Hey all! We are nearly one week into 2018 and many people have set goals to improve mentally, physically, and spiritually. A new year means new goals for many people, myself included. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been getting a lot of DMs related to meal prep. More specifically, how to meal prep successfully. This is a great question as meal prep is one of the keys to eating healthfully.
Just like you, consistent meal prep is a tool I’m using to stick to my 2018 goals. If you read my previous post, you know I’m shooting to waste less food in the upcoming year. Not only does meal prep embrace healthy eating habits, it helps waste less and save more. I’d say that’s a win for all of us.
Full disclosure, I still incorporate a few snacks that aren’t necessarily on my meal plan. However, prepping my meals in advance keeps me on track 90% of the time. I find that by not being super strict with myself all the time, give me the most success. But feel free to tweak your plans to the structure you need! Keep reading below and check out my 10 Meal Prep Success Strategies.
10 Meal Prep Success Strategies:
- Plan, Plan, Plan: Planning your meal prep strategy is the key to success. Think of meal prep like your roadmap to success. Putting together a plan doesn’t have to be torture. Sit down when you have a free moment, grab yourself a cup of tea, and peruse your favorite cookbook. One of my favorites is Thug Kitchen 101: Fast as F*ck, it’s actually fun to read with tasty recipes. This is one cookbook you won’t regret buying. Don’t forget to jot down the ideas you find and stick with it.
- Make A List: Mapping out a meal plan for the week leads right into making a list. I have couple list strategies I regularly use. First, jot down all the meals you plan to make and the ingredients you need to purchase. This can be done on good old-fashioned paper or in an app. I also keep a little magnetic list on my fridge. By doing this, I can write down any ingredients I run out. Then, when ready to hit the store, you have a list of all your meal prep items as well as household staples. Having a list on hand will also help prevent making impulse purchases when you hit the store.
- Change It Up: One of the things that can cause meal prepping to fail is monotony. Few people want to eat the same thing everyday. One strategy I use to mix things up is by giving the same foods different flavors. For example, if I’m making up a sheet pan of chicken, I’ll flavor it three ways. I may make a third of the pan fajita, a third barbecue, and a third lemon pepper. This makes it feel like your meals are changing throughout the week, but prep won’t take any longer.
- Mince, Dice, Chop: One of the things I like to do when I’m done grocery shopping is to prep my fruits and veggies. I always keep containers of diced onion, peppers, and broccoli on hand. You can also spiralize zucchini or sweet potatoes as an easy pasta substitute. This will help make your meal prep faster. In addition, you’re more likely to incorporate these vegetables throughout the week if they are ready to go.
- Portion It Out: One place it’s easy to go overboard is with snacks. I like to use small containers or sandwich bags to keep my snacks in check. Avoid overeating by portioning out your crackers, grapes, nut butter or your other favorite snack ideas.
- Simple Snacks: Sometimes we need to go back to basics. I like to think we are spending enough time on prepping the main dish, that snacks should be simple. Stick to easy items like hard-boiled eggs, veggies and hummus, or string cheese. You can also find some of my favorite grab-and-go snacks here.
- Maximize Your Time: Don’t be afraid to cook multiple foods at once. I try to stick as many sheet pans in the oven as I can. You bet chicken will be baking while my veggies are roasting. I know I can pack about four sheet pans in the oven at a time. Fill that oven up and you’ll be set for the week in no time!
- Don’t Skimp On Storage: I didn’t always think this was important. For the longest time, I just tossed my lunch in whatever container I had on hand. First off, it’s crucial to have enough containers on hand. Nothing is worse than only meal prepping for half the week because you don’t have enough storage. You may tell yourself you’ll finish up the prep. But nine times out of ten, you won’t do it. Make sure you have enough storage to meal prep for an entire week. In addition to quantity, make sure you have various sizes. You’ll want a selection to choose from when it comes to salads, fruit, and nuts. Looking for a suggestion? I like these containers for cold foods and snacks or these containers for reheating in the microwave.
- Spice Things Up: Don’t forget about your spice cabinet. Having an adequate supply of different spices also prevents meal prep from getting boring. If you don’t like the flavors of your food, you won’t stick with it. Add bold flavor and spice to make meal prep as delicious as possible!
- Go Ahead, Cut Corners: Sometimes we need to cut corners. When I’m short on time, I head straight to the frozen food aisle. Yes you heard that right. No shame in my game. An easy way to save yourself a bit of time is to buy frozen vegetables. You can skip the produce prep by purchasing pre-cut fruits and veggies. So save yourself a step and toss right into the recipe you’re making.
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