Meal Prepping for Beginners

Poor diet choices are often a byproduct of poor planning. I'm speaking from experience! Not planning ahead with our meals and snacks leads to quick fixes which are processed foods and fast food. I think that one of the best things that can be done for healthier eating is meal prepping. Before you roll your eyes and label this as a #SocialMediaTrend, hear me out. Meal prepping takes little time overall, saves money, gives you more control over your meals, and is easy to do. For those that know me, I like to think of myself as an amateur chef of sorts.  I'm going to combine my cooking hobby with some organizations skills to walk you through how to meal prep.

Proteins

I start meal prep with considering which protein I want to eat for the week. Typically this is chicken or turkey but I have been known to smoke a pork shoulder or do a pot roast and use that for the week. The easiest thing to do is buy a package of chicken breasts. You can shred or dice chicken and it makes a great protein source. 

Other cuts of meat work well too. I often use a mix of chicken breast and thighs. Beef or pork roasts are usually inexpensive and easy to cook. Generally cuts of meat that have higher levels of connective tissue work best for low and slow cooking. These meats however tend to be higher in animal fats. Consuming animal fat isn't entirely bad, remember its all about balance. I wouldn't use a heavy and fat cut of meat every time but occasionally isn't the worst thing.

Protein can also be obtained through beans. Canned beans are a great and inexpensive alternative to meat and work well in a lot of dishes. Fresh beans are better but they do take more time to cook. 

Once you have a protein source, you need to figure out how to cook it. Crock pots or slow cookers work well especially for the low and slow cuts of meat. On the day you plan to meal prep, start your meat early in the crock pot and cook on the lowest setting all day. Once the meat is tender and falls apart easily it's ready to use. I add a lot of seasoning, which we will talk about later. Otherwise oven baked chick is wonderful. I season the chicken and cook in the oven at about 300 degree F for about 45 mins. I highly recommend a meat thermometer. For $15-$20 you can buy a decent thermometer that can be left in the meat while cooking and alert you to the proper temperature. This allows for perfectly cooked meat which tastes better.

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can also put the meat in an oven safe pot and set the temperature low and slow cook it that way. If all else fails, buy 2 rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. Take them home and break them down (chef talk for take all the meat off the bones) and use that as your protein source.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are NOT bad for you. They are the main energy source for our body. Yes, excess consumption of carbohydrates and overly processed carbohydrates are not great for you but again, moderation. One of the benefits of making your own food is getting to source your ingredients and use less processed carbohydrates. 

I typically use rice for my carbohydrate. We have a rice cooker which I use to make a bulk amount of rice to use in my meals. I have also used pastas, rice noodles, and potatoes. They are generally easy to cook and store well. If you don't have a rice maker, rice is very easy to cook on the stove or you can buy pre-cooked rice. Pastas are easy to make in bulk. Potatoes can be a little trickier but again not hard. Dice and roast potatoes or buy frozen pre-diced potatoes and cook them.

A word of advice when preparing carbohydrates, try to use the least processed carbohydrate possible. For example, brown rice will provide more fiber and nutrients compared to white rice. Potatoes that you cut and roast will be much better for you than potatoes that have been pre-cooked and frozen. Usually you trade convenience for health when it comes to food. 

Vegetables

The next step is to add vegetables. When shopping for meal prep groceries I raid the frozen food section for any and all vegetable combinations I can find. Frozen peas, carrots, broccoli, peppers, onions, green beans, etc. When meal prepping, this is a great way to add healthy vitamins to your meals. Vegetables generally freeze and reheat well.

Avoid frozen vegetables that have sauce or other seasonings added as these take away from the health advantages. If you are able  to, buy fresh vegetables to add to your meals. However, again you will trade convivence for health. Buying fresh vegetables will offer more nutrients but will require your to prep them.

Assembly

Once you have your protein, carbohydrate and vegetables finished, it's time to assemble your meals. Ideally your ingredients finish cooking around the same time. If not, store them in the refrigerator until ready. Once ready, lay out your meal prep containers for the week. I have a set of 6 containers. I then create an assembly line where I will put my carbohydrate in first, then vegetable, then protein. This is where you can start to be a little creative. I will usually vary the vegetables I use. I might put peppers and onions in 2 contains, broccoli in 2 containers, and green beans in two containers. This allows for a little variation and will pair with the flavors we add later. Once assembled, I add flavorings and toppings. I then will refrigerate some and freeze the rest to be reheated later in the week.

Flavors

This might be my favorite part! One complaint of meal prepping is that you eat the same thing every day. Flavoring changes that, if done right. One thing that my culinary pursuits has taught me is to season and flavor at every step of the process. When cooking the protein, I try to use staple flavors of any meal i.e. salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Generally every meal has salt, pepper, garlic and onion in it. Granulated garlic and onion are inexpensive and easy to store. I will coat the meat in these four prior to cooking for nearly any meal.

After I assemble the protein, carbohydrate, and vegetable, I add sauce, seasoning, and toppings to complete the meal. The flavors can come from a variety of sources and inspirations. I will usually pour salsa onto one meal and season with typical taco seasonings (cumin, oregano, chili powder). Typically I do this with rice, chicken, onions, and peppers. I might use soy sauce and sesame seeds on top of one meal with rice noodles, green beans and chicken.

Be careful when flavoring with sauces. They can add a lot of flavor and set a meal apart but they also can contain a lot of sugar, sodium, fats, and processed ingredients. Again, not always the worst thing. I would much rather use a little bit of a sauce that isn't the healthiest versus not meal prepping and hitting fast food for lunch. It's just something to be aware of. Herbs and seasonings can be a great way to add flavor without sacrificing health. Italian seasoning blends pack a lot of flavor, adding spice can take the dish from bland to great.

Inspiration

As you meal prep more, you'll get better at it. Pay attention to what you like to eat when you're not meal prepping and try to emulate that. A lot of my athletes eat at places like Chipotle. I this those types of places do a decent job of providing healthy options. If you dissect their typical order there, it's pretty easy to recreate. Rice, beans, chicken, salsa...all can be made at home and prepped ahead of time. If you like the meat and potatoes meals, consider trying to create that for your meal prep. Also, notice the same ingredients used in meals from different backgrounds. Chicken, rice, and vegetables can have an Asian, Mexican, or Italian taste to it if the right seasonings and flavors are added. Start with your basics (protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables) then get creative from there. Happy meal prepping. That's all for now...from the training room.