I’ve been pretty consistent about doing weekly food prep. But, let me tell you – I HATE IT. Really.
But, I still do it.
Some weeks, I’m pretty motivated and I make a lot of food.
Most weeks, I’m not.
As I shared in this post – – I usually don’t do anything fancy. And as time goes by, I’m getting less and less and less fancy.
Each of the last few weeks, I’ve been rather dreading the whole preparation process. I’m trying to simplify things and I feel like I’ve got it down to more of a routine.
Here are 5 time saving tips:
– Start small: as with anything for a healthy lifestyle – this is the best advice. I have a little more flexibility in my work setting now to leave things in my desk as far as snacks go – so I make sure that I have a stash of Kind bars or granola for an afternoon snack. The sweet/crunchy combo of the Kind bars is a perfect afternoon snack for me. Then, I plan one fresh veggie item for the week and prep 5 servings of it on the weekend. That’s really it – plan one fresh fruit/veggie snack each for each day.
– Bulk shop: Costco is key. They have huge quantities of produce at reasonable prices. I’m not picky, so I’m happy to have the same snack for the week. And, I buy 2 weeks of snacks when I shop, so I’m only going to Costco every other weekend. Luckily, Costco is a mile from my house
– Hardboiled eggs: I used to have a fresh fruit or veggie snack mid morning, but found that I was still hungry. Now I pack a hardboiled egg and have that instead. One less veggie to cut up and it’s a protein filled snack instead. Yummy, easy, portable and easy to plan ahead. I just boil up a batch with my food prep and grab one each morning.
– Lunch is often leftovers or a sandwich. I like to make chicken salad – a can of chicken, a glob of greek yogurt, chopped green apple and some celery salt. One big can of chicken makes 4 sandwiches.
– Prep for your kids too: I prep lunches for my kids more now than I used to. My daughter has pasta for lunch every day, so I cook up a big amount and portion it out in 5 tupperware containers and it’s all ready to go. She does say she gets bored with her lunches, but it works for now.
Since I’ve cut back a little on food prep, it’s feeling less overwhelming. But, I still hate it. Each Sunday when I start getting the week together, I swear it was just Sunday. Where does the time go?
However, I also hate the alternative of scrounging for something or hitting up an expensive lunch place every day. That thought runs through my head while I do all the prep – – “this is better than the alternative”
What are your best food prep tips to make it feel less overwhelming?
(btw – I did write this post on my tablet with my new little snazzy keyboard – YAY!!!)
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