Meal Prep Made Simple

Whether you are just starting out on the meal prep train or you’d like to simplify your process, we’ve got just the thing for you. We don’t want prepping food to be a stressful or an anxiety-prone process, so we preach simplicity as much as we can.

Here is a 5-step process that will ease your mind and allow you to prep delicious, simple, easy to track meals in a jiffy.

1. Making your grocery list:

Always separate items into categories to allow structure and ease of mind in the store. It also helps to seperate items into each macronutrient, assuring you’ll purchase everything you need to hit your goals throughout the week.

Example:

Protein: ground beef, chicken breast, breakfast sausage, eggs, pork tenderloin, yogurt, egg whites.

Carbs: apples, bananas, grapes, rice, rice cakes.

Vegetables: asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato.

Fat/Other: peanut butter, butter, Lara bars, yogurt, granola.

2. Set aside time to prep/plan:

This one is big. If we don’t set aside a specific time in our schedule to prep, it simply won’t happen. Make sure kids will be occupied, your schedule is free, and you have the time and headspace to complete the task. Mark in on your calendar so it’s confirmed and on the schedule.

3. Make it fun!

Turn on your favorite show, playlist, or podcast to enjoy your time more effectively. Who knows, you may look forward to this time more and more if you’re jamming to your favorite song!

4. Prep!

Now, here’s the most important tip: SIMPLICITY...

Choose 3 of each to prep in bulk:

Protein (ground beef, grilled chicken breast, and pulled pork).

Carbs (rice, sweet potato, quinoa)

Veggie (broccoli, asparagus, sautéed cabbage)

Decide how you’d like to prepare them and cook enough of each item for 5-6 meals throughout the week. Once it’s all prepped, you can mix and match to make different meals throughout the week and add toppings/sauces to spice them all up.

For example:

Burrito Bowl: Ground beef, rice, cheese, beans, avocado, salsa, and hot sauce.

Teriyaki Bowl: Grilled chicken, rice, sautéed cabbage, broccoli, and soy sauce/tamari sauce.

Pulled Pork, Asparagus, and Sweet potatoes: Pulled pork, BBQ sauce, sweet potatoes, and asparagus.

Pulled pork sliders: Pulled pork, hamburger bun, BBQ sauce, and sautéed cabbage.

Endless options with simple, effective ingredients.

5. Weigh, measure, and Tupperware it up!

You can pre-measure and weigh all of your meals for the week, and even pre-log them ahead of time to get ahead in your week. If you don’t pre-log them, you can always add a sticky note to the top of the Tupperware with the macros of each meal so you can log it later. Having prepped, ready to grab items in the fridge throughout the week takes away the excuse of “I was in a hurry” or “there wasn’t anything ready to eat”. These are common reasons why we either see clients end up eating out or not eating at all, and this is a great solution for those problems that tend to arise.

Give this process a go and see if it helps your meal prep routine, and remember, keep it simple and find simple ways to enjoy the process.

P.S. If you are a lover of macro-friendly recipes, check out our blog for a variety of options!