Disclaimer: this is not ‘meal prep’ and I will not be sharing snaps of my food lined up in rows of 7 rice meat and veg. I will not turn into an insta-foodie obsessive, but yes I will sometimes take pictures of food.
I’ve found that if you want to be successful with weight loss or being healthier in general then you need to be prepared. Ideally, if you can cook everything you eat from scratch, then you’re onto a winner there. You know exactly what is going into your food and it’s better that way. Extra calorie consumption a can come from sauces and higher cal seasonings that you may not be aware of and the list can go on and on. I always try and make every meal from scratch (unless I’m going out to eat) so here’s how I do it:
Planning your meals in advance can be cost effective, fun and easy when you’re in a rush or on the go. Here are my top tips for easy & healthy week day meal prep:
Prep early: I used to be one of those people who would leave lunch prep until the morning, but that was because used to take mainly salads to work. Now, I switch it up and take a different lunch every day if possible. It’s better thank sticking to the same boring food every day but now I make sure I’ve got it sorted the night before.
Stop overthinking: Some people say that they just don’t have the time, but if you want to dedicate yourself to eating healthy you’ll do it because you want to. Stick a chicken breast on a tray, add some peeled chopped potatoes and season both, cook for around 20 minutes, whack some veg on your plate and you’ve got chicken and chips for dinner. Done.
Google is your friend: I hear so many people say that they can’t cook but is the case really that you won’t cook? The internet is willing to bring you anything at your fingertips, so when you get a spare 5 minutes print out some recipes and save them for another day.
Left overs are a-okay: Everyone knows if there’s anything left of dinner, you can keep it for the next day. How easy is that? Very. So do it.
Freeeeeeeeze it: Most food can be frozen for a later date. Sometimes I like to make batches of bolognese, stews or soups and freeze it for whenever I fancy or don’t have time to actually or can’t be bothered to ‘meal prep’.
Microwave meals are not the devil: If you’re following a diet plan such as Slimming World or Weight Watchers then you will know that the companies produce freezer meals. They don’t end up being the most cost effective in the long run, but for a quick dinner option they’re a good choice, and usually packed with veg. Go and have a browse.
You really don’t need to share your prep on Insta, but sometimes you can? Taking pics or keeping a food diary will document your meals and can help you stay on track of your diet by letting others see it.
Sometimes Quick meal ideas are necessary yes, but that doesn’t mean they need to be boring or unhealthy ‘convenience food’. Lately my favourite convenience food is a breakfast egg muffin. I have to credit the recipe to the Slimming World website but it’s one I’ve adapted adding tomatoes and mushrooms. I tried the recipe once with cheese and no tomatoes, but I didn’t like them!
Here are some quick meal ideas:
Breakfast:
Cereal – easy, lazy, yummm
Fruit – healthy
Yogurt & fruit – easy & healthy
Overnight oats soaked in yogurt with fruit – grab a pot of yogurt, add some oats, add some fruit of your choice, leave over night = done
Egg breakfast muffins – whisk 2 eggs, add 25mls of milk, add lots of ham, tomatoes and mushrooms – pout into silicone cup cake molds and cook in the oven for around 15 minutes
Fried egg on toast, do i really need to explain this one ?
Lunch:
Salads – easy, healthy, boring, but nice
Beans on toast – Not that unhealthy, plus it will take you 5 minutes to prepare
Frozen jacket potato (cooked in the microwave) and cottage cheese with salad – yum
soup – stick in in the microwave – bosh, done.
Dinner/Tea:
Chicken and home made chips – filling and easy to make
Stir fry – super quick and definitely healthy
something with pasta – easy peasy
leftovers – very easy peasy
Omelette – a 2 minute meal
Curry , use chopped tomatoes, onions and spices as a base
A blog by Amy 