Meal Prepping and 10 Tips to Help You Succeed PT. 2
Pt. 2 of my meal prepping tips are ready for you!
And if you haven’t read the first 5 tips, don’t you worry, just click right here so you don’t miss out.
Tip #6 Make Double or Triple Portions
This is semi-similar to batch cooking, but it’s the tip I personally use the most. Again this is personal, but making dinner every night works best for me. This means instead of 2 dinners (one for me, one for me husband) I make 4 or 6 meals and we have meals ready to go for lunch the next day. I will then either freeze the other two meals for Monday the following week, or we will have them for a lunch following a night we know we will not be cooking.
I know people who don’t like “left-overs” might not be a fan of this one, but if you enjoy a meal the night before, might as well enjoy it another time too.
Tip #7 Staple Night
Even with an arsenal of recipes in your back pocket, it can get overwhelming trying to think of meals to make every week.
One way to combat this, is to have “staple nights” this means every week you either have the same thing, or the same theme.
For example, breakfast for dinner. Kids love it, adults love it, it can be quick and easy but takes the guess work out of planning a meal, and because you have gone into the week with a plan, you know you still have lunches for the next day prepared. It helps give you a break and can be a great option on a night where you are low on time.
Tip #8 Keep it Simple
Not all of us are culinary inclined, I know. I understand that not everyone sees the kitchen as their sanctuary, and food as their creative outlet. It’s understandable that spending time finding fun recipes and then creating different flavor profiles can seem overwhelming and something close to the worst way to spend your time ever.
So make it easy on yourself, meal prepping doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can be simple and delicious and get the job done.
I joke about the body builder diet, but if simple works for you, go for it! Come up with 5-6 recipes that you can rotate through for 4 weeks then switch it up. Again Pinterest is a great resource, but you can easily just rotate between staple ingredients that work well for you, just be sure not to forget Tip #9.
Tip #9 Find your Balance
This goes for the physical act of meal prepping, as well as the food you are eating. Play around with meal prepping, see what aspects of it are helpful, and what brings more stress.
Don’t put yourself in a box thinking it has to be done a certain way.
Maybe your version of meal prepping is making sure you have go to snacks on hand and that helps you find balance throughout the day. Finding balance within your food is very individual, but a great goal for MOST people is to fill 1/2 your plate with non-starchy vegetables, 1/4 your plate with a quality protein source, 1/4 your plate with your fiber source (grains, starchy vegetable, ect.), and 1-2 tablespoons healthy fats. Again this is very very individual and should not be limiting but more of a guide for someone who wants to make sure they are getting in all of their macro and micronutrients.
Tip #10 Seasonality
When possible, eat with the season. This means finding produce that is grown locally or is in season where ever you are. By eating the produce that is in season, you get the benefit of all that produce has to offer.
Because the produce is picked at peak ripeness, under conditions that are favorable to that specific fruit or vegetable, you get the full benefit of it’s vitamins and minerals.
Seasonal eating is great for the body as it works with our body’s natural rhythm. It makes sense if you think about it, summer brings watermelon, berries, cherries, and peaches. All these fruits are juicy and cooling, which is perfect for the hot summer months. Fall and winter brings earthy produce like pumpkins, different kinds of squash, root and stalk vegetables, figs, and apples. All of these keep us warm and grounded. Seasonal eating also helps local farmers. Bonus!!