep it simple and it really makes it not as intense as I used to think it was. I can stick to the same ingredients week after week. If you are looking to take your nutrition to the next level, check out my nutrition coaching.
Here are some of my favorites:
Egg White Scrambles or Egg Muffins
breakfast or afternoon snack
endless combinations of veggies, cheese, meats so you never get bored
Muffins
breakfast or mid-morning/afternoon snack
protein packed by using protein powder combo with flours
easy to-go
Overnight Oats
breakfast
simple
endless combos
Chia Puddings
as mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack
good for on-the-go
tons of options
Hummus + Veggies
mid-afternoon snack
use mini peppers, carrots + celery
use Almond Thin or Simple Mills crackers
Roasted Veggies
for lunch or dinner
mix with a lean protein such as fish or chicken or chickpeas
add to quinoa bowl
add to ground turkey or chicken with marinara
Ezekiel Toast
breakfast or mid-morning snack
top with avocado and lightly fried or poached egg
top with avocado and strawberries + balsamic
top with nut butter and banana or strawberries, unsweetened coconut flakes + chia seeds
Kale Salads
lunch or dinner
endless options
can change out for spinach, arugula, spring mix
mix + match veggies + fruit
change up dressings
Hope this helps you feel like you can take on meal prep like a boss.
If you want to take your nutrition to the next level, learn about my challenge group + nutrition coaching.
Do you have any meal prep tips?
