Meal Prepping 101

Eliminate the stress and time of having to cook every single night by meal prepping!  It saves you time during the week and helps keep you on track with healthy eating!  Wether you are a student, you work full time or are a stay at home mom, it can be hard (I mean seriously impossible) to cook all of your meals at home every single day. This is where "Meal Prep" can quickly become your best friend! Without prepping your meals ahead of time you are most likely to eat junk food if you're too busy or on the go.

The amount of prep you do, depends on how much time you have to dedicate to prepping and your personal preferences.

I prep twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays. I create a meal calendar depending on our schedule for the week and make a grocery list. I cut up all my fruits and veggies and precook all my meats (except fish and steak) and large meals like Meatloaf or Casseroles.

What the heck is Meal Prep??

It can mean different things to different people. For me it means cooking in bulk and creating grab and go snacks throughout my day. My most important prepped meal is lunch. I am a snacker and if I do not have a prepped ready to eat meal I will raid my pantry, fridge and pretty much munch on anything I can find. 

You may choose to prepare only lunches, grab and go snacks or all of your meals if you have the time. 
Chances are it will be a little bit of trial and error to get settled into a routine that suits your lifestyle and preferences. 

If you always find yourself rushing in the morning and your breakfast consists of a cup of coffee and a pop tart then prepping breakfast will help you. Or if you work late hours and have a difficult time cooking dinner on a nightly basis then maybe Dinner is where you start. 
There is no right or wrong. 

3 Days of Lunch

Before you Start

The first thing you need to do is invest in some good quality containers - these can be tupperware or glassware. Make sure they are microwave/oven safe and BPA free if you choose plastic. Also getting the same size containers will help you stack them and prevent having to play fridge Tetris. 
I prefer glass containers myself for large quantities and also have special 3 compartment containers for lunch that make it easy to separate and take on the go. 

Planning

The first thing you need to do is PLAN.

If you have never meal prepped before it is so easy to become overwhelmed!  Cooking for an entire week is a pretty big job and even the best of us can struggle with that. My best advice is to take it slow and sticking to a few days at a time to help you get you used to the process. Take a look at your weekly family schedule and plan a food calendar around it. 
I like to start with my proteins and create several meals around them. 
Chicken Breast for instance can be used for so many different meals and leftovers can be recycled into lunch the next day. Salads, Stir-fry, Tacos, Breakfast Omelets.. Oh the possibilities. 
As I mentioned before I like to prep on 2 different days. One of the reasons why I do this is because I don't want to have food spoil. So also keep in mind longevity in the fridge. Fish for instance I cook the day of so it is fresh, but Overnight Oats will stay good for a few days. 

Prepping

Grocery shop for the week. 

I love going to Farmers Market on the weekend and save on fresh produce. 

Now, how you choose to prep your meals is up to you. 
You can:1. Cook enough protein, veggies, starches to eat for the week 
(keeping these items basic will make them more versatile to use during the week)
This way you will get larger quantities of food and can put together meals everyday. 
OR
2.Cook several meals to generate enough to alternate for the week (five/six days of dinners) 
This way you will have pre packaged individual meals. 
OR
3. Cook your meals throughout the week based on your schedule and prep your breakfast and lunch the day before. If you know you will have time on Monday to cook dinner but not Tuesday then cook Monday and prep for Tuesday as well.  

Cooking 

1. Cut and Prep Fruits and Veggies (I do this while my protein is cooking) 
2. Cook as much of your protein that you would like to have for the week

• Grill chicken in bulk with a variety of seasonings to switch up the flavor during the week
• Use your crockpot!  Probably my favorite way or food prep. Meatballs or shredded chicken is a breeze. 
• Hard boil enough eggs for the week for a grab and go breakfast snack. 
• Roasting or grilling veggies in bulk.

3. Snacks- Separate in baggies and labeling them works best for me. 
My boyfriend goes to work when I stay home so I pre-pack his lunch and snacks the evening before and keep in a lunch bag in the fridge so he can just take it with him when he leaves at 6 am. (I am not awake enough to do it then) 4. Don't forget your Freezer! Pre-packing crock pot meals that you can freeze until you need it during the week is a life saver. Imagine having everything you need in a bag that you can just put in a crock pot when you go to work and have a delicious meal when you get home. 

Remember, do what works best for you!!!!

If cooking everything at once on Sunday is too much because that's your day to spend time with family, then divide your prep to two days, its what I do! 

I had to start somewhere and a little bit of meal prep is still better than none at all. Even if that is just chopping up a few veggies or grouping things in containers, you will feel so much better about cooking your food if you have it organized ready to go!

California Chicken Salad

Do you ever just have these cravings and you can't quite figure out how to satisfy it? You pretty much start eating everything in your fridge, your pantry, your snack drawer and then you are so stuffed but still have a hankering for something.

I felt like that recently and actually it was during Hurricane Matthew so we were working with a lot of food in the house since I stocked up on all my necessities.       

No worries the Hurricane did hit florida but central florida was lucky and we only had some rough winds and heavy rains for a few hours. 

Anyways, I decided to food prep the day before to make sure we had meals we could eat cold incase we lost power. One of the things I made was plain shredded chicken in the crock pot. I figured this could be eaten cold with a salad or turned into chicken salad with the help of some mayo and other items I had in the fridge.   

That is how this delicious Salad was born. I was on an epic eating rampage and decided to make this salad which helped quench my craving and save the day.                                         

The funny thing is that there was this meme going around and it described my mood perfectly. It was almost like my brain was in survival mode telling me that I had to eat because there is a chance that won't happen again if this Hurricane hit. I clearly don't have a survivalist brain because rationing would make more sense instead of gorging myself with all the food in my house.  So this salad came to be because lately I have been on a grape kick. I think I have been purchasing 2lbs of red grapes a week. This seemed to have started when I stopped drinking wine. I figure grapes are healthier. So all my fruit servings of the day are grapes. Frozen or cold doesn't matter. I also had this shredded chicken. Mayo and I am a really big spice and herb advocate. I believe in "the more the merrier" when it comes to seasoning food. There is just something about flavoring plain food and changing the taste just by adding some guilt free items like rosemary or tarragon.  So with just a few ingredients I made my new favorite lunch snack. Its simple to make and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. It really only lasted that one day and all 4 helpings of it were amazing. 

California Chicken Salad
aka "Hurricane Matthew Salad"

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (this was about 3 breasts)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup chopped celery (optional)
2 cups halved seedless red grapes
3/4 cup Olive Oil Organic Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped Tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper



Directions are simple... Combine in bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. 
Which in my case was immediately. 
I have to say however, the second and third serving were amazing after all the flavors came together while they were chilling (haha) in the fridge for a few hours. 

Broccoli Tots

I recently posted some of my meal prepping on Facebook and the Broccoli Tots I made received the most attention so I figured I would share the recipe. 

These were so delicious. I changed them up a little because I did not add any cheese and used regular Gluten Free breadcrumbs instead of Panko but Oh my gosh they were yummy. 

My boyfriend is a Broccoli-aholic. He would be happy eating chicken, rice and broccoli for dinner every single day. Me on the other hand, not so much.  Its not that I don't like it, but it isn't in my top 10 favorite vegetables. 

I love Tater Tots however and with my food allergies it is impossible for me to find frozen/ pre-done ones and honestly I don't really want to make them from scratch.  

So when I saw this recipe online I was thinking that WHOA they combined one of my favorites with Pats .. match made in heaven? Actually yes ! As previously mentioned they were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and super easy to make. 

To make these delicious Tots the broccoli has to be steamed or boiled. Once tender (and cool enough to touch) chop into small pieces and in a bowl mix with egg, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and cheese. I added some Hot Sauce and Chili powder to give it a kick. 

It helps to refrigerate the mixture briefly (15–30 minutes) to help it firm up and make the shaping process easier. To form your tots, use your hands to shape the mixture into a tot-like form. Then, place them on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Tip: make sure you use non-stick sheets or foil .. I didn't and it was a bit of a pain to flip them

Enjoy :) 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

22 mins

Total time

37 mins

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Lunch/Dinner

Serves: 8 servings, 2 tots each

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• Hot water
• 12 oz. broccoli florets (about 5 cups)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ⅔ cup whole grain Panko bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped green onions
• ⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with spray. Set aside.
2. Boil water in steamer or large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place broccoli in steamer basket; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender-crisp and bright green. Drain and chop.
3. Preheat oven to 400º F.
4. Combine broccoli, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, green onions, cheese, salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if desired) in a large bowl; mix well.
5. Refrigerate, covered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
6. To make each tot, shape approximately 2 to 3 Tbsp. broccoli mixture into tot shape. Place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over; bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

Going Allergen Free

Something that has been on my mind lately is how difficult it is to adjust to a special diet. 

I have struggled with my diet since I was 11 or 12 years old, never truly knowing what was making me sick. Doctors never figured it out and essentially I learned by trial and error what my body did and did not tolerate. 

So my list of things that I cannot eat are : 

Gluten : Wheat, Barley, Rye.

Dairy: Pretty much everything that has Casein and Whey which are proteins in milk

Corn: Which is in EVERYTHING and it has fun names like Dextrose (found in iodized salt?!?) and Maltodextrin (found in most Deli Meats) 

You're probably thinking -How on earth did you figure all this out? Well it certainly took over 15 years, a lot of journaling, frustration and several meltdowns inside grocery stores. 

I recently had a few people reach out to me who have been told by doctors to adjust their diets and stay away from Gluten and I remembered how hard it was to change my diet at first and how much I struggled. There is so much to learn, not just about what gluten is but also how to monitor ingredients. 

I am by no means an expert, but I can tell you my story and what I went through learning to live with a limited diet in hopes that I can help you.  

Lets just start with what Gluten is 

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.  (source: https://celiac.org/)

It is prey much all the good things in life- BREAD, PIZZA, SPAGHETTI, DONUTS and one of my all time favorite, ENGLISH MUFFINS.  If it is made with flour chances are it is gluten. 

Not being able to have Dairy for me was not so difficult. Soy milk was getting popular when I was younger which I thought was quite delicious and honestly I was a huge fan of sorbet rather than Ice-cream.  Cheese was a bummer but I was still eating Pizza minus the cheese but twice the pepperoni so not all was lost.  

When I had a friend suggest I go gluten free is when I had my first meltdown. I feel so bad for the boy that worked at the health food store I visited for my first ever gluten free shopping trip. Basically I started hysterically sobbing and crying in the baking isle with this boy trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I most likely scarred the poor kid for life.

Honestly I had no reason to be in that isle because I do not bake but I googled "going gluten free" and printed out a list and just went with it. 

That was so not the right thing to do !  

I went to the store with a list of things I have never heard of and some I did not even know how to pronounce... I was particularly upset over Sorghum flour (WTH is that?? I have never used it EVER) and also Xantham Gum (Seriously??? ) 

Ok the point I am making is that it is difficult at first but really not that complicated. 

I am pretty sure adjusting a diet has stages just like grief that go something like this 

Shock & Denial-  Those are the first emotions you feel when you find out you can no longer eat something you enjoy and you think NO WAY!! Im sure the doctor is wrong. 

Anger & Retaliation- This is crap and Gluten Free/Allergy specific foods probably taste like poo. I don't even know where to start. This sucks. You're probably gonna try to eat it anyways and regret it afterwards. 

Fear & Depression- What will I eat? Will I ever fit in? How will I deal at Restaurants, going out and holiday parties? You look at your pantry and panic.  My thoughts were- going to be awful and I'm just going to stay home forever and starve. 

Relief & Acceptance-  You knew something was wrong and the last thing you want to be is  sick and you're eventually gonna be hungry and want to leave the house and be a functioning human being.  

It’s overwhelming going gluten-free/allergy-free at first. The couple months are the hardest and then it gets easier.  You're gonna learn why it's good to ditch food thats not good for you, paying attention to how foods make you feel, and adjusting your diet accordingly.  Once you cut out whatever it is you can't tolerate, you will wonder why it took you so long because you feel AMAZING

So here are some tips to not go crazy: 

1. Quit Cold Turkey - Figure out what in your house contains your allergen, take it all out and write it all down so you can catalog it so you can replace it with things you can eat. 

2. Find Substitutions- So lets say Gluten is what you're replacing:  

• Pasta- Corn, Brown rice, Quinoa and Black Bean Pasta is available. 
• Bread- TONS of GF options are out there. 
• Flour-Even more options available depending on what you're doing.. Remember that Sorghum I mentioned earlier? Yeah thats one of them.. but there is almond, potato, corn, coconut, tapioca.. all sorts of stuff. 
• Pizza- Yep, gf, soy free, dairy free vegan pizza is available. 
• Cake and Cookies- You beta. 
• Here is a website with more Substitutions

        Sounding better right ???  

3. Meal Planning- This is one of the reasons I am such a fan of Beachbodys Portion Control containers and meal prepping. It makes it easy to have a clear vision of what you're going to be making through the week and help prepare you. Lets say you have Taco Tuesdays, well chances are the taco seasoning you were using is not gluten free and flour tortillas are out. Well being able to plan ahead will make things easier. Making taco seasoning from scratch is better for you and delicious and you can use either corn tortillas or in my case lettuce wraps.

I have come to the point in my life where I can make anything to meet my dietary restrictions but I need a plan and I spend a day prepping my meals so all I need to do is plate my meals and heat them up.  

4. Grocery Shopping- So here is the most difficult part, the time it will take you to grocery shop will increase. My boyfriend jokes that I could live at Publix (it is a pretty amazing grocery store) but the reason is because I read labels and ingredients for EVERYTHING. I mean I have to look for a lot of ingredients, dairy, wheat, barley, dextrose, corn starch, maise flour, maltodextrin.... that is a lot of reading !!  A couple of things to look for depending on your sensitivities. Some of you may be so sensitive that contact with or cross-contamination with gluten/ allergens can be an issue, so when you are buying deli meat or anything that the store prepares make sure they wipe down the equipment. Also on labels it will tell you if a food is prepared in a factory where there are other items processed that contain allergens. 

5. Eating Out- I am so thankful that Gluten free has become a trend because there are so many options available. Not every server will be knowledgeable about gluten/allergens so make sure you let them know you have an allergy and that they inform the chef.                                                                          
Here is an amazing resource for allergy free restaurants !!!

5. Google & Pinterest - Google can be your best friend. I can't even tell you how many times I have googled, "Is there gluten in _____?" "Is there corn in______?" and Pinterest is amazing for finding recipes and blogs that are devoted to allergy free recipes and cooking tips !!

This stuff is confusing and when you are just starting out...it kinda feels like... well what the hell CAN I eat???
But over time, you will be a pro (I promise, If I can do it so can you). 
You have an advantage...gluten free/allergen information and options are becoming more available and part of every day living.

I promise if you keep it simple, keep reading and learning, and continue to have an open mind, you can become completely Gluten/Allergen Free without going crazy.

Surviving the Weekend Food Cravings

Being on a Meal Plan is not the same as being on a diet, but when I first started eating healthy, meal planning and working out it sure seemed like it was. 

Having to say no to things I wanted and going out to a restaurant and not ordering the 12oz steak seemed like it would be the end of the world. 

BUT in the end I did not want to sabotage the hard work that I had put in during the week. 

Planning is best, when you are out you always need a game plan. You should avoid eating out as much as possible until your eating becomes a healthy habit. Until then once you enter a restaurant you surrender control over what is in your food and all bets are off!! Trust me I speak from experience, I might not be able to eat pasta but you give me potatoes and I will eat until I can't stand and I have to be rolled out of a restaurant. 

So here are some things that I learned so I could survive going out on the weekends. 

Don’t go Starving: If it can at all be avoided, do not go when you are famished. When you are supremely hungry, your stomach is growling and you feel like you are going to get sick, all bets are off and you are going to eat whatever the heck you want and have regret about it later. (I try to always have veggies I can snack on if thats the case. A handful of baby carrots should do the trick)

The Bread, Chips and Biscuits are NOT your friends: Before you eat, filling up on bread is not going to help. One breadstick at the Olive Garden is 140 calories and you never eat just one. Those biscuits at Red Lobster are 160 and tons of fat. Skip them and ask the waiter not to bring them or take them away.

Obey the DDP: Dip Don’t Pour. Take your fork and dip lightly dip it into the dressing, then your salad. You will get just enough flavor and will use less. Typically restaurants will give you a double serving of dressing. You don’t need it. Always, always ask to have dressing on the side. Never let them put it on for you. Balsamic vinegar and Lemon juice are other good options for dressings. 

Always ask the server: Don’t be afraid to ask how something is prepared (I have to do it all the time). If they tell you its tossed in oil and salted ask them to grill it and don’t put any salt on it. They will do it if they make their food fresh. If you see veggies on the menu, even if it says steamed ask if they are salted. Put all your sauces on the side. If they can’t do it, I highly suggest ordering something else.

Do your homework: Try to find out where you are going rather than select the restaurant on the fly. Go to the website and look at the nutritional information and pre- plan what you are going to eat. This way you will be prepared and won't be overwhelmed when you get there. 

Develop an "I don't have to eat it all!" Mindset: Make up your mind before you go that you don't have to get the most bang for your buck by cleaning your plate, you can always take it to go. Even if I am eating a healthy meal too much of a good thing can be bad too. KEEP YOUR GOAL IN MIND. 

Chew Chew Chew: The practice of chewing each mouthful a min of 25 times. It gives your body a chance to recognize when you are becoming full. (This is very hard to do when you are with kids, because you never know when they have had enough and you will have to leave your meal behind to take the kids out). Luckily there are to go boxes and goes right back to not eating it all :) 

Bring your own Dessert: If you can't resist the dessert menu then pack a few healthy cookies and pull them out while everyone else is eating their sugar loaded desserts and cake. I learned this from HAVING to generally bring my own desserts since I have food intolerances which is a bummer but a huge advantage when you're trying to stay healthy. 

Inspire by Example: One of the most difficult things to manage while following a healthy lifestyle is your social life. So surround yourself with family and friends that support what you are doing and are not sabotaging your efforts. When you're at dinner, lead the charge. To avoid being seduced by someone's never ending bowl of pasta Alfredo, be the first to order and make the healthy choice up front. Who knows you might inspire some friends to order healthy too !! 

Remember WHY you are doing this: You are going to be tested and tempted. It's not going to be easy. In fact, it can be downright tough. Keep your "why" in mind, I know you can do this !! The reward is so much more amazing than that breadstick.. just say NO. 

I know its not easy and it will take a lot of self control but I promise you that it will be WORTH it !!