These days it sometimes feels like everyone knows everything, especially when it comes to the health and wellness industry. I definitely don’t claim to be an expert in the field but more so speak from a place of caring and experience. Everything you will find on this website I have tried, created, vetted and learned to the best of my ability to be able to share it with you and this topic is no different. 

If you not read my bio, allow me to give you a brief rundown. I was skinny in college, got married, gained weight, had a baby, gained more weight, had another baby, lost weight. My husband and I have been on this journey together (both gaining and losing) and one of the biggest attributes to keeping ourselves in a healthy lifestyle has been meal prepping, along with fitness of course. 

I have compiled a short list of tips that I hope will help you as much as it has helped us. 

1.Make Time

Meal prepping takes time. This should come as no surprise, but also shouldn’t be taken lightly. Between planning, shopping and then cooking, I would be sure to set aside at least 4-5 hours TOTAL. This should give you enough time to do everything properly and, hopefully, without stress. 

The best day of the week to do this (for most 9-5ers) is Sunday. It’s a day that you most likely don’t have to be at work and is closest to the beginning of the work week. This ensures your food will still be tasty come Thursday.

This may initially sound like a task that will take time away from family time or activities, but I believe meal prepping should be considered a family activity. There are many steps to this process so by delegating jobs to family members you are creating an opportunity to bond in the kitchen. You can also cut down on the time it takes to complete the process. Win-win-win. 

2. Plan Accordingly

When you sit down to make your weekly meal plan, be sure to take into account when you will actually be eating your meals. Do you have a lunch meeting this week? Are you going out with friends after work? Will there be any evening activities that may require dinner out? Keep all of these things in mind while planning; it will help keep food waste down and prevent you from working harder than necessary. 

3. Find Ingredient overlaps

When choosing recipes for the week, try to find multiple dishes that use the same ingredients. For example, spinach makes a great salad base and also makes a great mushroom stuffer. Grains are by far my favorite option for batch cooking. By making a larger amount than normal, you can store it in the fridge and use it in an egg scramble, atop a salad, or in a bowl. 

4. Double up!

Have a favorite recipe that you don’t mind eating for a few meals? By doubling the batch of one dish, you can cut your cooking and planning time down. To do this you simply pick your recipe, double the proteins, fats and produce. Increase the seasonings (not quite double) and voila, you have anywhere from 2-4 meals for the work of one.

5. Good containers are KEY

Personally, we ditched the plastic storage containers a long time ago and I recommend you do the same. This is especially beneficial for meal prepping. Plastic containers can contain some nasty chemicals which may not be terrible on a regular day, but when you consider microwaving your food in them to heat it up, these chemicals are leaked into your food which is not ideal. Not ready to make the jump to glass yet? No worries, just simply move your food to a plate before heating- problem solved!

6. Chop, prep, roast, chill.

Now it’s time to cook! 

Chop- Wash, chop and prepare most of your veggies for the week. Wether they will be cooked or eaten raw, store them in containers. This takes a ton of time out of meal prepping. All you have to do is throw them into a salad, a scramble or a lunch tote for a quick, healthy snack. 

Prep- When it comes to proteins, I usually pick two for the week. My favorite thing to do for myself and my kids is grab a rotisserie chicken and pull it apart, and store in a glass container for the week. Its fantastic for salads, quesadillas, pasta, wraps, etc. Easy and delicious!

Roast- Batch roasting veggies is a great way to add fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to your diet. They can also easily add bulk to a variety of meals. Try roasting carrots, asparagus, zucchini, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and peppers. You can make them in a large batch and add to almost anything. 

7. Keep it simple (and fun)!

Always remember that we do these things for our health and well being. Stressing over the planning or cooking is not allowed. There shouldn’t be any pressure to do everything perfectly the first time (or anytime for that matter). As long as you are taking the steps and trying to live a healthier life, give yourself some credit, yo! And relax, you’ll be a master meal-prepper in no time.

Thanks for stopping by!

Em