September 19th, 2023

Coach Jen

MEAL PREP

It’s the time of week where we’re all thinking about what our meal plans should look like for next week. Good news is, this task does NOT need to be overwhleming. In fact, with just three simple steps you’ll be a meal plan pro in no time:)

Map It Out

Take a few moments the weekend prior to review your schedule and touch base with other immediate family members on their plans for that week. Jot down which days you’ll be eating out as well as days where you’ll be coming home late and won’t feel like cooking. Once you have a rough idea of your schedule first look to see which ingredients you have on hand. I’m a huge advocate of using what you have (you know you have that random purchase in your fridge you need to use!). From there, see if you have any items you need to use up then jot down 3-4 dinner ideas (making note to prep extra for any lunch leftovers). Keep your meal plan visible throughout the week so everyone knows what’s on tap. Keep it simple! You don’t need to think of a new recipe every week. I personally have 5-10 that I rotate through with just little variations with what I have on hand. From there right out your ingredient list, keeping in mind any breakfast or snack options you want to have on hand.

Wash & Chop for Refrigerator

Now for the prep part. The only time I will completely prep a meal is when I know I’ll be gone until late that evening. In that case I will either throw something in the crock pot or have it 90% of the way prepped. For everything else, just make sure things are ready to go; meaning wash & chop veggies and put into glass containers in the refrigerator-making it easy to throw them into stir frys or tacos come meal time. I also find I use all my produce if I proactively wash and chop it, because man it’s sure easy to forget about that broccoli shoved into the back of the cooler drawer until it’s too late. For more starchy veggies like potatoes and & butternut squashes I will pre-bake. Wrap a few sweet potatoes in foil and place into glass containers once softened or slice and roast butternut squash. Simply throw back into the oven or pan for a few moments to reheat before your meal. Items like that are great to have on hand to throw into salads or wraps come lunch. For your grains, prep a few cups to store in the fridge for your grain bowls or taco salads. Leave out any seasoning so you can mix up the flavors come meal time. I will often use the exact same ingredients but feel like I’m eating something new simply by swapping the seasonings or sauce. For breakfast options I will put a few eggs into muffin tins and bake for roughly 15 minutes. Perfect for snacking or adding to english muffins for breakfast. The key is to have everything prepped and ready to assemble. Making sure I have ingredients ready to eat also makes me more likely to stick to the schedule instead of make that impromptu grocery run or meal out.

Portion & Assemble for Pantry

While it can be a little bit of an initial investment I’m a big fan of glass containers so you know what you’re working with! It also makes your kitchen more organized which makes eating clean and at home more enjoyable. For meal prepping the pantry, I like to throw a bunch of dry nuts (I mix it up between cashews, almonds, & walnuts) in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. I’ll sprinkle with salt when they are still warm and transfer to a glass container to enjoy for snacks or on top of salads and smoothie bowls. I will also make a batch of granola for the week ahead…sometimes the batch lasts for two weeks. This is perfect for breakfast or snacks.

Who has time, or wants to be spending hours in the kitchen meal prepping over the weekend.

By taking just a few simple steps after my grocery run, I can ensure I’m set up for success in the upcoming week! Hopefully you’ll find these tips useful too!

Now let’s get plannin!