How To Meal Prep: 10 Tips!

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Let’s be honest though, how many times have you finished work and thought, “I’m too tired to cook and there’s nothing in the fridge. I just I’ll hit the drive-thru”? By planning and prepping, you will help to prevent that from happening. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed how much time and money you might save.

How To Meal Prep: 10 Tips!

1. Make a Plan!

Make a list of your favorite healthy foods, choose simple recipes that can be made quickly or in bulk, and decide what you’ll eat for every snack and meal. This step will get easier and faster the more you do it. Save your plan for a future week. Once you have a few meal prep menus in your collection, you can alternate them to keep things interesting.

2. Stick to Your Grocery List!

Do not let junk food sneak into your shopping cart, keeping it out of the house means not having to use your willpower to avoid it. You can make an impulse purchase but, only if you can find a way to fit it into your eating plan for the week. Keep your list simple and use recipes with similar ingredients so nothing goes to waste. By sticking to your list and by minimizing the impulse buys, you’ll help save yourself some money.

3. Don’t Forget About Shakeology!

This is important because it’s your daily dose of dense nutrition! Especially if you feel like you’re short on fruits and veggies or short on time, this is one healthy snack taken care of!

4. Keep Snacks Simple!

When you’re cooking everything for the week at once, it’s important to keep things simple. Save time by choosing snacks that don’t require a lot of time to put together. Fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and pre-cut veggies with prepared hummus are great choices.

5. Cook Foods All at Once!

Roasting vegetables, sweet potatoes, and even chicken breasts all at once will save you time, and cut down on your utility bill.

6. Look for Shortcuts!

Buy pre-cut veggies and fruits, cooked lentils, or rotisserie chicken. Tuna is an easy no-cook protein you can add to salads or snacks.

7. Get on the Mason Jar Salad Bandwagon!

Mason jar salads are pretty, but they’re also very practical. They cost about a dollar a piece, are microwave safe (don’t forget to remove the lid), and can be used for so many different types of meals. Their vertical shape makes them especially nice for storing salads. Since the dressing is at the bottom of the jar, and the greens are at the top, nothing gets soggy! Here are some simple tips for making your own Mason jar salad to get you started.

8. Mix Things Up!

It can be tempting to just eat the same meals every day, but you’ll eventually get bored. To avoid this, try to give yourself at least two lunch options and two dinner options. This can be as simple as choosing different proteins for your salads each day, or eating chicken with vegetables three nights of the week and fish or tofu with vegetables the other two. Once you get the hang of it you can get more creative with your recipes.

9. Invest in Food Storage Containers!

A small investment in food containers of various sizes to suit your needs will make a world of difference. It’s a good idea to choose one container type and buy several that stack and store neatly. If you choose plastic containers, make sure they are BPA-free, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe. Zip lock bags work great for snacks and don’t forget about those Mason jars! If you decide to go all-in on the meal prep lifestyle, you might want to think about getting an insulated bag to carry your meals everywhere you go. Keep this stored at eye level so you are more apt to stay on track.

10. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

All of this meal prep is for a purpose: to help you reach your health and fitness goals. When clean eating is as simple as reaching into the fridge for your lunch or dinner, you’ll be less tempted to stop for fast food or order takeout. Whether you do your meal prep for the week all ahead of time or just a few days at a time, doing so will help you stick to your meal plan and give you even more time to get that workout in!

You can always join an online accountability group for help and support as you make these new changes to your family's eating. Having the support, encouragement, and resources for new healthy recipes and options will help you see tremendous success with making this new lifestyle habit and routine! For details and to secure your spot, apply HERE!

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