At our gym CPMFITness we are currently in week 3 of our “Wired to Eat” Nutrition Challenge. We have worked out most of the first week jitters, but the one thing I am still hearing from the group is “Food Prep is lacking”.
We can really over think “What to Eat” and “How to Eat” ..Life Can Always Get in the Way , but if we have a plan of attack and we are prepared, When life gives us Lemons we Will Make Lemonade!
Meal Prep does not have to take 6 hours of your Sunday afternoon, nor does it need to be daunting or painful!
Here are some of my favorite “Fit Chic” Tips to put together balanced meals, mistakes to avoid, food prep to do the night before for stress free mornings. How to make your freezer and your crockpot your best friend!
Here’s what you need to get started ..
- A lot of tupperware of different shapes and sizes you can use glass or BPA-Free Plastic containers. (you will need small ones for dressing and sauce and freezer friendly too. You will want the “Kitchen Essentials” as well i.e. sharp knives, cutting board, crockpot, measuring cups, bowls for mixing, and a blender or food processor.
- Now that you have your essentials .. “Planning is Key”. Pull out your calendar and look at your week ahead. Count out how many meals you will need to prep for the week ahead for you and your family and start to work backwards. This will give you a number of meals you need based of your work week. For example maybe you have business lunch with clients, or dinner plans with friends, etc…
- Now you have the number of meals you need so it is time to find the recipes for the meals. This is where I can help even more You can get my Ebook “Fit Chic Meals in Minutes”. This book has 30 meals (10 breakfast, 10 lunch, 10 dinner) that will keep it super simple and tasty. Once you have your meals picked, it’s time to make a list. Try to make ingredients mix and match if you have recipes calling for onion than you can chop one big onion and use it for both. Try not to choose recipes with one random ingredient or a lot of ingredients.
- Finally, make a shopping list.In my book I give you a bonus “What to Keep in Your Kitchen” A list of foods to keep on hand. Review what you already have in your pantry and fridge and jot down what you’ll need to buy. (You should always have staples such as healthy cooking oils and vinegar, eggs, raw nuts, onions, and garlic etc..) When you get home, map out your meal-prep timeline, so you can get the longest-cooking meal going first (maybe a big pot of chili), while you’re roasting sweet potatoes in the oven, and chopping veggies for salads, soups, and stir-fries on the counter. Through it all in tupperware the night before and you will be set!