Planning and Meal Prep Made Easy
With the start of the New Year and many of my clients returning to work I often hear the comments ‘I just don’t have time to cook’ or ‘takeaway is the easier option’. Not making time for the preparation of healthy meals and snacks can have a negative effect on the waistline and the bank balance as well. With some careful planning and preparation eating homemade healthy choices can be quicker and easier than you think. I thought I would share some simple tips to save you time, money and a few extra kilos throughout the year.
Plan your week out, write down a rough meal plan and develop your shopping list based on the ingredients you will need. This will ensure you don’t run out of food and also prevents you from buying extra foods that you don’t necessarily need and therefore need to throw out.
On weekends do some food preparation, chop up salads and vegetables and store in an airtight container with a dash of water so they are ready to use in lunches or dinners
Chop up fruits into a fruit salad and squeeze some lemon juice on top to keep it fresh. This could work as a great snack, addition to breakfast or healthy desert.
Purchase pre- chopped vegetables or salad bags to save time and keep a few bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer as a backup option in case you run out.
Cook up casseroles, stir fries, soups or curries in bulk and freeze a few portions for quick easy meals.
Cook some chicken, beef or fish and store in some containers in the fridge to add to salads or sandwiches for lunches.
Bake a frittata or quiche and have as snacks or with salads for meals
Make a homemade healthy muesli slice or batch of healthy muffins on the weekends and use as breakfast options or snacks during the day. (See our website www.shapenutrition.com or our facebook page ‘Shape Nutrition’ for recipe ideas)
Make an arrangement with a health conscious work colleague to meal share a couple of times a week. One person brings in a health lunch for both of you, this saves you both time and who doesn’t like being cooked for!
