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Creating a Meal Prep System



Do you find it difficult to figure out what's for dinner during the busy week? Or get home and realize it'll be an hour before you can have a meal ready to eat due to preparing all of the items? I know meal prep saves me a great deal of time (and stress) on days when I'm getting home later in the evening. It can be a great way to save time and money, and eat healthier. But, staying in the habit of prepping meals can be challenging. One way to make this habit easier is by creating a meal prep system. Choose whichever day works better in your schedule. (I personally like Sunday, as this is usually my day to plan my full schedule for the week coming, without other distractions, and it takes my brain out of some overwhelm for what lies ahead. Prepping ahead enables you to plan your meals for the week so that you have all the ingredients on hand and know exactly what to cook each day.


Here's how a Meal Prep System might work for you:


Step 1: Plan Your Meals. The first step in creating your meal prep system is planning your meals for the week. Take some time to think about what dishes you would like to make, and then create a grocery list of all the necessary ingredients. You may jot down recipe and meal ideas thru the week of what you'd like to prepare, and then it's not a big brain storming event before you go shopping. Sometimes the hardest part is thinking of "what" to prepare, so check out different recipes as your checking your social media. It can also be helpful to create a calendar or chart where you can write down which meals you plan on making each day. Once you have your list and schedule set up, it's time for step 2.


Step 2: Shop For Ingredients. After planning your meals, it's time to head to the store and purchase all the necessary ingredients for those dishes. Make sure you check your list twice before leaving the store to remember everything - nothing is worse than getting home and realizing that an ingredient is missing from one of your recipes, ugh. And try not to think of grocery shopping as a chore, make it an outing by going to stores that you enjoy shopping at that actually have the items that you use, not just picking up items to "make do". If that means going out of your "local area" to shop, plan it and go, you'll be much more satisfied with the purchases you make and the time, and money spent to do the shopping. And, don't forget your local farmers markets, this can sometimes be the best way to purchase your fruits and veggies.


Step 3: Prep Your Meals. Now comes the fun part - actually prepping your meals. Depending on what dishes you make, this could involve washing/chopping veggies, marinating proteins such as chicken or steak, cooking batch items like quinoa or brown rice, or even cooking stews or casseroles that can then be reheated throughout the week. Spend some quality time in the kitchen on this day doing whatever needs to be done for your meals to be easily and quickly put together when you need them throughout the week.


Creating a meal prep system can be an effective way for busy people who want to ensure they're eating healthy and saving money (the drive-thru's and eating out add up the $$ quickly!) And it takes the stress out of "What's for dinner?" tonight. Make it enjoyable by catching up on your favorite show, listening to an audiobook or podcast, dancing in the kitchen, or calling a friend to catch up as you meal prep your ingredients. By following these three simple steps – planning out your meals, shopping for ingredients, and prepping those meals –you'll be able to enjoy delicious home-cooked meals throughout the week with minimal effort. So give it a try today and see how much easier it makes dinnertime during hectic weeks. Share your meal prep ideas with us!


Always...

Keeping Body & Mind IN-MotioN

Angie

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