We live in a fast-paced world, where time is a precious and convenience often dictates our food choices. Meal planning and food prepping may be our “meal ticket” to better health and maintaining a healthier weight.
There I’ve said it- but do I do it?
I try. I really do try and sometimes I’m very successful. But then things get in the way such as vacations, visiting relatives, eating in restaurants, parties, weddings, graduations, birthdays, etc. I have to admit that it’s a struggle to stay focused on my healthy eating goals!
Fall off the bicycle? Get back in there!!
However, it’s not impossible, and I continually try to reel myself back in. The trouble is that once I am eating out and get a “taste” of what I think of as highly exciting stimulating foods( laden with high salt, sugar, fat, and taste sooo good- excitotoxins). I’m not talking just a taste now and then.
I often find it more difficult to discipline myself to get back to less stimulating healthier choices (salad, vegetables, beans, legumes etc.)
Do you know what I mean?
Love my cooking!!!
Don’t get me wrong. I am a darn good cook, and I make some awesome recipes that are extremely health giving – but they take planning and prep to make them. So here I am back to the original topic- planning and prepping good healthy food!
Who is the busiest?
Does it matter if you are a busy professional, a parent juggling multiple responsibilities, very active retirees like me and my husband, gluten-free or plant-based? Don’t we all share the same challenge ? We all need to
Plan, Prep, Repeat (every week)
So the challenge is to figure out ways to minimize our efforts.
Groceries Delivered
My son and daughter in-law who are BIG planners and prep-pers save time by having their weekly grocery orders delivered to their front door. They spend 2-3 hours prepping for the week for a family of four.
Hire Assistance:
One of my good friends. who is dealing with a very sick husband, has hired a cook for 3 hours a week to prepare plant-based batch cooking for the week. This helps her eat nourishing meals to keep up her own strength and health during this difficult time. She pays an hour-rate, so three hours a week is affordable.
Use Frozen:
I often use frozen (organic) vegetables . I stock up at Costco with a large bag of each of organic broccoli, organic green beans, organic cauliflower rice, organic mix of cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, etc. I find it convenient because there is no need to wash, clean, cut or make a mess AND I always have some avaialable. I simply open the bag, pour the amount I want to use in a skillet, add a small amount of water, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. I definitely eat more vegetables this way. (recipe link here)
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| Frozen vegetables in a skillet (cover) with 1/2 cup of water for 5 minutes |
Freeze Grains :
I also cook grains such as rice or quinoa in large quantities and then once they are very cool, I divide them into portion size baggies and freeze for future use. See how to freeze rice here. *don’t like plastic- use freezer-safe glass containers.
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| I cooked this rice with cumin seeds! |
Some ideas I found online to help minimize the effort:
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Batch Cooking: Dedicate a few hours on a weekend or a less busy day to prepare large batches of staple foods like grains, proteins (for me- beans), and vegetables. Store them in portions for easy reheating or assembling throughout the week.
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Meal Planning Apps: Use meal planning apps or websites that provide recipes, generate grocery lists, and allow you to schedule meals for the week ahead. Some popular ones include Mealime, Plan to Eat, and Paprika.
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Simple Recipes: Focus on recipes that require minimal ingredients and preparation time. Look for one-pot meals, sheet pan dinners, or salads that can be easily customized.
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Pre-cut and Pre-washed Ingredients: Purchase pre-cut vegetables, pre-washed greens, and other convenience items from the grocery store to reduce prep time. ( I don’t like to do this one because there may be added preservatives – not sure. I prefer to cut my own.
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Freeze Meals: Prepare extra portions of meals and freeze them in individual containers. This way, you can simply thaw and reheat them when needed.
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Use Leftovers Creatively: Plan meals that can be repurposed from leftovers. For example
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Keep a Stock of Healthy Staples: Always have essentials like canned beans, frozen vegetables, whole grains, and healthy sauces or spices on hand to make quick meals.
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Plan Around Weekly Sales: Check grocery store flyers for weekly sales and plan meals based on what’s on offer to save money and simplify your shopping list.
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Invest in Kitchen Gadgets: Consider using tools like a slow cooker, instant pot, or air fryer, which can simplify cooking and reduce hands-on time.
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Create Theme Nights: Assign specific themes to each day of the week (Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Italian night, Middle Eastern, Asian, etc. ) to streamline decision-making and grocery shopping.
By incorporating these ideas into your routine, you can make planning and prepping healthy meals more efficient and less time-consuming.
What do you do? Do you plan your weekly menu? Do you prep? Share some of your ideas in the comments.
