The daunting words: Meal Prepping… It takes so much time to plan what to make, then shop and finally a half a day or more to prepare and cook. So why do people meal prep? The simple answer is that they are easily accessible, full of nutrients and healthier options than going out to eat or drive-thru. Learning how to meal prep will save you time, money and reduced waste.
Meal prep is more than a food trend right now. It’s a way to keep your lifestyle in check and stay accountable with healthy eating. Types of meal prep include:
Full make-ahead meals: You cook an entire meal and store it in your fridge or freezer.
Batch cooking or freezing: Make multiple meals, then portion and store them. This approach is useful for recipes you can easily cook in large amounts (like big pots of soup, rice or stews).
Meals for one: Prepare food and portion it in single-serving containers.
Ingredient prep: For people who like to cook and serve food all at once, just prep parts of recipes. Chop veggies, mix spices or marinade meat in advance to save time when you’re ready to cook.
Meal prepping looks a little different for everyone. Personally, I like to prep my lunches for the week. Lunchtime is the busiest part of my day and knowing I have something healthy and waiting for me allows me to stick to my habits of healthy eating. Some people may prefer to prep their breakfasts or evening meals. Experiment with what works best for you or your family. However, some forms of meal prep may not be for everyone. If you are particularly sensitive to histamine byproducts of the fermentation process, your leftovers may cause fogginess and fatigue. Proceed with caution to these compounds.
Here are some of my favorite go-to recipes when it comes to meal prep:
No Sugar Added Blueberry Almond Overnight Oats
Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Salads
Cilantro-Lime Chicken w/ Cauliflower Rice
Mustard Baked Salmon with Grilled Asparagus
Remember my motto to cooking in the kitchen:
“Make It Fun Like Friday Night & Easy Like Sunday Morning”
If you are needing any inspirations for cooking and creating recipes. Visit my website www.ndcaptialchef.com or create/log on to Pinterest. Also, Verge Fitness provides “Done For You Meals” where you can take the meal prepping and preparing out and order pre-made meals that are good for you! Contact them (701) 258-4653.
There are so many fun and interactive ways to make meal prepping a breeze; believe in yourself.
Enjoy!
XO, V