Let’s face it, cooking every day can be daunting to do, especially when running to the grocery store is a difficult thing to do. Meal prepping, however, plays a vital role when it comes to reaching any health goal. To reduce the stress and intimation, follow these helpful tips for meal prepping to stay on track and feeling great:
Stock Up on Non-Perishable Food Items
Keeping essential food items on hand that don’t spoil quickly and are also healthy options to reach macronutrients goals is not as difficult as it may seem. Common non-perishable food items that are great for meal prepping include: canned meats, Brussel sprouts, carrots, beets, cabbage, onions, potatoes, canned or dried beans, lentil pasta, and rice. Let’s also not forget stocking up on frozen food items, especially proteins and veggies.
Batch Cook Similar Ingredients
If you plan on preparing meals with similar veggies, carbohydrate, or protein sources, batch cook for multiple meals! Whether it’s grilling up a large portion of chicken for salads or over rice, or using a rice cooker to steam a large portion of your favorite rice, cooking foods in bulk can be a huge timesaver.
Be Creative with Combinations
Creating different food combinations with similar food items can be a great way to save time while keeping things exciting with your meals. Sprucing up a meal with different seasonings or a different medley of veggies can keep things simple while avoiding monotonous meals on a daily basis. Tip: a great way to mix up how you eat veggies or a salad is to use different dressings each time! Try out these homemade dressings that can be made with common pantry items!
Portion Out Meals
Having meals ready to heat and eat in the fridge is not only great to keep you on track with your goals, but it’s an essential way to avoid weight gain. It is no secret that overeating is a major contributor to weight gain, but on the other hand, underrating can result in the same outcome. To keep your meals on point with helping you reach your goals, aim to use measuring tools such as measuring cups and spoons, and/or a kitchen scale.
Heat, Serve, and Enjoy!
One of the most convenient things about meal prepping – aside from not having to cook daily – is the fact that your next meal is 2-3 minutes away! Although meal prepping may seem like a daunting and time consuming task, in reality, it can help save you from cooking every day and is ideal to keep you on track with your nutritional goals. In the time that it takes to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, your meal will be hot and ready to eat.