In today’s fast-paced world healthy eating can seem like an impossibility. But, with a little bit of planning, you can improve your diet, one step at a time.
For most, life feels like a constant juggling act. We have to deal with work, family, various social commitments, and trying to squeeze in a little me time can seem downright impossible. And, as we age, there is very little time to also add healthy eating into that mix. This is why so many of us still grab whatever’s most convenient, whenever our stomachs begin to grumble.
Nevertheless, it only takes a little bit of planning and preparation to improve your eating habits. Meal prep can make or break your ability to include healthy eating on a busy schedule. It is a secret weapon that will save you time, reduce stress, and make sure that you have the proper nutrition you need to stay active throughout your already hectic schedule. So, let’s dive in on how you can make it work for you.
How Meal Prep Improves Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is important, but life just gets too busy sometimes. And, when we’re short on time, is often tempting to order takeout or grab a quick and not-so-healthy snack. But, meal prep solves this problem by doing the heavy lifting far in advance.
Save Time
It only takes a few hours of prepping once a week, to ensure that you have the meals you need, ready in only a few minutes.
Promotes Health
Preplanning your meals can make it a lot easier to stick to a balanced diet.
Reduces Stress
No more worrying about what you will eat for your next meal. You won’t have to stare at the fridge any longer, because you can simply grab your next meal, defrost it, and enjoy it.
Of course, we can’t overemphasize the importance of having nutritious meals on hand whenever you need them. They can help to boost your energy, keep you more focused, and even save you money in the process.
Step 1: Planning Meals for Healthy Eating
The foundation of any successful healthy eating meal prep is the development of a solid plan. Without a good plan, you’re more than likely to end up with random ingredients that don’t quite fit together.
Setting a Weekly Meal Plan
In creating your plan, you want to start off by deciding just how many meals and snacks you want to prepare. Will you need to create lunches for work? What about dinners for your busy weeknights? And, how about snacks to keep your field throughout the day? Start by writing down everything that you need to keep you busy and satiated.
Choosing Simple, Healthy Recipes
From there, you can begin to look for recipes that are easy to make, require very minimal ingredients, and can be adapted to ensure that you have a variety of meals to choose from. For example, roasted chicken can be used for a wide variety of different meals such as wraps, salads, and even paired with veggies. At the same time, a large pot of quinoa conservative base for grain bowls or even stir-fries.
Balancing Macronutrients
But, don’t forget about the macronutrients. Sure, we all know that we need vitamins and minerals, but there is also a wide variety of macronutrients that we need in order to keep us healthy and full of energy. As a result, you need to aim for meals that include the following:
Protein
We need protein in order to build muscle and feel fuller. Common foods that include protein are chicken, tofu, eggs, and beans. And while there are countless other foods that also have some protein in them, you need to make sure that you are consuming plenty of complete proteins.
Healthy Fats
Believe it or not, your body also needs fat. But, you need to make sure that you are eating healthy fat for energy. You can find healthy fats in products like nuts, avocados, as well as olive oil.
Complex Carbohydrates
Our bodies also need carbohydrates as a way of sustaining itself. But, we need to be careful about what type of carbohydrates we consume. Instead of sugar, try some sweet potatoes. Or, rather than adding white rice to your meals, why not try out brown rice or quinoa?
Vegetables
Of course, we can never consume enough vegetables. Our bodies need plenty of vegetables because they provide us with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Step 2: Grocery Shopping Tips
After you have gone through the process of creating the perfect plan, it’s time to go out shopping. But, it’s important to make sure that you shop intelligently.
Create a Shopping List
Always start with a shopping list. And, never go shopping on an empty stomach. If you want to stick to your meal plan, you need to make a complete list before you head to the store. Start by grouping the items into sections as this will make shopping quicker.
Focus on Fresh and Healthy Choices
Once you make your way to the grocery store, you will want to focus on fresh and healthy choices.
Fresh Produce
When making your selection, try to choose seasonal vegetables and fruits. This will ensure that the produce is as fresh as possible.
Lean Proteins
Remember, our bodies need protein to build stronger muscles, but we also need to make sure that that protein is lean. When you think of lean protein, think of chicken breast, turkey, fish, tofu, and eggs.
Pantry Essentials
Don’t forget to stock up on your whole grains, canned beans, nuts, and spices while you are out. These items can be kept for a lot longer, so it’s better to purchase them in bulk in order to save money.
Shop on a Budget
Part of planning for your grocery trip experience is to also prepare a budget. Just because you have enough cash in your pocket to buy extra things that aren’t on your list, doesn’t mean that you should. Bring just enough cash to cover your shopping experience, to make sure that you save as much as possible.
When you make a purchase, try to buy in bulk wherever possible. When it comes to grains, nuts, and seeds, these items can keep for a long time in your pantry. So, make sure to buy them in bulk.
Although fresh produce is always the best, when it comes to vegetables and fruits, you can also find them frozen. Frozen vegetables and fruits are just as nutritious as the fresh kind, but they are often a lot cheaper.
And, while you are at it, always look for sales and discounts along the way. This is especially true when it comes to pantry items and proteins. In fact, one of the most expensive items on any shopping list is going to be the protein.
Step 3: Healthy Eating Meal Prep Techniques
The next step is where the magic begins to happen. Up until this point you have made a plan and bought the basic ingredients. But, it is the meal prep techniques that you use that will save you the most amount of time and make healthy eating virtually effortless.
Batch Cooking
Whenever possible, make sure you are cooking in large quantities. Items that can be cooked in large quantities include proteins, grains, roasted vegetables, and more. For example, you can bake a few chicken breasts at the same time. Or, you can even roast a big tray of mixed vegetables. Even a pot of brown rice or quinoa can be prepared ahead of time.
Pre-Cut and Store Veggies
While you are at it, make sure to precut and store all of your vegetables. It’s a whole lot easier when you chop your onions, carrots, peppers, or cucumbers ahead of time. You can simply store them in airtight containers and they will be ready for your favorite salads or stir-fries throughout the week.
Portion Meals
Don’t forget a good set of meal prep containers. These containers are perfect for portioning out meals for grab-and-go convenience. And, they can be especially helpful for busy mornings and workday lunches.
Step 4: Easy and Healthy Eating Meal Ideas
Remember, meal prep doesn’t have to be overcomplicated. To help you out, here are some simple, nutritious ideas to help you along the way:
Breakfast
There are many excellent ways to make preparing breakfast a whole lot easier.
Overnight Oats
Before going to bed, you can combine oatmeal, almond milk, chia seeds, and your favorite slew of toppings in a single jar. Simply pack them away into the refrigerator and by morning they will be ready for consumption.
Smoothie Packs
Go ahead and pre-portion your favorite fruit or spinach with protein powder into freezer bags. Then, all you need to do is add some liquid and blend them when you are ready to consume them.
Egg Muffins
Who doesn’t like a delicious egg muffin for breakfast? There’s a reason why McDonald’s sells so many Egg McMuffins. But, for your own personal use, you will want to bake eggs with veggies and cheese and a muffin tin in order to create a portable breakfast meal.
Lunch
And, lunch can be just as easy to prepare as breakfast.
Salads
You will want to prep all of your ingredients for salads separately. Make sure you have plenty of greens, protein, and toppings chopped up and ready to go. Then, whenever you are hungry you can simply toss them together, and presto, you have a meal ready to go.
Grain Bowls
Poke bowls have become very popular in recent years. Although they form a regular part of Japanese cuisine, they are developing a cult following and Western countries due to their ease and paste. To create your own grain bowl, start by layering prepared rice or quinoa on the bottom, and compartmentalize your veggies and protein for better presentation. Finish off by drizzling your favorite sauce on top to add a bit of kick to your meal.
Wraps
Of course, nothing beats a whole-grain tortilla filled with turkey, hummus, and fresh veggies. Wraps are very easy to make, and they can be wrapped up cold or even warmed up on the stove beforehand.
Dinner
When it comes to dinner, here are some excellent tips to help you along the way.
Sheet Pan Meals
The easiest way to make dinner is to cook it on a sheet pan. A sheet pan meal means that every one of the components is cooked on a single tray for easy cleanup.
Slow Cooker Recipes
Nothing beats a good slow cooker recipe. Simply toss in all of your ingredients in the morning, and when you get home, you’ll have a hot and delicious meal ready to eat.
Stirfry
There’s a reason why we mentioned to pre-chop all of your veggies. You can simply mix in those veggies with cooked rice for a quick weeknight dinner. Stirfries are an excellent way to get all of your nutritional needs, in one quick and easy meal.
Snacks
Of course, we can’t forget to also create healthy snacks to keep you going throughout the day.
Energy Balls
To create an energy ball, simply combine oats, pewter butter, honey, and chocolate chips into a bite-sized treat. They are fun and very delicious to eat, especially when time is limited.
Nuts and Fresh Fruit
Simply combine a handful of almonds, with an apple, to create a very satisfying combination. You can also try your hand at making your very own trail mix with dates, nuts, and other healthy ingredients.
Veggie Sticks and Hummus
for an easy snack that is also great tasting, make sure that you have plenty of precut carrots and celery in the refrigerator. Simply pull out your jar of hummus, dip in the veggies, and enjoy.
Conclusion
Remember, healthy eating meal prep isn’t just about being perfect. It’s all about setting yourself up for success. It’s easy to enjoy healthier meals, regardless of how hectic your schedule is. Simply start small, by creating a few lunches for the week. Or, start by chopping up some veggies in advance. Eventually, you will develop a routine that works perfectly for you. And, as you go, slowly expand adding more and more meals every single week.
