09 Jan How to Accomplish a Quick & Easy Meal Prep
Eating clean and being aware of what we are consuming in our daily diets is essential to our success in almost all health, fitness, and nutrition goals. Whether you just want to be a healthy person to live a long and happy life, or you have very specific fitness goals that require a close monitor of macro and micronutrients, meal prepping will most definitely allow you to be better about your diet.
In a world of preservatives and processed foods, cooking your food at home from fresh ingredients is the way to go. Dedicating a few days out of the week to prepare wholesome meals will save you time, money, and ensure you are actually eating throughout the day. It can sound like a task, but I can give you a few tips and tricks that I have found helpful in my weekly preps.
- Do most all of your prep work first!
Before I start anything, I make sure my cooking space is clean and tidy. I bring my trash can close by and have one side of the sink with warm soapy water and the other side clear for necessary rinsing. Keeping up with your mess will make it seem far less overwhelming and will eliminate an extensive clean after! I will skin potatoes, cut meats and veggies and wash everything. I take out all of the pots and pans that I intend to use and set any needed waters to boil. I will also begin all of my marinades and I will preheat the oven if I am using it. - Get good at cooking multiple items at one time
Try to get the items going that will take longer, such as mashed sweet potatoes or rice. I usually will get my “bases” cooking first. I will then set my meats to cook in the oven. Once those items are running, I throw in my broccoli, spinach, or green veggie of choice to the boiling water. Veggies usually shouldn’t take very long to cook because chances are you are going to reheat them and they will cook more. I like to cook my veggies for about 3-5 min. Take things off as they become finished and allow them to cool on the countertop. - Have your containers set out ahead of time
The last thing you want is a bunch of cooked food and not enough food storage! Set out the number of meals you are making in a row so that you can easily weigh out the food on your food scale and package it up. For example, I will set out 3 containers and fill each one with the measurement of my main base. Then I will add my veggies to each container and my protein on top. Now I have a pretty meal ready for a lid and a fridge!
Doing these few things shaved over an hour off of my meal prep times and tons of stress off my plate. By adopting little things that can help save you time and effort, you will capitalize on your time in the kitchen and soon your meal prep will be done in a flash, your week is looking healthy and you are happy! Cheers to a happy, healthy and well fed you!