Meal prepping can seem like a daunting task at first but, it doesn’t have to be! If you start with achievable goals and plan properly, you’ll find that making healthier food choices is easier than you think. Meal prepping takes the stress away from planning meals every day, encourages healthier eating habits, and ultimately helps you reach your health goals.
Start Planning with Small, Achievable Goals
Before jumping all in and buying ingredients, ask yourself a question: why am I considering meal prepping? Answers will vary; maybe you’d like to start eating healthier, or you’re trying to save money on work or school lunches. Whatever your motive is, start writing down your goals and make sure they’re attainable. You may encounter that these goals are quickly conquered, and that’s a good thing! Because, you can start planning larger and more long-term health goals immediately after in which meal prepping plays a vital role.
- Small goals to start with
- Prepping just a few meals
- Collect a few recipes you can rotate
- Invest in proper containers
- Prepare healthy snacks and keep them on hand
Make Sure to Include Every Food Group
When you’re planning your meals and snacks make sure to include every food group. This ensures that you’re getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need in your diet and it helps you have variety in your meals.
Add these to your meals whenever they’re missing:
- Lean proteins – poultry, fish, lean cuts of beef, and plant based proteins like tofu
- Healthy fats – fresh avocados, nuts, seeds, olive and avocado oils
- Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole grain pasta and breads
- Fruits and vegetables – leafy greens, carrots, blueberries, broccoli, and bananas
- Legumes – black beans, lentils, and chickpeas
Cutting Corners is Okay
Acknowledge and understand that cutting corners is definitely okay. There are viable solutions to common meal prepping problems that still keep you on track to reaching your health goals. And, these solutions are especially helpful if you have a tight schedule.
Don’t have the best knife skills?
Pick up freshly cut fruits and vegetables for your meals and snacks.
Have trouble cooking chicken?
Dice or shred a rotisserie chicken from our service deli.
Need help seasoning and prepping proteins?
Ask a teammate from the meat counter. They’ll season, grind, and cut any protein you’d like.
Afraid of cooking fish?
Ask for a free steamer bag at the seafood counter. It comes with instructions to easily cook your favorite fillet.
Set Time Aside For Batch Cooking
Batch cooking is one of the best ways to meal prep! To batch cook, prepare large quantities of specific foods like proteins, grains, sides, and sauces to repurpose in different recipes for your meals. For example, you can make a sheet pan of roasted chicken breast to dice for salads, shred for enchilada bakes, or slice for wraps. By setting some time aside on the weekend or start of the week you’ll be able to prepare quite a few meals and stress a little bit less.
Utilize a Pressure or Slow Cooker
If you don’t have too much time on your hands, using a pressure or slow cooker can be very handy! You’re able to add all your ingredients and set it aside while you complete other tasks. Soups are an especially easy meal to cook using either method. In most cases you’re able to just throw in all you’re ingredients and let either cooker work it’s magic.
Recipes perfect for batch cooking
Roasted Brussels sprouts and chicken thighs are a perfect pairing in this easy-to-make sheet-pan dinner. Sweet potatoes add a delightful sweetness to the mix. Seasoned with cumin, thyme, and a touch of sherry vinegar, this dish is bursting with flavor. A quick roast in the oven yields tender chicken and perfectly cooked vegetables.
Create a flavorful and nutritious batch of root vegetables with this simple one-pan recipe. Featuring carrots, parsnips, beets, red onion, and sweet potato, this dish is bursting with color and variety. Tossed in olive oil, vinegar, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper, the veggies are perfectly seasoned. Roast in the oven until fork-tender for a versatile and healthy addition to your weekly meals.
Combining chilled long-grain rice, frozen peas, black beans, red onion, and jalapeño, this dish offers a burst of Mexican-inspired taste. The vinaigrette, made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, lime juice, roasted garlic, cilantro, and parsley, adds a zesty and smooth finish. Perfect for preparing in advance, this dish can be chilled for up to 24 hours, allowing the flavors to meld. Garnish with cilantro sprigs for a fresh touch.
We’d love to be a partner along your health journey. If this post has inspired you to try meal prepping or a new method of meal planning, tag us on any of our socials.