Meal Prep Like a Pro

Do you struggle with meal planning? Do you feel like you’re eating out too frequently? Meal prepping can be a great goal to work towards that can help alleviate stress! A common first question for clients is often where to start. It can be overwhelming to think about the logistics of meal prepping in addition to busy schedules, family preferences and nutrition. Here are some great tips to help you get started, and make the process feel more manageable.

What’s on the menu this week?

Food forecasting can be a great way to help you feel organized and relieve some of the stress around the ever looming question – what’s for dinner? By starting the week off with a list of five dinner options, you can take the guess work out of the evening routine while staying mindful to nutritional needs for you and your family. Utilize a chalkboard, dry erase board, or a kitchen fridge notepad to list out the meal options for the week to keep yourself on track.

In planning your meals, try to keep the main focus on protein and produce each meal for a well-balanced dinner.

For family meals that need to meet the needs of picky eaters and kiddos, try getting the whole family involved in food prep and picking the meals. Build your own style meals such as taco bars or build your own burgers can be a great way to incorporate the ingredients for a well-balanced meal, while presenting options kids will love as well.

Make it a family affair and get everyone involved in the kitchen. Delegating tasks so that you can make it fast and fun for everyone.

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Setting Yourself Up for Success

Having a successful week of meal prep can be made easier with a few prep steps.

1. After grocery shopping, take some time to prep your protein and produce before putting them away.
2. Washing and prepping produce can make for an easier grab and go approach to cooking during the week, you can also build your own veggie tray and work on it throughout the week.
3. Place your protein and spices in the container they will be cooked in can cut down some of the time needed during the week. Also Quick dinner options can have precooked proteins, it does not have to be an elaborate dinner to be healthy and tasty!
4. Making sure you have enough produce can be difficult, so utilizing pre-cut veggie trays, or frozen produce can be helpful in cutting down time without cutting nutritional value.

Pro tip: placing those veggies at eye level can be a helpful reminder, and can serve as a healthy snack when hunger hits while cooking!