By Jeremiah Bailleu
Meal prepping is the process of planning and preparing meals ahead of time. For most of us, cooking isn’t something we want to do every single night. Meal prepping is a great way to help you reach your fitness goals without being overwhelmed by the need to prepare a healthy meal each day. To help you get started with a meal prep routine, just follow these simple rules.
Purchase the Right Containers — Your to-go containers are the first step in getting you started. Invest in small, reusable to-go containers, such as Glad or these found on Amazon.
Pick Your Prep Days — Select a day our two each week to do your cooking. Generally, choosing one day during the week and another on the weekend (such as Sunday and Wednesday) works well to spread things out a bit. On your prep day, cook a large enough quantity to be able to pack to-go containers for the next few days while at home, work or on-the-go.
Know Your Nutritional Requirements — For a balanced diet, you need to make sure you are getting the right types of foods, and the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat. There are thousands of balanced weight loss diets you can find online with detailed information on what foods you need to maintain a healthy weight, or even lose a few pounds. If you need a little extra help planning meals that meet your nutritional needs, schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian.
Make Your Grocery List — Planning what you will buy ahead of time will make your trip to the store much faster. As a bonus, you’ll spend less money on things you don’t need and may even save yourself a trip back to the store for something you forgot. Once you know what kinds of foods you want to buy, be sure to plan to get just enough to prep enough meals in your to-go containers for the next few days. Here are some of our favorite items to use when meal prepping:
• Grilled Chicken
• Quinoa
• Broccoli
• Brown Rice
• Frozen Veggies
• Salmon (or other fish)
Like anything, the meal prepping process probably isn’t something that you will knock out of the park on your first attempt. This is where it gets fun. Each time you do it you will not only get faster and faster, but also come up with new foods and recipes that you can add to your diet each time you prep. Before you know it you will be putting together small nutrition packed meals that will help you save money, and also reach your weight loss goals.
Are you mastering the meal prep? Share your photos and favorite meal-prep recipes with us on Facebook and Instagram!
