Meal Prepping for Dummy's!
The holidays are over and the New Year is right around the corner! We all indulged in some tasty treats but now is the time to start preparing for the New Year and how you can plan for success!When it comes to being successful with your nutrition, meal planning should be a top priority. It's the best way for busy people to stay on track, like myself! However, meal planning is so daunting sometimes. The thought of planning each meal for 7 days, going to the store to pick up the items, then coming home and preparing what you can for hours does not sound like fun. Especially when there is football on TV. Am I right!? But, when you fail to plan, you will likely plan to fail. So, do you meal prep?
When you plan your meals ahead of time, you are more likely to make a healthier choice AND save money too! Meal planning and prepping does not have to be hard. Go back to the basics and keep things simple! I want to share some meal prepping tricks that have worked for me and some recipes that are simple, yet filling, delicious AND healthy!
Plan ahead - start by creating a meal plan for the week (or longer). Plan out breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks. Once you have a meal plan, then break down each meal and decide what elements will go into that meal. This will be your grocery list. Again, keep things simple to start. Looking for dinner ideas? Start with 3 items (Protein, vegetable, and carb/fat/fruit). It doesn't have to be complicated!
Chop vegetables - almost all of your vegetables can be chopped ahead of time. Grab you favorite vegetables from the store, gather some containers and start chopping! This will help save time when you are ready to cook dinner at night. Doesn't sound like much, but trust me, those extra 5 minutes of chop time will be saved and you can enjoy your meal FASTER! Some vegetables I buy and chop ahead of time consist of broccoli, brussel sprouts, zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, etc.
Portion out protein/meats - if you are counting calories, macros, containers, etc. you are likely to measure out how much protein you need for a meal.
Cook ahead of time - You can cook some protein ahead of time such as chicken breast, hard boil eggs, etc. This will help prepare for lunches when you have to grab and go or don't have a microwave at work. Precook rice and noodles for an easy carb for any meal.
Here are some recipes I have used in the past that are so easy yet delicious! Pinterest is my best friend when it comes to meal prepping and so is Google! Many of these recipes I've found on Google.
1. Cobb Salad Mason Jar Salad - Mason jar salads are so easy and the lettuce doesn't get mushy if you prepare it correctly. Feel free to change up any ingredients to your liking!
2. Zoodles with meatballs - my go-to! I do not have a spiralizer, so I use a Julienne ($5 at TJ Maxx!) and it does the same thing!
3. Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup - crock pot is the easiest way to cook without messing anything up! You throw the ingredients into a bowl, let cook for 8 hours and BAM dinner is served!
4. Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins - these are perfect for those who are busy and don't have time for breakfast. Make a large amount in the beginning of the week and grab and go when you need it!
5. Greek Yogurt with Berries, Nuts and Honey - another simple option for breakfast or a snack if you are craving something sweet!
6. Italian Chicken and Vegetables - this is made all on a sheetpan! My favorite way to cook is by cooking everything at once, and roasting chicken and vegetables all together is so easy!
7. Chocolate shake - making a shake for breakfast is the best way to get your protein, and vegetables in while being on the go. My go-to shake every morning consists of:
1 scoop chocolate shakeology
1 tbsp of peanut butter
2 cups of spinach (you won't taste it I promise!)
1 cup water
hand full of ice
--blend! --
Shakeology has helped me lose more than 30 pounds! It's full of superfoods, prebiotics, protein, amino acids, and digestive enzymes. And it helps satisfy my chocolate craving!
These are just a few recipes to help you get started. If you are looking to start fresh in 2017 and need an accountability partner, a new workout plan, to lose a few pounds, or looking for other ideas email me! We can do this together! 2017 is OUR year where we will crush our health goals.
Love,
Avery
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