Prep" Yourself for a Wealth of Health
Have you had days like this? You pick up your daughter from school and rush her to swim practice. Your spouse scurries home from work and scoops up your son for a soccer game. At 8:00 PM, you’re finally done with the day’s activities. You and your spouse are exhausted from the hustle and bustle and too tired to cook so you go to your kids’ favorite fast food restaurant for dinner.
Scenarios such as this are common, making it difficult to put a healthy meal on the table. One strategy that can help you serve more nutritious meals is preparing them in advance, a technique referred to as “meal prepping.” Meal prepping may encourage healthier eating if it prevents your family from resorting to fast food as a quick fix. It also may bring portion sizes closer to recommended amounts if you divide the food into appropriate serving sizes ahead of time, enabling you to be more successful in maintaining a healthy weight.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few “how-to” tips.
The 5 P’s of Meal Prepping:
1. Pinpoint some healthy recipes that look tasty to you. If you need help with your search, try my MBM Meal Manual (insert link here).
2. Plan your meals for the week before taking a trip to the store. Make your grocery list based on what you will need to make each item on your menu. Remember to stick to your list as closely as possible. When choosing fruits and vegetables for your meals, select those that are in season. This will help cut down on cost.
3. Prepare your meals in advance. Try designating one day each week to do this. Many people choose Sunday and turn “meal prep” into a family bonding activity. Including children in the preparation of healthy meals provides a great opportunity to teach them new cooking skills and the value of proper nutrition.
4. Portion your meals after preparing them. Divide them into appropriate serving sizes so they can be reheated easily and served when it’s time to eat. Not only does this help with getting meals on the table more quickly, it also helps to control portion sizes.
5. Perform frequent assessments of your intake. One way to do this is via the “Food Diary” feature on MyFitnessPal. This is a great tool for comparing your actual intake with recommended amounts for both calories and macronutrients. If you find that you’re not hitting your target numbers, try adjusting your meal plan the following week.
Following the 5 P’s of meal prepping might be just what you need to get into the habit of having nutritious meals ready even when you’re super busy. Not only does this technique have the potential to save you time and money, it also can promote family bonding and allow you to experience the power of prep!
