Meal prepping is a great way to not only save time, but money as well. It is a helpful strategy to utilize during a busy week, when a lack of time or energy may result in a last minute stop at your local fast food restaurant or a call for delivery pizza. It is also a way to control what exactly goes into your food – a must for anyone trying to stay on track with their health goals.
Before meal prepping there are several points to consider such as the best day of the week to cook, the recipes you will use, the number of people you are meal prepping for, and if you will get sick of eating the same meal every day. For beginners, I recommend keeping it as simple as possible. Making a list of your favorite types of protein, vegetables, and starches will make shopping and cooking easier. I have also listed some suggestions below.
| Choose a Protein (3-4 oz serving) | Choose a Vegetable | Choose a Starch (optional) |
| Wild Salmon | Roasted Brussel Sprouts | Quinoa |
| Free-range chicken | Broccoli | Rice |
| Grass-fed beef | Cauliflower Rice | Sweet Potatoes |
| Turkey | Green Beans | Spaghetti Squash |
| Beans | Kale | Lentils |
If you don’t mind eating the same meals each day, choose 1 option from each category to prepare a weeks worth of lunches. If you are meal prepping for both lunch and dinner, choose two options from each category to get more of a variety. After each item is cooked, store each in larger storage containers (glass is best) and dish it out into individualized containers as needed. This will make it easier to mix and match different items.
Don’t Forget Breakfast!
One of the biggest challenges in switching to a nutritious, whole foods diet is figuring out what to eat for breakfast. This struggle is no surprise, especially with a market promoting convenience items such as cereals, granola bars, pop tarts, and flavored oatmeal – all of which unfortunately resemble a desert more than a healthy breakfast option. Below are some healthy and simple suggestions that can be easily prepared and stored.
- Mini Veggie Frittatas – try this Zucchini and Tomato Frittata Recipe I made!
- Overnight Oats
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Soft Boiled Eggs with Sliced Avocado – drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt
- Cottage cheese with fruit or tomatoes and cucumbers
Starting your day off with a good amount of protein and healthy fats is important for balancing your hormones, keeping you full all morning, and maintaining a stable blood sugar!
Do you meal prep? If so, how has it benefited you and what are your favorite go-to meals or prepping techniques?
Rossella's Farmacy 
One thought on “Meal Prepping Made Simple”