Why Meal Prepping Sets You Up for Health Success
The power in preparation.
When we are prepared for whatever obstacle we have coming our way, we automatically set ourselves up for success. This is a proven fact friends, so whether you are a “planner” or a last minute “free spirit,” when we are prepared in some way, we are more successful for the task ahead. So, let’s apply this same theory and set our mind, body, and budget up for HEALTH SUCCESS by meal prepping for the week ahead.
In this blog post, I am going to break down how I go about this preparation while incorporating the Liv Well Daily 5-THRIVE main food groups, the “healthy reach” aka grab and go, and simple yet clean recipes both you and your family will enjoy without breaking the bank or requiring all of your time and energy!
Let’s begin
Starting is always the hardest part. I want to encourage you to not overthink but simply start by picking two days out of the week to dedicate 1-2 hours of preparation. Personally, I choose Sunday and Wednesday. Why do I choose two instead of one? I don’t know about you, but I like variety and freshness. Whether it has been in my own personal wellness journey or with clients, I have found we are all more likely to eat the food we have prepared if it is not the same thing night after night but if it also tastes fresh.
What’s next
After we have picked our two days, think about the foods both you and your family want during the week while incorporating the Liv Well Daily 5-Thrive!
For example, before I make my list and head to the grocery store, I want to make sure I am setting myself up for health success by having a little bit of everything stocked and ready in my fridge. You want to think about the five different food groups and what you want to eat this week.
Liv Well Daily 5-Thrive Meal Prep Inspiration:
Complex Carbohydrate- quinoa for lunchtime salad bowls, rolled oats for over night oatmeal for breakfast, oven roasted rosemary sweet potato for dinner
Clean Protein- collagen, whey, pea or hemp powders for morning smoothies, hard boiled eggs for mid day snacking, grilled chicken for lunchtime salad bowls, oven roasted rosemary chicken thighs for dinner #1, and grilled salmon for dinner #2
Healthy Fat- raw nuts and seeds for snacking (I like almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds), nut butters for smoothies, overnight oats, or morning toast, avocados (I freeze half for smoothies, serve fresh on salad bowls, or whip up guac for snacking), grilled salmon, egg yolk from basted eggs
Dietary Fiber- chia seeds for morning smoothies and overnight oats, bell pepper sticks for mid day snacking, sautéed purple cabbage for salad bowls, black beans for salad bowls, oven roasted rosemary Brussel sprouts and broccoli for dinner
Vibrant Greens- spinach for morning smoothies (freeze when starting to “go-bad”), kale for warm salad bowls, arugula for dinner greens
The healthy reach
Okay, if you are a client of mine or have been following me for some time, you have heard me use this term. When we are hungry and running low on time, I want to equip you to have the right foods available for you and your reaching hand. So, I have come up with a term called the “healthy reach” where I have you ready to reach for this vs that!
The healthy reach is basically having whole nutrient dense foods ready for you while you are rushing out the door. Having this prepared, we decrease processed food intake and stay on track with our health and wellness goals.
For example:
Fresh berries rinsed and ready in the fridge
Raw nuts stocked in the cabinet
Liv Well Daily energy balls in the fridge
Bell pepper sticks with guac or hummus handy
Hard boiled eggs pealed and stocked
75% dark chocolate or pure cacao bar in the pantry
Let’s go shopping and start preparing
After you have thought about the 5-THRIVE and the healthy reach, make a list and head to the store. When you get home, go ahead and start preparing your food. Boiling your eggs, oven roasting a big sheet pan of veggies, rinsing berries (strawberries have them cut and prepared in the fridge), slicing colorful bell peppers into sticks, making a large batch of quinoa, prepping overnight oats, oven roasting the chicken thighs, and so on. If you are grilling salmon or oven roasting it, I would have it ready in the fridge, but wait to cook it until the actual day you plan to eat it. Fish doesn’t take long to prepare and tastes best when fresh from the oven or grill!
Having two dinner options gives you both variety and freshness without overwhelming you. When Wednesday comes around, you and your family can reevaluate and maybe prepare turkey burgers and white chicken chili, but you should already have everything else you need for morning and afternoon meals!
Recipes to try
I am sharing a few meals from my eBook 44 Recipes of Simple Healthy Meals to give you inspiration and creativity for your meal prepping journey!
Remember to make larger portions so you have leftovers to get creative with throughout your busy week! I hope this brings you clarity and enthusiasm to get cooking.
Until next time friends— xo!