Meal Prep Made Oh! So Easy!!!

When you meal prep, the healthy foods become “fast food!”

Let’s face it, “Meal Prepping” is really just leftovers, but don’t tell the rest of the world!!! There are people out in the world who would NEVER touch food they considered “leftovers,” but will “meal prep” on Sundays every week like it’s their religion.

I love to believe that everyone knows how critical good fuel is to your body, yet every year, week, day, and sometimes HOUR I get questioned on the best diets, the best sources of protein, whether a pizza calorie is the same as a green vegetable calorie, the best fast food, etc. etc. and on and on. And with every question from an inquiring mind wanting to genuinely improve their life and their future, I realize more and more how blind most people are to what true healthfulness really looks like, and how to manage it.

One GREAT way to ensure you always have the food you need when you need it is to meal prep (aka: prepare your food ahead of time, typically a week in advance, so that your meals are planned and not left up to chance). When we PLAN our meals ahead of time, we are less likely to rummage through cabinets or store shelves when we’re ravenous, we are less likely to make the easy choice (fast food, junk food, sugary or salty foods) over the healthy choice.

When you meal prep, the healthy foods become “fast food!” There’s NO DOWNSIDE!

So, let’s break down the easiest and BEST way to meal prep to save YOU time, money, and hassle, and ALWAYS give you plenty of clean fuel to power your adventure-filled life!

First, cook like you need to feed 20 people! This works whether you live alone or have a family of five!!! When you cook meals, purposefully cook EXTRA!

Second—and this one is especially critical if you’re in that “I hate leftovers” camp—fill your meal prep containers first! Don’t wait until everyone else at dinner has picked over your fine feast. Don’t wait until your casserole looks all mushed together, or your chicken looks like it’s been mutilated, or your salad is only left-behind cherry tomatoes. Give yourself a little extra time ahead of calling everyone else to the table and portion out your future meals.

Third, refrigerate one and freeze the rest! One of the downsides of simple meal-prepping is that it’s really easy to get bored about what you’re eating, and when you’re bored with the food you won’t be excited to eat it, and when you aren’t excited to eat it you’ll be considerably more likely to find any excuse available to eat anything but what you’ve packed to eat that day! Whether you do all of your meal preparations in one day of cooking or do as I recommend and continually restock throughout the week by always cooking more than you need and immediately portioning out future meals, if you get bored with your choices it’s all a waste of time and money. So, save one meal from tonight’s meal for pretty immediate consumptions (say, tomorrow’s lunch), and freeze the rest to pull out in three days so you aren’t eating the same meals back-to-back.

Fourth, know that your future meals do not have to be Insta-ready. They don’t have to be arranged in cute little bento boxes, or color coded to match your outfit or favorite coffee mug. Tupperware, Ziploc baggies, good old thermoses; all of these work great for meal-prep containers. Don’t make it harder on yourself by thinking you have to get special containers to do this. Meal prepping is supposed to make your life easier; NOT add one more hurdle to your already busy life.

Fifth and final, cook foods you love eating! If you choose a food that’s a little fattier than you “should” be eating or a little more calorie-dense than is probably healthy, balance it by portioning out smaller portions into your future meal containers and add extra vegetables to the dish before sealing it up. Moderation will go a long way in your health and fitness fuel journey, and there are lots of creative ways that you can eat foods you genuinely enjoy while also remaining in a healthful life balance. And, again, if you prepare foods you love, you will look forward to your meal prepped lunch instead of dreading it—that’s a big win!!!