Meal prepping is the number one reason I stay on track. Without prepping my lunch one of two things would happen.. Option 1. I would ultimately end up grabbing Chiptole or Take -out daily, which not only is loaded with calories but would be costly or option 2. I would grab random snacks from my house, end up being extremely hungry and over eating at dinner! And both options would not keep me on track for my goals.
I mean, I get it, eating out is more convenient and does not require planning. But meal prepping does not need to take hours on end! In fact my meal prepping consumes 45 minutes of entire week. Yes, 45 minutes. That is roughly 0.5% of my entire week.
Meal prepping can be as simple or complex as you’d like. If you are okay with eating chicken, rice, and steamed vegetables then boom there ya go! Throw in some extra chicken breast when you are cooking Sunday night dinner, prepare the rice and veggies and you are done!
Or, it can be complicated and involve multiple recipes. Maybe you want to portion out all of your snacks or maybe you’ll just grab a banana. I personally only prepare the entree. My snacks consist of fruit, mixed nuts, Larabars and/or yogurt. So I just grab these items in the morning and don’t worry about pre-packing these snacks. But figure out what method works best for you! My mornings are more laid back since my wake up time is 4:45AM and I don’t leave for work til 8:45AM. I also don’t have kiddos (yet) so my morning allows me to be more flexible. However, sometimes my dog takes forever to use the bathroom in the morning, but that’s a different story!
How To Get Started:
- Choose your protein source, carbohydrate source, and veggies
- Pick one recipe and prep enough for your lunch for the week – if you are easily bored try picking two recipes so you enjoy your lunch all week. Note prepping two recipes will likely increase your time spent meal prepping
- Consider packing your snacks ahead of time – or choose snacks that don’t require any extra effort such as yogurt or fresh fruit
Meal Prepping Tips:
- Adjust the timing of your cooking, not the temperature of the oven
Example: Set the oven at 400 degrees and bake your chicken for 30-35 minutes
and sweet potatoes for ~45 minutes - Start cooking your carbohydrate source first, as these items typically take longer to cook
- Choose 1 day of the week to prep your lunch meals for the week
- Choose 1 or 2 recipes and batch cook so your lunch is prepared for the week
- If you cannot make time to meal prep, make 1-2 extra servings of dinner each night for lunch the next day
To me the benefits of meal prepping out weigh the cost. Meal prepping on Sunday’s saves me time during the week, ensures my lunch will be healthy and balanced, and reduces my work week stress knowing my lunches are prepared and waiting for me!
Need a quick and easy lunch recipe? Give this a try!
Step 1: Season 2 chicken breast as desired, bake chicken at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes
Step 2: Prepare 1/2 cup of quinoa according to package (typically takes 15 minutes)
Step 3: Dice up red onion (1/2) and green pepper (1), place in a large bowl
Step 4: Remove chicken from oven; cut into cubes and combine with red onion and green pepper
Step 5: Add cilantro (desired amount)
Step 6: Add 1 Tbsp cumin
Step 7: Toss in 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar and 1/3 cup Olive oil
Note: I often add other veggies as well such as roasted carrots or steamed broccoli. The day off I top with avocado for a healthy fat source!
The take away from this? Meal prepping does not to consume your Sunday. Simply bake some extra chicken breast while you cook Sunday dinner. The process can be as simple as you’d like! Haven’t tried meal prepping yet? Start out by prepping two extra meals Sunday night for Monday and Tuesday. Then decide if this is for you!
What works best for you? Any recipes you swear by? Drop it in the comments I’d love your feedback!
Healthy Nibbles Of Nutrition 