Meal Prep 101

What is the #1 excuse everyone gives us for not eating healthy enough?  You guessed it; I don’t have enough time to cook.  Well, it is much easier than you think and we’re going to give you some simple tips for making meal planning – for one, two or the whole family easier and simpler.

We’re busy moms who run a company and have husbands and kids to feed.  While they all have been taught well by us, it’s still the moms that rule the kitchen.  Use these tips and kick your #1 excuse as to why you can’t _________________ fill in the blank, because you can’t cook food.

Its all in the PREP!  Over the years we’ve taught hundreds of clients that meal prepping is key for success with any meal plan. Here are some very simple tricks that work.

1. Write out the week.  Even if you aren’t cooking all the foods on one day or over the weekend – plan the entire week in advance.  Make a meal plan – for all your meals (Corry will be sharing her weekly plan for her family each week to give you some ideas and examples) – include at least 4-5 meals for the week.  We all end up going out and picking something up 1 or 2 days.  In those 4-5 meals pick a few that take a little more time to cook and 1-2 that are quick and fast or require an instant pot or crock pot.  These are mommy on the go lifesaving appliances. 
2. Grocery list and shop. Go shopping for all the goods you will need to make your recipes.  Don’t forget to stock up on staples like canned goods, nut milks/butters, spices, lemons, etc.  Nothing kills your time during the week than having to run to the grocery store for that one item you missed.  Also, be sure to grab all the items for your snacks.
3. Cook what you can in one day. If possible, cook one day on the weekend. Grill your meats, bake casseroles, prepare any dish that can be re-heated during a busy weekday for a healthy dinner. See our recipes for super simple re-heatable meals that have you, and everyone else you are cooking for in mind. Check out our blog as we are constantly adding new recipes https://strengthandgracefitness.com/category/recipe/ and be sure you add mailto:info@strengthandgracefitness.com to your email contacts so you get our weekly emails.
4. Breakfast. Prepare your breakfast the night before.  If you are doing a smoothie mix all the powders, seeds, greens in your blender cup and add the liquid/ice/frozen fruit in the morning.  Egg cups / chia pudding / overnight oatmeal are super easy to make on the weekend and reheat. 
5. Pack and take your lunch/snacks with you daily. When you have food readily available, we are less likely to grab something on the go or out of a vending machine (this goes for stay at home parents, those that work from home and anyone else that doesn’t go somewhere daily). The HotLogic Portable oven is a favorite of ours for all our clients on the go.  It simply plugs into any outlet or your car.
6. Leftovers. Plan enough dinner for you and anyone else you are cooking for to have for lunch the next day. This ensures that two meals a day are healthy and meet your macros. And hey, even kids can have leftover dinner in a thermos or a microwaveable container and take to school with them.
7. Every night. Prep/gather your food the night before so it’s easy to grab and go in the morning. Put these items all on a specific shelf in the fridge so it’s easy to grab and go in the morning. A little hint - this works well for kids lunches too.

If you’re prepped the meals on the weekend, eat the meals that will spoil the fastest, earliest in the week. Or make the meals you need to eat fresh, right after they’ve been made on nights where your schedule will allow. Example: if you are making fish - best to eat it earlier in the week, closer to when it was bought and then eat it the night you make it - because no one appreciates re-heated fish at work or a stinky fridge.