Meal Prep 101
The end of summer is already upon us, and many of us are getting back into new routines with kids going to school, going to school ourselves, new jobs and schedules, and it’s always a good feeling when you feel set up for success. For me, building a meal plan for the week, scheduling my workouts, and staying consistent with my health and wellness rhythms is a huge key to that.
Meal prep can sound intimidating or boring, especially if you’ve found it to be repetitive or that you’re eating the same thing every day. I don’t know about you but sometimes the flavors I’m craving change daily, and I don’t like feeling tied down to one particular set of flavors for an entire week.
Here are my top 3 tips and tricks to keep meal prep fun, and satisfying.
I typically start meal planning one of two ways- I either am craving a particular blend of flavors, OR I choose the ingredients I want to use that week depending on what’s in season, and then build flavors around that.
BOWL MEALS
I live off of bowl meals! I feel I can never tire of them and the options are endless.
Choose a protein source, carb, and non-starchy vegetable. Then top off with a healthy fat or dressing to drizzle and you have a satisfying meal that you can switch around through the week due to what you’re feeling.
My favorite combos :
Protein : I switch between plant based sources such as tempeh or tofu, high quality and wild caught shrimp or salmon, and eggs.
Carbs : Japanese sweet potatoes, quinoa, winter squash, rice, regular potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Vegetables : Zucchini and summer squash are my current favorites as they are currently in season and also very easy to digest, but I also enjoy broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus or a leafy green salad with fresh tomatoes
Healthy Fat / Dressing : Avocado, hummus, or a tahini dressing are my favorites.
BATCH COOK
Cook once, eat twice (or more!) Any time I’m taking time to cook, I always make enough for multiple servings, that way I can easily pull it out of the fridge, warm it on the stove and I’m ready to eat in less than 15 minutes. Another way to make your time in the kitchen quick and efficient is to use an instant pot to make a soup or stew that you can quickly prep in the morning and then feed the whole family for a night or two, or have leftovers for the rest of your week.
FLAVOR
Say I make enough quinoa for the week, I have a couple protein options prepped, and then I choose 1 or 2 veggies for the week. I always have a couple seasoning blends or dressings prepped so I can switch the flavor profile of the meal around throughout the week. It’s easy to do roasted sheet pan veggies with a hummus dressing one night, and then switch it up and do a stir fry the next night with the same ingredients but a completely different flavor profile.
In the end, find what inspires you in the kitchen. It may be creating a saved posts section on instagram of what catches your eye throughout the week, thinking about your favorite restaurant meal and making it your own, or even finding a cookbook that inspires you. Start with quick and easy things, and then branch out with flavors and cuisines that spice things up!
Sound great but want someone to do it for you? I can help!
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