Meal prep can be an efficient way to save time while remaining nutritious.
Select several recipes that appeal to you and create a grocery list to gather the necessary ingredients. Next, decide how many portions will need to be prepared per recipe.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the cornerstone of daily health – it provides energy to start each day off right and improves mental performance, giving your brain what it needs for optimal performance.
Preparing a nutritious breakfast doesn’t need to take much time; in fact, Canada’s Food Guide suggests you aim for half your plate to consist of vegetables and fruits, one quarter protein and four quarters whole grains for optimal morning performance.
Preparing breakfast items like overnight oats, hard boiled eggs and yogurt parfaits in advance and eating them as quick and convenient meals will keep you on track while saving time in the morning! It will keep your schedule on track while saving valuable minutes in your day!
Lunch
Everyday millions of people pack lunches to save money, maintain nutrition and manage weight – yet often find meal prep to be difficult in our busy lifestyles.
No matter if you are a busy mom, office worker or student; finding healthy yet tasty meal prep ideas for workday can help ensure proper concentration and energy levels – leading to fatigue and lower performance levels.
1. Make your meals more exciting by varying texture, flavor and color of meals to avoid repetitive lunches that become boring and bland. Try adding crunchy foods such as nuts or sunflower seeds into soups, wraps and sandwiches to give the meal some variety.
2. Keep hot foods at an appropriate temperature to prevent bacteria growth that could lead to food poisoning, using insulated lunchboxes and bags as storage solutions for keeping foods at their ideal temperatures.
Keep cold foods at the proper temperatures when storing them for optimal consumption, to protect from bacteria growth. Since bacteria thrive between 40 degF and 140 degF, always store your cold foods in either your fridge or freezer until you are ready to consume them.
Dinner
Meal prep can be challenging when you are juggling multiple commitments; planning ahead, having a flexible meal plan and most importantly being organized are all crucial parts of successful meal prep.
Making meal prep simpler requires purchasing ingredients early and storing them appropriately in your cupboards and fridge, then having nutritious dinner recipes at your fingertips when necessary!
By having an abundance of essentials in both your pantry and fridge, you won’t find yourself stuck at a point where there’s nothing to eat! With access to nutritious dinners for yourself and family in mere moments!
When your week is filled with activities and social occasions, having a meal plan in place is vital to managing both time and costs effectively. A flexible meal plan will mean less last-minute frantic attempts at dinner prep as well as helping manage your food budget more easily.
Snacks
Snacks can be an essential component of a meal plan if you don’t have the time or energy to prepare a full meal. Eating frequent small snacks helps control blood sugar levels and weight management while banishing extreme hunger and keeping energy levels up throughout your day.
Nuts and seeds make an excellent snack option that will satisfy you quickly without leading to overeating. Plus, nuts and seeds contain protein which will keep you fuller for longer!
Apples and PB are an easy snack that’s quick and simple to prepare at home or on-the-go, just dunk an apple piece into unsweetened almond butter for 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons!
Roasted veggies provide an easy and nutritious snack idea for people on the move. Simply chop up your preferred vegetables, roast them for 20 minutes in an oven and store in a resealable container as a convenient and healthy option to take with you anywhere you go.
