Everyone is familiar with this scenario: you’ve just come home from another long day at work, or perhaps you have spent all day making sure everything at the house is taken care of. Regardless of the situation, you are undoubtedly bombarded with the infamous question:
“So what’s for dinner?”
In these situations, of COURSE you are going to choose the easiest option. You are exhausted and the last thing you want to do is make a big dinner *every* night and make it with extra pizazz too!
This is what we’re here to talk about today! The words “meal prep” may automatically make you think of weighing food, or making smaller portions to lose weight, or making unseasoned/boring food to eat as low-calorie as possible, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
Meal prepping is supposed to make your life EASIER & this is how:
Makes eating more nutrient-dense foods easier
Saves money on groceries when you make a dinner schedule ahead of time
Reduces food waste
You’ll have more free time at night to do more of the things you enjoy
It will reignite the joy & connection that mealtimes offer
Here are some top tips to keep you meals exciting and low-stress as the week goes by:
1. Take a few minutes at the beginning of every week to write out the dinner menu for the week ahead:
This will ensure you are making substantial, nutrient-dense meals without having to think on your feet
2. Make sure you have everything you need in the fridge or cupboards to avoid purchasing takeout
Talk about a HUGE money-saver in the long run!
3. Start with simpler recipes to make this transition more manageable:
You can absolutely work up to 20-ingredient, 30-set recipes if you'd like, but that is not necessarily a good place to start if you are not a seasoned chef & want to save time!
4. Chop up & roast two separate pans of veggies to get you through the week (next 5 days):
Make sure they are different types of veggies and different colors to cover all your bases. It won't hurt to use different seasonings to keep it interesting too! Just make sure you cook them in a way that you like. This will prevent you from skipping out on veggies at dinner - they are already ready & just need a quick re-heat!
5. Don't forget your protein!🍗🥩🍳
Switching up your proteins is ESSENTIAL to preventing burnout. Nobody wants chicken every night, so consider adding in fish a couple times a week (bonus if it's an omega-3 rich fish like salmon) and don't neglect turkey or beef too! If you are up for it, there is nothing wrong with choosing a meat-free protein source like beans or lentils.
**Make sure to consider the cooking method to best suit what protein you are choosing
Stay tuned for our next post, where we will give recommendations on the BEST meal prep containers!
Don’t forget to check out our wide selection of recipes in the "recipes" section of our blog as you begin this exciting transition!
Until Next Time,
Your RD Fuel Good Experts 🍍
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