meal Prep 3-Ways

A healthy dinner that’s faster, tastier and stress-free? Here are three, easy to follow methods to make meal prep a breeze.

Monkey see, monkey do eat. If the food is available, you, or someone in your home, will eat it. That’s true whether that food is a candy bar or an apple. Fortunately, you get to have a say in the matter.

And that say is meal prep. Whether you like to prepare for elaborate meals, or you want just the basics, or you are comfortable eating the same lunch multiple days in a row, meal prep can help. Here’s how to find the meal prep strategy that is right for you!

Strategy 1: The Weekly Routine

Pick one day a week that you have the most time to spare. Block off 2-3 hours of time to think ahead and get yourself prepped for success. Here are a couple of tips to making the Weekly Meal Prep Routine work.

• Take a look at your schedule and decide which days present the biggest obstacles. If your Mondays are typically packed with meetings, errands and chores, you know you need to make preparations ahead of time.
  
• Plan the basics. You don’t necessarily have to know exactly what you’re having for dinner next Thursday, but get a general sense of what you need. How many meals do you need protein for? Who will be eating with you?
  
• Make a List. Check it twice and head to the grocery store. Use this Healthy Eating Grocery List to stock up on the healthy foods you need to support your goals.
  
• Prep in large batches. Sheet pan meals make meal prep super simple and nearly mess free. Grilling? Throw on chicken thighs, salmon and pork tenderloin at the same time.
  
• If you want portion-it-and-forget-it meals, invest in microwave safe containers and build each meal individually.
  
• If you want to be able to mix-and-match according to your mood that meal, store accordingly. Big batches of quinoa, rice, grilled chicken, etc. will last the week.
  
• Have healthy recipes that you adore? Double or even triple the recipe to make a big batch. You can eat some this week and freeze some for later.

p.s. Here are 15 healthy breakfast recipes that I know you will adore…and they are easy to meal prep!

Strategy 2: The Daily Routine

This option is an off-shoot of big batch cooking for the Weekly Routine. This is a great option if you have a few minutes to spare every night or morning, and you hesitate at the idea of eating the same thing a few days in a row.

If you meal prep breakfast the night before…

• Hard boil a large batch of eggs (I cook enough for 3 days).
• Mix up a jar or two of overnight oats like the one I made last week.
• Portion ingredients to throw into a blender for a quick protein smoothie.

If you meal prep lunch the night before…

• Use leftovers to your advantage. Repurpose the side of quinoa you made for dinner as a grain salad for lunch. Or pull the chicken off the bone and make lettuce wraps.
• Or build it from the ground up. Salads will hold up overnight as long as you keep the dressing on the side.

If you meal prep dinner the morning of…

I’ve never mastered this method, but I’m recognizing the benefits especially now that I’m working from home!

• Slow cooker. You can make anything from chili, to oatmeal, to stuffed peppers in a slow cooker. If you have time in the morning simply set it and forget it.
• Instant Pot. I have a new found love for my Instant Pot. It cooks rice in minutes, soft-boils eggs perfectly and is the perfect appliance when you’ve got next to no time for dinner prep! My favorite strategy is to prep ingredients in the morning and set them aside – when we’re a couple hours out from dinner, I simply dump ingredients in and press go!

Strategy 3: The I-Don’t-Have-Time For-This Routine

I have a few clients who’s busy schedules don’t always allow time for a real meal prep ritual from start to finish. Enter: the perks of modern day grocery shopping.

Take advantage of the healthier grab-and-go options at the grocery store. Here are some of my favorites:

• Pre-cut veggie noodles in the produce section. Zucchini noodles, sweet potato noodles and cauliflower rice without the prep or hassle of pulling out the food processor!
• Frozen fruit and vegetables. I live in the middle of nowhere and even my grocery store carries freezer packs of acai puree and microwave-able cauliflower rice!
• Protein snack packs from the dairy section. Just because it’s wrapped in plastic doesn’t mean that combination of cheese bites, nuts and dried fruit won’t work as a healthy afternoon snack.
• Most grocery stores have fully prepared meals that you can simple grab and go. Higher end stores will even offer healthier options.

Or, find a meal delivery service that works for you and your family. Services like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron deliver to most areas and are fairly customizable.

p.s. If you don’t like to cook or just don’t have time, I wrote this article for you.