Low Key Meal Prep
Megan Tantillo, RN
Meal prep sets you up for success. It takes time and effort, but it doesn’t have to take you all day.
To be honest, I’m not huge on meal prep. I don’t want to give up my entire Sunday or Monday prepping food and portioning out my meals. I’m not a fan of plastic containers and ultimately, I need more food freedom in my life.
Shopping the essentials and prepping a few things for the work week take the stress out of preparing healthy food and eating well.
A few ready items in the fridge like a big salad, a roasted chicken, and sprouted outs goes a long way during the week. Here are my top meal-prep tips to help maximize your time, get the biggest bang for your buck, and make meals during the week a non-issue.
Shop the list.
Make a plan, make a list. Plan 4 weeknight dinners leaving one flex day. Make a list of items you need and shop the list. Decrease food waste and “what’s for dinner” anxiety?
Grocery shop and prep on different days.
Trust me.
Always double your recipe.
Whether you are making a salad for lunch or a protein for dinner, make a double batch to have leftovers for lunch the next day.
Don’t overdo it. Prep a single protein, fat and carbohydrate.
For instance, roast a chicken, make a salad dressing, and roast a tray of sweet potatoes.
Shop organic for the dirty dozen.
Any food in “natures wrapper” (i.e. bananas, avocados) is OK to buy non-organic. Pesticides, herbicides, etc. are less likely to penetrate through the outer tough skin.
Purchase the essentials.
The Daily Detox Shake is a non-negotiable for me. It anchors my day with quality nutrition and is my fail-safe. Other grocery list staples include, the greens on sale (i.e. spring mix, arugula, baby kale, etc.), almond milk, peanut butter, chickpeas and 70% dark chocolate.
Buy clean snacks.
Stocking your pantry with nutritious snacks to serve as a bridge between your meals will keep you on track. My favorites: cashews and dark chocolate, an apple and almond butter or a DDS.
Make a big salad.
I like to make a big salad every few days to add a few handfuls to my meals. It is an easy way to add more vegetables to your plate without much work. Just keep the dressing on the side so your greens don’t get soggy.
Shop online.
You can often find deals online, especially for pantry items like nut butter, oatmeal, olive oil and canned goods.
Buy organic frozen fruits and vegetables.
This is my low-key best tip. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often cheaper and more nutritious especially organic. We always have frozen berries, spinach and broccoli in my house.
Megan Tantillo BSN, RN is the founder of Holistic Health Code, on a mission to provide accessible holistic care and education for all. Megan is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice with special interest in women’s health and Telehealth technologies.