After a weekend of holiday events (and by events, I mean cookies, salty foods and alcohol), I’m here in the kitchen prepping for a week’s worth of work lunches. I love getting back on track, but sometimes the task of meal prep can be stressful. Meal prepping at the beginning of the week, while a big planning job, really eases the decision-making process of what to eat and when to eat throughout the week. I’ve been consistently in a routine of meal prepping for 5 years now, having been working full-time as an ER Nurse. I’ve worked out some of the kinks, and found a few simple solutions I’m ready to share!
My hope for this blog post is that you’ll learn a tip or two about simplifying your meal prep, so that you too can stay on track with your fitness & nutrition goals without losing your mind!
- Get Used to Leftovers. Hate to break it to ya, but you’ll drive yourself insane if you’re making separate fresh meals for every day of the week. Figure out foods that you love so much you’ll eat a few times in the week. Also Think about foods that hold well a few days in the fridge – raw veggies like carrots, tomatoes, cabbage. Meats like ground Turkey, chicken sausage, pulled pork. Sides like rice, sweet potatoes, tortillas. Taylor and I will cook in large quantities, like 8 servings, so that we each take away 3 prepped meals after dinner that night.
- Don’t be afraid of Frozen Foods – having some go to frozen meal prep items can save loads of time; and money! Since the foods won’t go bad in the freezer. Think frozen veggies like broccoli, cauliflower rice, chopped spinach, edamame, fire roasted corn, bell peppers. Also, frozen Turkey burgers, salmon burgers, cauliflower stir fry, cauliflower gnocchi
- Utilize a Stocked Pantry – canned foods are your friend! Canned green beans, black beans, tomatoes, tuna, chicken breast, salmon, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, olives. Affordable and shelf stable meal-prep staples
- Nuts and Nut Butters. I always have the following in my fridge/pantry: peanut butter, roasted almonds, dried edamame, Brazil nuts. A quarter cup serving boasts loads of vitamins and micronutrients, and healthy fats like omega 3s!
- Bulk Fresh Fruit. Grab giant bags of apples or oranges, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes. I munch on an apple and carrot sticks on my drive home from work, it’s quick to throw in the lunch box, and is awesome fiber and vitamin C. Keep your fruit in the fridge, as opposed to your counter fruit bowl, to help them last longer!
- Pre Made Protein Shakes. I aim for 1g of Protein per 1lb of body weight, which right now is 150g daily. I usually only eat meat at one meal, so I count on supplements like premade protein shakes to meet my goals. Premier Protein’s whey protein shakes offer 30g of Protein, 3g net carbs, and only 1g of Sugar. I buy the big box of 18 from Costco, they’re about $1 each! Try mixing this with 6oz coffee for a mid afternoon pick me up!
- Flavored Water Packets. Another daily intake goal, is a gallon of water. I’m sure some of you are like me and can’t stomach plain water for 128oz straight. I use flavored water packets like Crystal Light or Propel to shake things up a bit! Each packet is technically good for a 16.9oz bottle of water, but I further dilute it into my 30oz Yeti. Aim for at least 4 Yetis a day! 1 of those being Crystal Light. Don’t like artificial flavors? Try adding in some lemon juice and a packet of stevia. Or a packet of TrueLime, which is also sweetened with stevia.
- Hard Boiled Eggs. Did you know you can Air Fry these babies!? For a work week of 3 shifts at the hospital, I air fry 6 eggs for 15 minutes at 270. Put em in an ice bath after, and peel the shells ahead of time. Pair your 2 HB eggs with a string cheese for a quick high protein and healthy fat snack!
- Get a set of matching Tupperware, and a cute lunchbox! I know this may seem silly, but appreciating the beautifully organized aesthetic of a week’s worth of prepped meals in matching tupperware is just an underrated wonder of life. Toss those matching tupperware in a cute lunch bag like this one, and you’re one styled ‘n fit gal.
- Track your Meals Ahead of Time. I’m boring and will eat the same meals for all 3 of my shifts in the week, especially if I’m working 3 in a row. I track my macros in an app called Lose It which saves my meals from day to day. This makes tracking repeated meals so simple!
I’ve tried to simplify the process for you even further by putting together a shopping list. Tay and I shop mainly at Aldi and Trader Joe’s, which surprisingly have a lot of overlap in their products! Did you know they are sister companies? Check out this shopping list to see our Trader Joe’s staples for simple meal prep.
I recognize that everyone has different nutritional needs and varying fitness goals. I eat high protein, low carb – and this has worked for me! While I am a Registered Nurse, I’m no dietitian or nutrition coach – I encourage you to seek out professional guidance if you’re wanting to take a step toward improving your health and wellness!
Be patient with yourself. Celebrate small wins. Make the choice, every day, to love your body at every stage of progress!
What are your meal prep secrets!? Any other Trader Joe’s go-tos I should add to the list? Share in the comments!
