Healthy food prepping tips from our friends at Cerner

 Healthy food prepping tips

Many people are intimidated by the thought of meal prepping and don’t even

know where to begin. The good news is it doesn’t have to be a complicated

process. You can do as much or as little in advance as you’d like. Keep in mind

that meal planning and meal prep tend to go hand-in-hand. In order to know

what needs to be prepped for the week ahead, you need to have at least a

rough outline of the meals you are planning to make. Here are some easy tips to

help you get started:

Start with what you have.

Take inventory of your kitchen. See what you already have in your fridge,

pantry, and freezer. You most likely have several items on hand that you could

incorporate into healthy meals for the week(s) ahead. You can plug in any

additional ingredients you might need on a grocery list once you have created

meal ideas with what you have.

Don’t delay your meal prep.

When you get home from the store, try to do some of the prep right away. You

might find it more realistic to prep parts of meals in advance rather than fully

cooking all your meals ahead for the week. In addition, food will be fresher and

taste better this way.

Prep pieces of meals on Sunday to prepare for the week.

Make a meal in the slow cooker on Sunday so you can have leftovers for the

next few days. While it’s cooking, prep for the rest of the week. Chop bell

peppers and onions for veggie flatbreads on Monday, and then repurpose

any leftover veggies in a Mexican dish or tacos on Tuesday. Chop a head of

cauliflower or broccoli into florets to roast on Wednesday with salmon and

whole grain pasta. Assemble and store a marinade for tofu and cauliflower rice

stir-fry on Thursday. You can also prep certain grains or proteins in advance,

such as quinoa, ground beef, or chicken breasts. These prepped foods can be

incorporated into various meals throughout the week.

Save your leftovers.

Made too much? Freeze it! Set yourself up for success by making extra and

freezing half to eat another busy week when you don’t have time to prepare

healthy meals. If you don’t already have some, stock up on containers for

storage in the fridge throughout the week, as well as freezer-safe containers.

What should my meals consist of?

You want to strive for healthy meals that provide a variety of nutrients and

keep yourself full and satisfied. Try to include protein, healthy fat, and fiber

with every meal. Aim to fill about 1/4 of your plate with protein and/or healthy

fat, 1/4 of your plate with carbohydrates (starchy veggies, whole grains, and/or

fruit), and about 1/2 of your plate with non-starchy vegetables.

When it comes to meal planning and/or prepping, it doesn’t have to be all or

nothing. Start small and work your way up. You can do as much or as little in

advance as you’d like. Once you form the habit, it gets easier to do it more

consistently. You can do it!

Source: Diabetes.org via
our friends at Cerner