How to Meal Prep Like A Pro! Meal prepping can save your life during busy weeks. One of the worst feelings is getting to the end of a long day of work and realizing there is nothing planned for dinner. Or, hitting lunch time and having to run out to buy a $15 salad AGAIN because you didn’t plan ahead. Prepping meals can help you save money and eat better- so let’s get started! You need to know that everything related to health and fitness is a sacrifice of some sort. To form habits that support a healthy lifestyle, you need to sacrifice habits that are keeping you where you are. To meal prep five lunches for the work week, you may need to sacrifice part of your Sunday afternoon. It can seem like a lot of work. However, if you choose not to give up your time to prep, you will most likely be giving up the money in your wallet ordering take-out for dinner! To learn how to meal prep like a pro and take control of your health, just keep reading. Step 1: Start Small. You don’t need to have breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks prepared for an entire week at any given moment. I recommend picking just one meal and prepping 2-4 portions of it to start. For example, if work-week lunches are your issue, you could prep two servings of a recipe on Sunday, meant to be for Monday and Tuesday lunch. That way, you can test out the benefits of meal prepping and put it into practice without fully diving in. Step 2: Pick Your Recipe. Once you have determined how many servings of the meal you are going to prep, it’s time to hunt for a good recipe! It’s best to follow the Plate Method when creating any kind of meal- make sure your meal prep includes some whole-grain carbohydrates, colorful vegetables, lean protein, and a plant-based source of fat. If you need some recipe inspiration, check out our Pinterest board of dietitian-approved ideas! https://www.pinterest.com/sinfithannah/meal-prep/ Step 3: Make Your List & Hit the Grocery Store. Before we prep we need to purchase! Turn your recipe into a shopping list by listing out all the ingredients you will need. My favorite money-saving hack is to take inventory before leaving the house. Once your grocery list is made, double check your fridge, freezer, and pantry to make sure you don’t buy anything you already have on hand. It’s a great feeling to be able to cross off a few things before you even leave the house! Step 4: Prep, Prep, Prep! You have your plan. You have your ingredients. Now it’s time to get in the kitchen! Staying organized while meal prepping is key. Whether you are making two portions or ten portions, make sure your space is clean and you have the correct tools before getting started. Wash your veggies, pull out your tupper-ware, and turn on your favorite playlist- music makes everything better! Meal prepping looks different for everyone, so try it out to find what works best for your lifestyle. Many times, we make nutrition choices based on what is convenient. Having a healthy snack prepped can be the difference between choosing baby carrots and Goldfish during an afternoon slump. By having a plan and staying organized, you are setting yourself up for success!
