Eating nutritious meals is key to good health and setting your week up for success, especially if you are someone who feels strapped for time. One way to ensure you are getting the proper nutrition in each meal is by meal prepping. Below are some key tips to meal preparation especially if you are new to it.
Know yourself
Do you know what meals you typically tend to purchase out or make food choices that aren’t as nutritious as you’d like them to be? Identify which meals you want to pre-plan. Do you find yourself at the drive-thru for breakfast or even skipping breakfast? Maybe meal prepping for breakfast is best for you. Perhaps you find that you over indulge at the office during the day and lunch is when you feel the most lost with your food choices. Once you know which meals you want to focus on, your trip to the grocery store will become more simplified. Think of which dishes you want to prepare and put the list in your phone or write it down somewhere so that you can keep track of exactly what you need.
Pick a day, any day
Most people tend to meal prep on Sundays because it ensures you will start off your Monday with a head start. But if you tend to have your own Sunday ritual that doesn’t include meal prepping, don’t do it! Choose a day that works for your schedule and create a meeting invite for yourself in your planner. If you carve out a certain amount of time to cook for the week, and it’s in your calendar, you’ll more than likely stick to it. Create this as a non-negotiable for yourself if this is important to you.
Prep your snacks
The actual meals that you prep whether it is breakfast/lunch/dinner or all of the above, is important, but what’s equally as important are the snacks. If you have a few pieces of fruit that are cut, washed and ready to go, they will less likely go bed by just sitting in your fridge. Select a snack that you are excited about.
Just because a certain food works for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you.
Simplify your meals
Meal prepping doesn’t instantly mean you have a ton of dishes and mess in your kitchen. That’s the part that makes people tend to not want to prep but the meals can be very simple and straightforward. A good trick is to find meals that you can prepare in one pot or pan. The easier the clean up, the less daunting meal prepping can seem. Below is a tofu stir fry that is easy, delicious, and nutritious.
Tofu Stir Fry for Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 1 package of tofu extra firm, cubed
- 3 bell peppers I used yellow, red, orange, cubed
- 4 stalks of broccoli
- 1/2 cup of chopped shishito peppers
- 1/4 cup of chopped cashews
- 5 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup liquid aminos in replacement of soy sauce
Instructions
- Mix liquid aminos and sesame oil in a small bowl and let sit
- Add in chopped tofu into pan, over medium heat. Let brown/cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add in peppers, cook for 2 minutes
- Add in broccoli and cashews last and let cook until you get your desired texture (I let it sit for 4 minutes)
- Add in liquid ingredients and let simmer for a few minutes so the liquid can absorb
Do you have any tips that work for you when it comes to incorporating meal prepping into your lifestyle?
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