Kati Cardenalli here and today I want to talk about something that is crucial in my life, and that is meal prep. How many of us can admit that if we did not have prepped meals in our refrigerator ready to go that it is very tempting to eat something awful and make unhealthy food decisions? I know that I can fall victim to eating unhealthy if I do not prep my meals. Therefore, I want to share with you this video which will show you that prepping your foods is one of the most important things you can do to stay in shape and keep the body that you want and stay on track.
Meal prep has saved my life so many times when I am super hungry or if I need to eat right away. If I did not have that prepped meal in my frig or packed for the day, I would have easily gone to a drive-through and ate something unhealthy. I highly recommend meal prep and foods that you can put in meal prep containers. You want to pack your meals and pre-cook them to ensure that you do not eat unhealthy. Here are some tips and tricks on meal preparation, meal prep recipes, and meal prep containers.
Going To The Grocery Store
Before my trip to grocery store, I typically make a list of everything that I am going to need. Most of the time when I am eating intuitively, my list contains all the healthy foods I love and know that I can incorporate into the meals I enjoy. Sometimes when I am in competition prep (sometimes I do bikini and figure competitions), my meals are going to be very precise, or I count carbs for whatever reason it may be, my list is going to be very specific. Keep in mind I don’t eat meat or dairy.
I love granola, and I love to buy it in bulk. Whole foods has the nutrition facts for the granola, so that makes it easy to see the calories and macros that you are getting.
Saves Money And Time
So not only does meal prep help you stay more consistent with healthy eating but over time it saves money. If you add up all your receipts from eating out and all of the receipts from your grocery store I can bet you that your grocery bill will be lower than your eating out bill.
One note…before you start prepping your meals, try to get a scale like this one.
Meal Prep Containers
If you do not have Tupperware, you have to get some. It is a must for meal prep. I currently use Glad brand. I get mine from Amazon and here are some that I use.
I like them because they come in all different shapes and size. I like the colors, and they are super cute. I would get different sizes of Zip lock bags as well.
I like to meal prep twice a week, so my food is fresh and looks good. It saves time and is super helpful.
Another things I love is scale. Scales will help you portion out your meals.
Breakfast
Let’s start with breakfast. Breakfast is the meal I prep for the least, but let me show you some tips and trick for breakfast.
Oatmeal.
I like to measure out my Oatmeal and put it in a zip lock bag. Set it aside so that you know how many calories you are consuming. You can also have your fruit cut up in another bag so you can add it to you Oatmeal. So when you oatmeal comes out of the microwave, you can add your fruit. Sometimes I like to do the powdered peanut butter.
One of my favorites powdered peanut butter is PB2
I also like to add protein powder as well.
Granola is another food I love for breakfast. I usually have granola and milk. 1 cup of granola and add in a little bit of coconut milk.
Snacks
Snacks are huge. I like to use very small bags. I love almonds, trail mixes, cut up fruits., and hummus. I use celery and powdered peanut butter as well. Remember I don’t eat meat or dairy.
I like to put my snacks in these little plastic bags.
Once a day I have a protein smoothie. I put in in my shaker cup and take it with me. I have it when I need something sweet, or I just finished a workout.
Lunch.
Salad is a very good option. You can put all of your greens in one Tupperware and all of your toppings in another. Put the dressing in another container as well. Avocado Toast is delicious. Again I would meal prep these and put them in containers and take it on the go.
Dinner
I love a super tasting dinner. It is important to me to have a great tasting dinner because it gives me something to look forward to during the day. This way I also do not cheat during the middle of the day. My all time favorite dinner is chili without meat. I will mix tons of different beans. Here is one of my favorites.
Chili Recipe
One cup of quinoa
Two cans of low sodium black beans
Two cups of garbanzo beans
Two cups of corn
One jalapeño (I like mine really spicy)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
One onion
Two cans of stewed tomatoes
About 5 brussel sprouts
About 2 small crowns of broccoli
Added to one can of tomato paste,
one cup of salsa and water.
I like veggie soups and spaghetti squash. I will make a video on that later.
I make a huge portion of it in this container; then I portion them out in my meal prep containers.
Sometimes I like to do crock pot meals. I like to add everything I want into the crock pot and then you can let it cook over night. You then portion it out in your meal prep containers.
You can also make it easier by buying those freezer bags.
In conclusion, preparing your meals for the week is one of the best ways to control your weight and build lean muscle. Essentially you are controlling what you eat instead of being forced to eat foods that will negatively affect your diet. If you take the time to prepare your meals, putting food in meal prep containers, and making snacks, you’ll find that meal prep is one of the best things you can do.
Here is my typical grocery list.
