With our hectic lifestyles and endless responsibilities, it’s easy to let our health goals slip by the wayside. Trying to squeeze in a morning work-out, a day’s worth of meetings, errands and your kid’s extra curricular activities, can make fixing up a healthy meal or two seem downright exhausting. It’s hard to say no to fast food and frozen dinners when you’re constantly busy and being spread too thin. Sound familiar? I get it, I’ve been there too. But I’m here to tell you that taking control of your health can be simple! Wether you’re on the autoimmune protocol, an elimination diet or just trying to eat healthy, a little bit of planning and preparation is the key to success. When life gets busy, prepping meals ahead of time can help you stay on track, save you time, energy and money.
Here’s how to meal prep in 5 simple steps, plus a free printable template to help you get started:
1. Check your schedule — Look ahead at your schedule and plan accordingly. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve seen many people fall off the wagon simply because their meal plan didn’t work with their schedule. Figure out how much time you will need each day to meal prep and when leftovers or grab-and-go snacks might come in handy. Don’t plan to cook an elaborate recipe when you have a jam-packed evening, or you’ll set yourself up for disaster. Slow cooker meals and the Instant Pot can be a lifesaver when you’re short on time and make great freezer meals. Checking in with your schedule can also help cut down on food waste and ensure that you only buy what you need. Of course, schedules don’t always go as planned, but as they say: plan, do, succeed!
2. Make a weekly meal plan — Now that you know what’s on the agenda, figure out how many meals you will need to prepare for the week ahead. I usually choose a different dinner recipe for each night of the week and make enough to have leftovers for lunch. Mason jar salads or collard green wraps with lean protein also make quick and healthy lunch ideas. For breakfast, I alternate between different smoothies using pre-prepped smoothie kits. If I have extra time on the weekend, I’ll make grain-free pancakes or a savoury breakfast skillet. I like to prepare healthy snacks to have between meals such as energy balls, pre-chopped fruits and veggies, healthy dips and trail mixes. This keeps me from reaching for processed and packaged foods when I need a quick fix. Once you’ve planned out your meals and snacks, organize everything onto a 7-day meal plan. This will help cut back on time and decision making throughout the week as well as eliminate potential food waste.
3. Prepare a grocery list & gather ingredients — Review your recipes and make a list of ingredients that you will need. It’s always a good idea to check the pantry to see what you have on hand and if you’re running low on any staple items. I like to do my grocery shopping the day before I plan to do the majority of my meal prep. This gives me a little wiggle room in case I can’t find a particular ingredient and have to make adjustments to the meal plan. Be efficient and choose a time where traffic is low so you can get what you need and get out! I get most of my organic produce from Fresh City Farms, which I order online and plan well in advance. If you don’t have a delivery service in your area, food co-ops and farmer’s markets offer affordable organic and local produce. Costco is great for bulk pantry items like cooking oils, nut butters, frozen fruit, medjool dates, nuts and seeds. I get my superfoods from Kensington Market because it’s really cheap, but you can find these items at many grocery stores. The Healthy Butcher is my go-to spot for grass-fed meat, wild caught fish and pastured eggs.
4. Do some food prep & batch cooking — Pick a day of the week (such as Sunday) when you can put aside a few hours to prep food and do some batch cooking. Prepare and chop vegetables and fruit for quick use later on. I like to de-stem my leafy greens, peel and slice beets, carrots and other veggies to throw salads together throughout the week. These also make great options for healthy snacks, oven roasting, stir-frys and smoothies. Freeze fruits like bananas or make pre-prepped smoothie kits for busy mornings. You can also buy pre-frozen vegetables to save some time on prep. Just toss them in a pan with your favourite sauces and add your protein of choice. Frozen zucchini, sweet potato, kale and cauliflower are a nutritious and low-sugar addition to smoothies. If you’re batch cooking meals for the week, consider freezing them in portions. Just store everything in airtight glass containers and thaw when ready to use. I also like to keep soups, chilis and baked goods in the freezer for back up emergencies.
5. Keep it real — No matter how hard you try, having a busy lifestyle means there’s probably going to be a day when you just have to go with the flow. But getting a meal on the run doesn’t mean you have to eat unhealthy. There are so many healthy quick-serve options these days like Kupfert & Kim, Impact Kitchen, iQ Food Co and Cali Love. Hit your local grocery store and grab a piece of fruit, coconut yogurt or a protein bar. Speciality stores like Whole Foods offer fresh salad bars, where you can tailor your food choices to your diet & lifestyle. If you’re going out to eat with friends or colleagues, let them know about your dietary restrictions. When I started opening up about my health issues, I found people to be a lot more understanding than I expected. Volunteer to pick the restaurant and look up the menu in advance. Call ahead to give the kitchen a heads up so they can do their best to accommodate you. If you slip up, don’t sweat it. Just do your best and keep it real!
Click here for a printable weekly meal plan template and grocery list.
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