Practical Food Prep Tips

​"I know how I should be eating, I just can't seem to make it happen."
 
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this…well, I’d be rich. When someone says this to me, I want to dig a little deeper. What is their limiting factor? What are the obstacles that are preventing them from putting intentions into actions and eating well?
 
Most of the time, they don't have all the right foods on hand. And if they do have the right foods, they’re not ready to eat. Winging it and hoping for the best doesn’t work. Especially in the beginning when you're just trying to establish new habits. As you're learning the best ways to eat, it's important to be somewhat prepared. Basic food preparation strategies go a long way. 
 
Let's say you just learned the motto "Eat your PROs", and that makes complete sense to you. It feels simple and totally doable to only have to remember to eat protein and produce with every meal. But without the right food in your home and good practical strategies to prepare that food, it still won't happen. It will become one more "good intention". 
 
Now, before you freak out and picture your counters lined up with 7 identical containers with perfectly portioned meals for the next week, this is not where I’m going with this. Who wants to eat the meal that you cooked on Sunday when Friday rolls around? And come on, chicken and green beans all week long? No thanks.
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This is realistic food prep. Putting together the blueprints for meals and snacks in a way that makes sense for both your time and your palate. Think of this as assembling the pieces of meals, not cooking every meal for the coming week at once.
 
You can do all of these tricks in about 30 minutes total. Sunday afternoon is a good time so that the next week begins on the right foot!
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Vegetables. Not very many people eat enough veggies (myself included, I'll admit!). The main reason is that they're not easily accessible. Think of all the different ways you enjoy eating veggies, and then slice and dice them up to suit those situations. 

• Raw for snacks: cut up cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and place an assortment in individual baggies that you can grab for snacks or add to meals.
• Dice for roasting/grilling: I love roasting asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and onions. If you dice these all up into 1-2 inch pieces and place in a container, you can quickly toss in a pan with some olive oil and simply roast. Here's a simple recipe. 
• Salad greens: You might know by now that I'm a cheater. I buy about 3 different bagged salads whenever I'm at the store. I simply don't have time to prepare individual salads all week long, so these bagged ones are a lifesaver. If you'd rather do it yourself, you can chop up your own greens and keep in a container in the fridge. (By the way, the best greens have dark leaves: spinach, kale, romaine, chard, red cabbage)

Proteins. Eating good, quality protein with every meal is just as important as eating your veggies. Here are some ideas to make sure you have protein available with every meal. Don't feel like you should be doing each of the things I've listed below...you may end up with too much cooked proteins on hand!

• Bake/grill chicken breasts: I usually will cook two chicken breasts on Monday morning so I have chicken ready for my salads all week long. Simply drizzle them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you'd like and bake at 375 for 15-25 minutes, depending on the thickness. Let it rest and then dice up into 1 inch pieces. You can do the same thing with lean steak. 
• Cook ground turkey/beef: Throw a pound of lean ground turkey or beef in a pan with a little olive oil (if necessary) and seasonings, then saute until cooked thoroughly. You can add this meat to eggs, salads, or roasted veggies.
• Hard boiled eggs: These are perfect for adding to salads, grabbing for breakfast on the go, or an afternoon snack. Try to boil at least 6 eggs at a time. 
• Buy a rotisserie chicken: Nothing is easier than grabbing a fresh rotisserie chicken when you're at the grocery store. My favorite chicken is from Costco, which have a lot of meat on them and are not overly greasy. Rotisserie chicken works great in soups, salads, Mexican dishes, and even my favorite, the broccoli chicken quinoa salad. Take this one step further and pull all the meat off the bones and keep in a container. 
• Cook an egg casserole or mini quiches for breakfast: Let's consider this extra credit. If you have the time, preparing an egg dish for breakfasts for the next few days can be really helpful. Try these mini quiches, which freeze well and microwave easily. 

Healthy fats. Throughout the day, it's important to eat a variety of healthy fats. The oils you cook all of the foods above with (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, butter) definitely count, but we can do more. 

• Nuts and seeds: Create your own version of trail mix! In small snack-size baggies, place raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds (pepitas!). You can even add some fun stuff to it like dried cranberries, raisins, and maybe even dark chocolate chips!
• Salad dressing: Make your own salad dressing using good oils, herbs and spices in a shaker bottle or special dressing container. 

Extra Credit. Here are a couple ideas that I know can be really helpful for many moms.

• Smoothie packs: Line up a bunch of baggies and fill them with all the dry ingredients in a smoothie: protein powder, flax meal or chia seeds, berries, greens, and other fruits or veggies. Place these baggies in the freezer, then when you're ready to have a smoothie, place all the ingredients in the blender and just add the wet ingredients (yogurt, water, almond milk, etc.) Click here for some smoothie recipes. 
• Pre-portioned hummus or nut butter: Place about 2 tablespoons of each in small containers for something quick to grab for dipping. 
• Cooked quinoa: Quinoa is a great grain to add to many dishes. In our household, it takes the place of rice for most dishes. Cook one cup of rinsed quinoa in two cups of chicken stock along with any spices or herbs that you'd prefer. Let cool and place in a large container in the fridge. Quinoa freezes well, too. 
• Leftovers: If you have seen any of my meal plans, you'll notice that I frequently utilize the magic of eating leftovers. This is probably the easiest form of meal prep: make a meal one time and eat if for three or four meals. Brilliant!

Remember, a little food prep goes a long ways. No, you don't need to turn into a nutrition-freak with all of your meals cooked for the entire week to benefit from preparation strategies. But you also shouldn't fly by the seat of your pants, either. 

I suggest choosing two or three of the tricks I mentioned above and give them a try. If you find that it helps you and makes sense for your life, then implement it! The goal is to take the pressure off and provide you with nutritious food whenever you need it. 

Take a few minutes this week and set yourself up for success with your eating habits!

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