FOOD PREP SIMPLIFIED

Food preparation can always seem like a daunting task…especially if it’s something you’re not used to doing. Often, I get asked the following questions regarding “food prep:”

• What should I be cooking?

• How much should I make?

• Doesn’t it take too long? I don’t have that kind of time.

• What should I be buying?

I’ve been “food prepping” for over 20 years and it is no longer a concept only for those that are fitness competitors and enthusiasts or athletes. It’s an approach to help simplify your life, to help you save time…and even money.

I will be sharing 14 tips to make FOOD PREP SIMPLIFIED.

1. Utilize the weekend or your day off
   Whether you choose to do your grocery shopping the same day as your food prep or a separate day, choose a day where you can commit at least 1 hour* to preparing your meals for the week or for a few days.
   *time may vary depending on how much food and for how many days your cooking

2. Well-stocked pantry & freezer
   Stocking up your pantry and freezer when items are on sale and by keeping some of these basic essentials on hand, you only need to worry about picking up fresh items in your weekly grocery haul. This can help reduce stress and improve the efficiency of your meal planning efforts. Maintaining a baseline stock of pantry staples is a great way to streamline your meal prep process and simplify menu creation.
   
   Here are a few examples of healthy and versatile foods to keep in your pantry:

   • Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, oats, bulgur, whole-wheat pasta, polenta

   • Legumes: canned or dried black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, lentils

   • Canned goods: low-sodium broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, artichokes, olives, corn, fruit (no added sugar), tuna, salmon, chicken

   • Oils: olive, avocado, coconut

   • Baking essentials: baking powder, baking soda, flour, cornstarch

   • Spices: pink Himalayan salt, ground pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder
     *If you don’t already have a solid stash of dried herbs and spices, just pick up 2–3 jars of your favorites each time you go grocery shopping and slowly build a collection.

   • Other: Almond butter, peanut butter, potatoes, mixed nuts, dried fruit

3. Shop your pantry & freezer first
   Before you sit down to make your meal plan, take an inventory of what you already have on hand.

   Peruse all of your food storage areas, including your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator, and make a note of any specific foods you want or need to use up.

   Doing this helps you move through the food you already have, reduces waste, and prevents you from unnecessarily buying the same things over and over again.

4. Consider each food group
   Whether you’re preparing meals for a week or just a few days, it’s important to make sure each food group is represented in your plan.

   The healthiest meal plan emphasizes whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, high-quality protein, and healthy fats, while limiting sources of refined grains, added sugars, and excess salt.

   As you scour through your favorite recipes, think about each of these food groups. If any of them are missing, make a point to fill in the gaps.

5. Plan for & repurpose leftovers
   If you don’t want to spend time cooking every day of the week, plan to make enough to have leftovers.

   Making a few extra servings of whatever you’re cooking for dinner is a great way to have lunch for tomorrow without any extra effort.

   If you’re not a fan of leftovers, think about how you can repurpose them so they don’t feel like leftovers.

   For example, if you roast a whole chicken with root vegetables for dinner, shred the leftover chicken and use it for tacos, soup, or as a salad topping for lunch the next day.

6. Start small
   If you have never created a meal plan or are getting back into it after a long hiatus, it may feel a bit daunting.

   Developing a meal planning habit is no different than making any other positive change in your life. Starting small and slowly building confidence is a great way to make sure your new habit is sustainable.

   Begin by planning out just a few meals or snacks for the week ahead. Figure out which meal seems the most difficult for you to get to and let that be your meal to prep for the next few days.

   Eventually, you’ll figure out which planning strategies work best, and you can slowly build upon your plan by adding in more meals as you see fit.

7. Shop with a list or shop online
   Going to the grocery store without a shopping list is a good way to waste time and end up buying a lot of things you don’t need.

   Having a list helps you stay focused and fight the temptation to buy food you don’t have a plan to use just because it’s on sale.

   Depending on where you live, some larger grocery chains offer the option of shopping online and either picking up your groceries at a designated time or having them delivered. I personally do most of my shopping from Whole Foods and Target. Both of these locations offer grocery-store pick-up and delivery. I find food shopping online not only saves me time, but helps me stick to our grocery budget.

8. Prep smart, not hard
   Don’t be afraid to acknowledge the need to cut corners. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables are usually more expensive, but if the convenience factor is what it takes to reduce stress in your life or get you to eat more vegetables, it may be well worth it. Just be mindful the pre-cut food items most likely contain some preservative to maintain their “freshness”. Choose this option sparingly and cut your own when feasible.

   Remember, not everyone’s meal planning and preparation processes look the same. Having the wisdom to know when you need to scale back and improve efficiency can help you stick to your goals long term.

9. Learn to multitask
   When people are first starting to food prep, they tend to focus on doing one task at a time, which is fine, but it often takes a lot longer for them to get their food prep done and it can be discouraging.

   Once you’ve done it a few times and start to get comfortable, using multiple parts of your kitchen at once is a game changer. I always have something baking in the oven, something cooking on the stove, something in the crockpot and am working on something at the counter all at the same time. This allows you to get more done in a shorter period of time.

   If you plan accordingly and master the time management aspect of food prep, you can be done within 1-1.5 hours.

10. Batch cook
    Batch cooking is when you prepare large quantities of individual foods for the purpose of using them in different ways throughout the week. This method is especially useful if you don’t have much time to spend cooking during the week.

    Try cooking a big batch of quinoa or brown rice and roasting a large tray of vegetables or meat at the start of the week to use for salads, stir-fries, scrambles, or grain bowls.

    You could also make a batch of chicken, tuna, or chickpea salad to use in sandwiches, eat with crackers, or add to salads.

11. Bust out the slow cooker or instant pot
    Slow and pressure cookers can be lifesavers for meal prep, especially if you don’t have time to stand over a stove.

    These tools allow for more freedom and hands-off cooking, so you can meal prep while simultaneously finishing other chores or running errands.

12. Use your freezer
    Cooking certain foods or meals in large batches and freezing them for later is a great way to save time, reduce waste, and stretch your food budget — all at the same time.

    You can use this method for simple staples like broth, fresh bread, and tomato sauce, or for entire meals, such as lasagna, soup, enchiladas, and breakfast burritos.

13. Savor kitchen time
    You’re more likely to stick to your new meal planning habit if it’s something you enjoy doing. Instead of thinking of it as something you have to do, try to mentally reframe it as a form of self-care.

    If you’re the household chef, consider making meal prep a family affair. Have your family help you chop vegetables or batch cook some soup for the week ahead, so these activities become quality time spent together instead of just another chore. There’s nothing more that I enjoy than having quality time with my husband as he helps prepare a meal…with supervision of course (LOL.)

    If you prefer to meal prep solo, throw on your favorite music, a podcast, or an audiobook while you do it. I always pour myself a glass of wine, ask Alexa to play some “chill” music, and I immerse myself in the process. Before long, it may be something you look forward to.

14. Embrace the freedom
    When you meal prep for days in advance, you are free from having to make any sort of decision regarding what to eat for that time. You don’t have to determine where or when you’ll get food, you just have it. You no longer have to make decisions about food or focus on it; it’s been taken care of.

    
    Meal planning and preparation is a great way to make healthier food choices and save time and money.

    Though it may seem overwhelming at first, there are a variety of strategies you can employ to develop a sustainable meal planning habit that works for your unique lifestyle.