Guys and gals, I’d be lying if I didn’t say food prep saved my butt thousands of times throughout the past two years I’ve been doing it. Not only does it make eating healthily convenient, but it makes it possible for even the busiest of people. Trust me, I would know.
My health and wellness journey began during my freshman year of college, but I think it really began to pick up steam and flourish when I was finally able to live in an apartment with my own kitchen. My parents and I decided that if I was going to live off campus, then I wasn’t going to have a meal plan. Not only would it be cheaper, but I was going to finally have the opportunity to grocery shop each week and make conscious decisions about what I wanted to fuel my body with each day. No more daily bland cafeteria meals, Panda Express, or Chick-Fil-A!
Like I said, food prep has saved my life and my hanger more times than I could possibly count. It has also saved my wallet from going to the quickest chain fast food restaurant on campus because when I was hungry, I either had something waiting for me to be warmed up in the dance studio’s refrigerator or I could drive home really quick and grab it. Over the past two years of avidly food prepping I have found that there are two major types of food prep, and one of them is the correct option for you (I promise).
1. Meal Prep
This is the most common type of food prep you’ll see on your Facebook and Instagram feeds. Those people who make five versions of the same salad and eat it for lunch every day at work. I’m not hating though, because some weeks I totally am that person.
This prep is the best for those of you who are insanely busy with no time to cook, but want to have healthy meals at your disposal. You prep five to six versions of the same breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the week and you eat it every day. They are pre-portioned and ready for you to grab, put in the microwave, and go. Completely thoughtless.
Think this prep may work for you and your hectic weeks? Amazing! Pick three meals and a couple snacks, prep them on Sunday evening, and you’ll be thriving through your weekly chaos. Your grocery list is everything you will need to prep your three meals and snacks. Here’s an example of a meal prep I did a few months back:
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
Snack: Carrots and dip
Lunch: Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Dinner: Marinara Lentil Pasta with Shrimp
Snack: Apple with Peanut Butter
This type of prep also takes a good amount of time on your Sunday afternoon because it requires more measuring, slicing and dicing, portioning, and putting into containers. If you don't have at least three hours on a Saturday or Sunday to cook, maybe this isn't your best option.
2. Batch Prep
For some, meal prep really isn’t the best because it’s too bland and doesn’t have enough variety. They want variety in their meals and they don’t want to be eating the same thing all week long! I totally get that. I fluctuate between these two types of food prep depending on the kind of week I plan to have, but when I do meal prep there are many instances where I get to Friday and have to force myself to eat what I have made because it is already paid for and readily available.
I learned about batch prep through some gals I follow on Instagram, and thought I'd give it a try! Batch prep was really great to use towards the end of my school year when I had time to prepare meals for myself, but didn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen each day. It is very flexible, with a little less forethought and perfect for the healthy eater who has an ever changing schedule.
Batch prep is when you make several different sides and entrees to mix and match to make your meals throughout the week. You prep all of these different pieces and are able to make endless meals out of them according to whatever your taste buds may be desiring. For this type of prep, I recommend choosing two types of protein, at least two types of green vegetables (you can never have enough greens!), and two types of carbohydrates. I also recommend having a good amount of dressings and clean condiments in your fridge to help spice things up! Here’s an example of a batch prep I used a few weeks ago:
Protein:
- Chicken breast
- Eggs
Greens:
- Brussel Sprouts
- Spinach
- Cucumbers
Carbohydrates:
- Sweet potato
- Quinoa
Snacks/Extras:
- Bananas
- Protein Bars
- Plain Whole Wheat Bagels
- Avocado
So, with the shopping list I was able to bake five chicken breasts at the beginning of the week, roast an entire bag of Brussel sprouts, bake two large sweet potatoes to be mashed, and boil one cup of quinoa. I also was able to pre-cut my cucumbers to throw in any dishes I pleased, or enjoy for a snack. By prepping these few items ahead of time, I was able to make several meals such as:
- Chicken with roasted sprouts and mashed sweet potato
- BBQ Chicken Pitas with mashed sweet potato (side note: batch prep is GREAT to help clean out your fridge too! I had two frozen leftover tortillas, and they were put to good use.)
- Egg scramble with spinach and avocado bagel
- Balsamic chicken quinoa bowl with roasted sprouts
- Chicken salad with spinach and cucumber
- Quinoa and spinach salad
- Cucumbers and dip for a snack
- Banana with peanut butter for a snack
Whichever prep you think is best for you, pick one and see how it frees your mind throughout the week. There's a million things to stress about, but food shouldn't be one! Food prep truly takes the thought and hassle out of healthy eating, and I hope each and every one of you can experience and reap the benefits of fueling your body with the very best nutrients in a way that is most convenient to you.