Meal Prep for the “Disinterested Chef”

Eating HabitsMind-Body
Written By Laura Christoph

Meal prep can feel overwhelming!

By: Laura Christoph, PhD, NBC-HWC

Head Nourishment Coach, Three Point Balance

Building meals for the week doesn’t have to take up hours on the weekend or turning into a master planner for everything you eat!

Below, I have an example of a client who has some basic healthy meal prep habits (cooking steak and chicken in advance) and wants to shake up their routine and enhance their cooking skills. They have been eating refined pasta and white bread, using jars of sauce, and often ordering out when cooking feels like too much.


They want to develop a solid meal planning and prep routine over the next few months, and this feels daunting. So, we roll our sleeves up, take a look at point A (where we are now), point B (where we want to be), and start on our journey together.

When we build a meal prep routine, we start where the client is! 

First, we highlighted their strengths:

  • Already prepping proteins

  • Eating plenty of veggies

  • Eating a balanced plate of carbs, protein, vegetables and fats at each meal

  • Already has a few go to recipes: 

    • Tacos, fajitas and nachos

    • Meat, starch, veggie combo


Then, we addressed a couple of low hanging fruits:

  • Replace refined pasta with chickpea pasta

  • Replace bread and wraps with whole grain varieties

  • Mix up meals and leftovers to reduce boredom without adding too many new skills

  • Try adding a homemade sauce (1 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. everything seasoning and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce) to replace one jar of sauce

  • When craving pizza, try making it at home!


Lastly, we put the plan into action to try it out for a week!

Meal Prep:

  • Prep chicken breast (for 3 nights and 2 leftover meals)

  • Prep lean steak (for 2 nights and 2 leftover meals)

  • Wash and cut vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, green beans)

  • Other things to have on hand: corn tortillas, lettuce, tomato, onion, rice, pasta, jar of pesto, jar of stir fry sauce (or low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil and everything seasoning), pizza dough (frozen), pizza sauce, Banza pasta, cheese, avocado, Dave’s Killer bread/rolls for sandwiches, whole grain wraps

Here at Three Point Balance, we meet you where you are and travel together on the path to where you want to be!

How might you up-level your personal meal prep routine this week?

Check out how simple prep = a week of yum and wellness!

 

AUTHOR

Laura Christoph, PhD, NBC-HWC
Head Nourishment Coach, Co-Founder
Three Point Balance

 


Explore RELATED Articles

Featured
Fabulous Fats
Fabulous Fats

Crowd in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids into your diet for optimal health!

Read More →
Powerful Protein
Powerful Protein

Often, my first nutrition recommendation to clients is to focus on eating high quality protein at every meal and snack. This habit transforms eating behavior like no other!

Read More →
Controversial Carbohydrates
Controversial Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates get a bad rap. When we think of carbs, visions of added sugar filled doughnuts and refined white bread often come to mind. But all plant foods are chock full of nutrient dense carbohydrates that supply a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, minerals and hydration.

Read More →
Laura Christoph
Previous

Tired of Over-Thinking Food?
Next

The Power of Ritual