Food Prep: Plan for Success

How to Prep Food for the Week in One Day
Struggling to eat healthy and stick to your diet? If so, planing your meals in advance just might be your missing link! Food prep is easier than you think, and can make all the difference to your success.
Contrary to popular belief, this habit isn't time consuming or expensive. It can actually be a money saver because you are only buying exactly what you need and it can save time over the course of your week because you've already planned it and prepared it. All you need are a few hours to buy and cook your food. If you're short on time, do that on a Sunday. A little planning can go a long way towards making sure you’re prepared to eat clean and healthy for your coming week.
The Surprising Benefits of Meal Prep
Fitness models and bodybuilders claim that meal prep plays a major role in their success. You've probably seen those photos posted online, which depict packed containers with food for the week ahead. It may seem complicated at first, but it will get easier with practice. This habit can save you time and money in the long run.
Meal planning is a key part of eating healthy. Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or simply clean up your diet, try to develop this habit. This way, you'll always have healthy food at hand and you won't be tempted to order pizza or buy fast food during your lunch break. On top of that, you'll manage your budget more effectively and save hundreds of dollars on food.
Another major benefit of food prep is that it makes it easier to control portion sizes. When you plan your meals, you know exactly what and how much you're going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is particularly important for those who track their macronutrients and daily caloric requirements. Additionally, meal planning helps reduce waste because you'll only purchase healthy foods that are needed for the recipes you're going to use.
Cooking your food on Sundays will reduce stress during the week. You won’t have to worry anymore about shopping and cooking after a hard day at work or busy day with the kids. This will allow you to spend more time with your family, go out with your friends, or hit the gym. It's also a great way to add variety to your menu and make sure you get all of the nutrients needed for optimum health.
Cook Once, Eat for a Week
Planning and cooking your meals is really simple. First of all, you need to set your caloric target and/or macronutrient ratios. Even if you’re not on a diet, try to determine your daily calorie goals or consult with a certified nutritionist. Katie and I would love to assist you with this if you need some help or advice. This will make it easier to maintain a healthy weight or achieve a targeted weight goal.
Secondly, decide what you're going to eat and then create a shopping list. Come up with delicious, healthy recipes that provide complex carbs, lean protein, and essential fats. Steer clear of any recipe that requires large amounts of sugar, white flour, hydrogenated fats, or highly processed ingredients. If you're new to meal prep, start with basic recipes like steel cut oatmeal
with walnuts or almond, chicken breast and veggies, power salads, roasted turkey, salmon, frittata, and healthy one dish casseroles.
Make sure your shopping list includes cooking staples, such as lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, spices, and herbs. Seek healthier alternatives for white flour, sugar, and butter or margarine. Next, add the ingredients required for the recipes you will use over the week. Buying food in bulk helps save money and enables you to cook large batches. Store it in airtight containers, freeze it, and reheat your meals for the day every morning. It's also fun and helpful to join a "food prep co-op" where you have 5-7 people each making their "signature healthy clean eating meal" and you meet and trade on a set day and time.. It's the perfect way to go home with food prep done and fun new meals for the week.. I'm in the process
of forming some local fun groups like this if you are interested drop me a quick note😉 There is so much I could write on this topic. I hope this gets you thinking about prepping for your week.. Life seems to run smoother when we start with a plan..