What is the number one thing you can do to eat healthier? I’m not sure. But definitely in the top few would be meal planning and meal prepping. So I’m throwing out a few meal prep tips to keep in mind this weekend.

 

Meal planning can be as involved as planning out the following week’s meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner- plus snacks. All while considering the kinds of foods you’re eating and looking to make sure it’s balanced. Or it can be as simple as writing down the dinners you’ll probably make next week. However you approach meal planning it can save you time, money, stress, and help you eat much healthier.

Meal prep can vary, too. I am in awe of the people who post pictures of their meal prep and have every meal portioned out. And it all looks so healthy! While I aspire to that (because 1, it will make me feel like I am so hardcore and 2, I think it would be good for my nutrition to take all the thinking out of eating) I don’t let the “perfect” keep me from doing the “good,” my little meal prep things. My little meal prep things definitely help keep me on track.

So, here are a few things you can do this weekend to set you up for a good eating week next week…

10 Easy Meal Prep Tips

1. Make steel cut oats. Cook up a big batch, portion out a serving for each day. One batch will probably give you 5 or 6 servings. During the week I add a small amount of water and heat it in the microwave for one minute while my eggs are cooking. Then I stir in a teaspoon of sunbutter (you could use peanut butter or almond butter) and it’s delicious! Filling and warm and healthy.
2. Jar greek yogurt and berries. Preparing your own can save you lots of sugar and added ingredients from pre-packaged, and money too! I love using frozen berries, especially out of season when berries are so expensive. Put a cup or so of berries in a mason jar and add about 3/4 cup of greek yogurt. Make a few at a time and keep them in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, mix and enjoy! You can eat it right out of the jar and they’re easy to take on the go. I add cinnamon and sometimes granola or almonds or pumpkin seeds. You can add a little unsweetened shredded coconut or chia for a real superfood boost. If you find you need some more sweetness use a few drops of liquid stevia. This is the brand I use- Sweet Leaf.
3. Roast vegetables. Broccoli and cauliflower are so delicious roasted. I buy a big bag of the already cut florets, pour some in a bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and sometimes grated parmesan. Toss and roast at 420 degrees for 20-40 minutes, depending on your oven and how you roasted you like them. I usually leave mine in closer to 40 minutes, flipping around halfway through cooking time. Then you can have a nice serving of vegetables with a few meals. I’ll have them with my eggs for breakfast usually. Getting veggies in with my first meal helps set me up for a good day.
4. Slice vegetables. Raw vegetables are great for snacks and more likely to be eaten when they’re cut up ahead of time. I always have baby carrots, no cutting involved- yay! Peppers are another constant; I cut them into strips and keep them in a Tupperware. I’ll use them for snacks and always put them out at dinnertime. Cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and cauliflower florets are all great, too.
5. Prepare salads. Have you seen those “salad in a jar” posts? Do it! I know sometimes at mealtime, whether it’s because I’m starving at lunchtime or tired after cooking dinner, the last thing I want to do is make a freaking salad. It’s not even that hard! I buy the mixed greens and add some tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, and dressing. But still- it’s just one more step I don’t want to have to take. So prep a few at a time. Eat it right out of the jar or put it in a bowl. This will make getting all those healthy veggies into your diet that much easier.
6. Make granola. Granola can be a sugar bomb when you buy it in the store, but when you make it a home it can be a healthy and delicious snack or part of a meal. I love the granola recipe I shared in this post.
7. Big batch quinoa, brown rice or sweet potatoes. Having a healthy carb on hand can save you time at dinner, especially on those busy nights. If you throw something in the crockpot and already have some quinoa cooked, dinner will be so quick and easy. And let’s face it, brown rice and quinoa on their own are not all that exciting. They’re pretty much as good as what you put on top of them. So reheating them won’t take away too much appeal! You can also use them with leftovers for healthy lunches.
8. Big batch chicken. Make grilled or baked chicken for dinner on Sunday and double what you usually make. You can have the chicken over salad for lunch for a few days and it won’t take you that much longer than it would take to make dinner anyway. We’re kind of at the end of the grilling season here, but you can see some ways I use leftover chicken in this post here. You can do this with ground turkey, too. Add some seasoning and mix it with that quinoa and some roasted broccoli and you have a great meal.
9. Hardboil eggs. Boil up a dozen eggs, peel them, and store them in the refrigerator. They’re great for breakfast or on a salad. Since they’re already peeled they’re easier to eat and a great protein. Quicker than cooking eggs if you’re in a rush!
10. Pre-portion to-go snacks. You can do this yourself or buy the prepackaged snacks. Some great ideas are nuts or pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, homemade energy bites, or some of that homemade granola you made on Sunday 🙂 Having them in a baggie or little container makes it easier to take them with you and helps with portion control, especially with things like nuts. The mini guacamole or hummus containers are great too, and not much work for you. Have them with some of your prepped veggies.

Now, don’t feel like you have to spend a whole day in the kitchen or like you have to do all of these things. Pick one or two. Even doing one of these meal prep tips can help you (and maybe your family) eat healthier next week!

Do you meal prep? Maybe without even thinking about it? I’d love to hear some of your ideas!