By Shanda Brown
Local Meal Prepper @_dajainakitchen
One of the hardest parts of leading a healthy lifestyle is nutrition. Which diet do I choose? What’s better, protein or healthy fats? It can all start to get pretty overwhelming!
A lot of times one of the most approachable strategies is meal prepping. You are in control of what you eat, you can portion size it, and it takes the anxiety out of knowing what is for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
What I love about meal prepping is that it helps save my family a ton of $$$ on take-out and the temptation of fast food.
“But meal prepping can be a task” you say? “I get tired of eating the same thing everyday” you say?
Here are some of my go-tos on combating the meal prep game.
Plan before the Prep
The most anxious thing is when you go into the kitchen to and you're having a Western standoff with the fridge because you don’t even know what you are going to cook. Look up some recipes, pinterest some inspo, make sure you have what you need. Then you’re ready to work!
One of my fave inspo pages is @fitmencook. He has recipes, nutritional facts, and options if there’s something in the recipe you don’t like.
Sometimes I keep it simple with just a protein, veggie, and complex carb (sweet potatoes, brown rice, etc.).
Take it 3 Days at a Time
It is so easy to get tired of eating the same thing everyday. I am also not a big leftover person. Prepping my meals for up to 3 days before helps me look forward to something different for the rest of the week.
If I am prepping on Sunday evening. I plan out my breakfast and prepare my lunch and dinner for Monday-Wednesday. Then on Wednesday evening all I have to do is plan and prepare for Thursday and Friday. On the weekends I usually freestyle, because that is family time, traveling etc.
Get the containers
I don’t know if you guys are a natural foodie like me BBUTTTTT I need the portion control containers! It helps me to not overeat, and once the food is gone I am a satisfied woman.
Now if you don’t have the meal prep containers, no worries. I like to encourage clients to use smaller plates when having their meals. There is a psychology behind having a small plate with no white space that will alert the brain that you are full. A large plate with smaller portions can be a set up to think you want more when you are actually full.
Slow Cook City
Last but not least. The slow cook tool. THIS is my meal prep savior when it comes to prepping for my family. I am a married mom of twin toddler boys and the time on my hands is, let’s just face it, not enough. For Black Friday we invested in a slow cooker and it has been a game changer. I can look up a recipe the entire family likes. Literally throw everything in the pot. Let it cook for what it calls for ( 4-8hrs etc.) and go about my day. I use this to prep our lunches for the week and to start dinner while I get the house together in the evening. Thank me later.
I know meal prepping can seem like a journey but once you have your flow you will be unstoppable. YOU GOT THIS!
