Mastering Your Meal Prep

On the go, meal prepped lunch
Photo credit: RHN Team Picture Bank

Meal prepping is a great way to prioritize time, boost your monthly budget, and accomplish your health goals. However, if you’re not used to it, meal-prepping can be a difficult habit to begin implementing. To learn how to “master your meal prep”, consider these 5 simple steps:

1. Start by outlining your health and health goals – what am I trying to accomplish by meal prepping? If you have a condition like diabetes, try planning meals according to the Plate Method; if you have hypertension, look at the DASH diet. Our health goals may influence what we meal prep for ourselves and what constitutes a balanced meal for that condition.
2. Think about what meals would be best to meal prep for your schedule – if mornings are tough, consider meal prepping some grab and go breakfasts to start your day off right, such as overnight oats or mini egg souffles. If dinners get you down, try making some dump-and-go crockpot meals that can cook while you’re on the go during the day.
3. Buy intentionally at the grocery store. Stick to your list and consider utilizing items that can be prepared for many different meals, such as rice, chicken broth, seasonings, canned beans, or pasta.
4. Begin by prepping one recipe at a time; this will give you time to become comfortable with meal prepping and will ensure that you are able to eat the food that you prepare. Your recipes may make several meals throughout the week; however, we recommend making no more than 2-3 servings of your chosen recipe as you get in the habit of meal prepping. This will prevent you from becoming bored with your food and will keep your meals tasting the freshest.
5. Plan meals that can be created from leftover ingredients of previously prepped meals. If you have leftover pieces of meats, vegetables, grains, or dairy products, consider how you can use those components to create something new. If you prepare foods in bulk without too many sauces or seasonings, ingredients can be reused or re-developed into many different meals.

Becoming a master meal-prepper is a great way to not only alleviate frustration in the kitchen, but to also enhance your diet. According to an article in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, meal-prepping and home cooking were associated with a decrease in the incidence of diabetes and other chronic diseases, while also helping individuals maintain a healthy weight. That is a great reason to consider getting started on your meal prep journey! But it doesn’t stop there. Check out some of the other benefits of meal prepping below:

• Decreases the total amount of dollars spent on food each week.
• Helps to build a nutritionally balanced diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables.
  • Reduces eating out and eating on the go.
• Saves time on preparing meals.
• Reduces stress because of the convenience and availability.

Stirring Up Healthy Recipes

Stirring Up Healthy Recipes is a FREE monthly cooking class that provides practical nutrition education to those living with a chronic disease diagnosis. For the month of August, we will focus on meal prepping quick meals that utilize minimal ingredients – a perfect way to begin your meal prep journey. Our next class will be held on August 9^th, 2024, at 12 PM EST.

If you have not registered for Stirring Up Healthy Recipes – what are you waiting for? You can sign up by following the link HERE.

Resources:

1. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/289688/hit-refresh-7-tips-to-help-you-master-meal-prep/
2. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/meal-prep/
3. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/meal-prep-tips-every-beginner-should-know/
4. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/meal-planning
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7232892/