Category: Meal Plan Tips

For those with busy weekday schedules, a meal plan or a healthy meal prep is a great idea. That is because that way they will stay on a healthy eating track. When we have our meal ready or planned we will less likely to go for some unhealthy fast food choices.

The `correct` method of meal prepping is the one that works for you. Think about your preferences, schedule, cooking ability, or personal goals. All of that can help you figure out if a healthy meal prep is a good option for you and what method should you choose.

Let`s see why meal prep is a good idea, why we think that it is a healthy choice, and what healthy ideas you can use.

How can you benefit from meal prep?

A healthy meal prep can help you in many ways, but here are some benefits that we can`t forget to mention:

• Meal prep saves you time because you cook all the meals at once
• You can save money by buying in bulk and not eating out
• Meals are portioned so which can help you with weight control
• This way you will have a nutritionally balanced diet
• Less stress about last-minute decisions about what to eat and prepare

How to easily start meal prep

When you have a busy schedule and you leave your work late, the last thing you want to do is cook. Maybe you want that, but usually, you have little energy to shop and cook. Therefore we usually go for quick takeout meals that are full of calories and usually very unhealthy.

However, it can be much better with meal prep. It is much more convenient not to mention healthier, to have a homemade dinner a few moments after you walk through the door. If you have lunch ready for the next day – even better.

Firstly, if you are ordering takeout, or eating fast food a few nights a week, in the beginning, try to choose a day of the week when you can create a food shopping list and go to the grocery store so you can buy your groceries for meal prep. Try to, at least slowly, replace ordering with meal prep.

Secondly, if you are someone who shops for food at least once a week and you have some basic cooking skills, you can try starting meal prep by choosing one day a week to do most of the cooking. Try to make meals for two or three days for starters.

Lastly, if you are already cooking some weekday meals for yourself or your family, you can take it to the next level by making a schedule. That way you will not have to decide last minute what to cook and you will have ingredients on hand all the time.

Prepare yourself for meal prepping

When you plan your meals ahead of the trip to the store you will eat well on a budget. You will waste less food and you will buy exactly what you need for your meals.

Before a trip to the grocery store, talk to your family about what kinds of dishes and favorite meals they like to eat. That way when you meal preps you don`t have to worry if everyone will be happy with the choice of food.

Further, do a little research on healthy recipes on the internet, in newspapers, and in magazines and save them in a binder, or copy the links of recipes so you can easily access them. You can also have a monthly calendar or spreadsheet with meal ideas, favorite recipe sites, or shopping lists.

Moreover, think about specific meals or foods for different days during the week. You can even make a tradition of some delicious food. For instance Wednesday chili, meatless Friday, and so on. Anything that can make your meal planning easy and interesting.

You can choose some time in one day to plan a menu, and grocery list, another day for shopping, next day for cooking, so your meal prep can be manageable and you will not have to stress and do everything at the same time.

At first, try to start small and create dinners for two or three days a week. As you get familiar with the process, go bigger and plan and prep more.

Additional shopping and cooking tips

When you find your favorite prep meals or menus that you want to cook. Watch out for sales coupons so you can stock up on ingredients that you frequently use. Things like pasta, rice, lentils, whole grains, sauces in jars, beans, healthy oils, spices, and similar things.

On the day that you do your meal prep, first, focus on the foods that take the longest to cook. That is food like dried beans and legumes, whole grains like quinoa, farro, brown rice, roasted vegetables, and others. During their cooking, you can chop and prep something else and save time. Multi-tasking during meal prep will save you a lot of time.

In addition, you can try to prepare staple foods that everyone in the family likes and which you can easily add to any weekday meal or get for a snack. Consider something like hardboiled eggs, a bowl of chopped fruit, cooked beans, or washed greens for a salad.

When you cook something, you can make extra portions and put them in the freezer for a different week. Label and date your containers so you always know what you have. That said, prepare enough glass or plastic containers, you will need a lot of them.

Ideas for healthy meal prep

Here are some ideas for healthy meal prep for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but of course, feel free to mix and switch them as you prefer.

Breakfast

• Homemade granola
• Overnight oats
• Baked egg cups
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Breakfast casserole
• Spinach frittata
• Almont flour scones
• Smoothies
• Banana bread
• Peanut butter sandwich and baby carrots
• Chocolate avocado mousse
• Peanut butter oats

Lunch

• Vegetable soups
• Green vegetable salads
• Quinoa curry salad
• Black bean salad
• Roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, and cauliflower
• Pasta
• Mediterranean salad
• Quinoa soup
• Lentil soup
• Veggie hummus wraps
• Lettuce tortilla with tuna salad

Dinner

• Slow cooker chicken tacos
• Vegetarian chili
• Burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes
• Instant pot shredded chicken
• Peanut noodles
• Chicken chili soup
• Chicken vegetable stir fry with brown rice
• Fajita bowls
• And anything from the lunch category can work for dinner, too

Make sure any dishes you pick are well-rounded and include lean protein, whole grains, and vegetables. Choose colorful ingredients with different textures. That way you will get a variety of nutrients. Also, consider meals where you can reuse ingredients, so your meals can be creative.

Conclusion

Meal prepping will improve your diet quality and it is a healthy, time and money-saving choice. It is definitely healthier than take out and it leads to a higher-quality diet. Therefore it gives you the necessary nutrients and less stress about meals.

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As previously mentioned it saves you money and time and you will only spend a few hours during the week making the meals that you can enjoy during all other days. Having the plan will help you get only the ingredients that you need so you will save money on groceries.

In conclusion, when you meal prep, you will make healthy, not impulsive food choices. Choosing meal planning and prepping will do great things for your fitness and health and you will achieve your goals.

What is the best meal choice for you? Some people have a weekend routine of meal planning and meal prepping. These things make weeknight dinners faster and easier, and they help them spend less time in a grocery store. However, they do go together, but there are some differences between them.

Meal planning and meal prepping work together and they serve the same purpose. In other words, they are making weeknight dinners a little easier. When you plan your meals, you are using the process of asking and answering the question `What is for dinner?` by finding the recipes and dishes that go well with your schedule and needs.

Meal prepping is something that comes after meal planning. Also, we can say that it is just another step or meal planning. It is the final step that puts your plan into action. You will prepare ingredients and meals for the upcoming week.

However, if you don`t have time for any of these, the right meal choice is meal delivery services. We will talk a little bit more about meal planning, meal prepping, and meal delivery. There are benefits for all of them, and many people are using them, depending on their goals and needs.

What is there to know about meal planning

Meal planning is when we decide what we are going to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or all three) for the whole week instead of every day. After that comes shopping and prepping the ingredients before cooking. There are three steps to help you to approach meal planning:

• Select your meals and recipes
• Go shopping for ingredients
• Make those ingredients

These steps should work because they break down the process into three steps so they feel manageable. It might look overwhelming if you look at everything from the endpoint which are prepared meals.

Meal planning means that you are spending at least a few minutes of your week and you are thinking about the dishes you will make or eat during the next week.

Benefits of making a meal plan

1. Meal planning reduces food waste. When you have a plan for the week before going to the store, you know exactly what you need to buy for that week. Also, you know what you don`t need, so the amount of food that you are throwing away will be reduced.

• You have a plan when you are too busy. Coming home after a long day and just wanting to rest can be interrupted by thinking about and deciding what to eat. When you already have your plan, you can relax and rest.

• We are getting freedom and flexibility. This is the biggest difference between meal planning and meal prepping. Meal planning will give us the freedom that meal prep does not allow. When your plans during the week change(and we all know that happens) you can change your meal plan, too. Prepared meals might go to waste in this case.

If you are thinking of becoming a meal planner, here are some tips to help you succeed.

Three things that can help you plan your meals effectively:

1. Take time, don’t rush it.

Choose some time each week for thinking about your meals for the upcoming week. Therefore, if planning far ahead seems difficult, write down your menu for the week. Use paper, notes on your phone, spreadsheet, or even special meal-planing notepads.

If you are going to a restaurant, check the menu before and choose what should you eat. Therefore, when you get there you already know what to order and you will not make unhealthy choices that we make when we are in a rush or hungry.

An electronic calendar can be a good thing and it will help you remember social obligations, which revolve around food usually. Maybe you will catch up with your  friend or there is an office happy hour. Think about these events and how they can change your normal routine and diet.

• Be honest with yourself.

Try to stick with your plan as much as you can, but do not set very high goals. We create habits around the activities that we do, even if they don`t go well with our diet plan. For instance, if you always eat popcorn when you watch a movie, try to get a small bag at least. Also, if you have a day a week that you meet your friends for drinks, try to have one cocktail instead of more.

• Find a balance.

Think about the events that you can`t avoid and see how you can plan a healthy day around them. If you are eating a cake for a coworker`s birthday, try to plan a low-sugar and low-carb lunch, so you can have a balance. For example, if you are celebrating an anniversary at the steak house, eat a lighter lunch with fiber-rich, healthy carb sources.

Find a balance between your meals and exercise. Try to not eat very large meals or to over-exercise. Everything should be balanced and that is the key to a healthy life.

Meal prepping is the next step after meal planning

Meal prepping is the final step in meal planning. However, you can plan your meals without prepping them, but you can`t prep your meals without planning. After you select your meals for the upcoming week and shop for ingredients, meal prep is the next thing you need to do.

Set aside an hour or less to begin prepping the meals. Meal prep means different things for some people. For example, you can cook whole meals or just prep some ingredients that you can assemble later. Depending on your needs, you decide what approach you want to choose.

If you have a busy schedule, prepping your lunch at least will be a great time-saver. You will always have your grab-and-go food container in the morning.

The pros of meal prep

There are a few reasons why meal prep is such a popular meal choice. You prepare your meals for a few hours, pick recipes, prep your ingredients, and everything is ready for your busy week. Here are some benefits:

1. They do not cost a lot

It is the least expensive way to cook for one person or a family. Also, when you buy in bulk, you save even more. You can organize the ingredients of your meals around seasonal products or food items on sale.

• You will eat healthier

Meal prepping will help you follow a specific diet, or it will make sure that you are eating enough fruits, vegetables, protein, or whole grains. Additionally, when you divide your meals for each day, you have control of the portion size and make sure that you are not overeating. You will eat fewer unhealthy snacks or at least be less likely to do so.

• There is less packaging

Because you are batch cooking and buying in bulk, you are buying groceries and ingredients with less packaging. In other words, meal prep allows you to buy in bulk from wholesale suppliers or warehouse stores and avoid excess packaging in your ingredients.

Meal delivery is a plus option

For those who do not have time for planning or cooking, delivery might be the best meal choice. If you do not find yourself in the first two, or if they do not work with your needs, goals, or schedule, try a meal delivery service. It might work for you better.

Delivery services have ready, freshly made meals delivered to your door. The only thing you need to do is heat your meal and enjoy it. Nutrition, quality of ingredients, and sustainability might vary from service to service, so try to find the company that has your food preferences and goes well with your lifestyle and goals.

Good sides of meal delivery services

Companies that do meal delivery might vary, but here are some general good sides of this service:

1. There is a focus on nutrition

A meal delivery service is more focused on making nutritionally balanced dishes because the idea is to replace traditional meal prep. Companies that worry about quality will make balanced meals with enough fats, carbohydrates, and protein. This will improve your diet and fitness goals.

• Meal delivery saves the most time

This meal choice is good for people who are extremely busy and don’t want to or they can`t spend time cooking. Meal delivery will save you the most time. There is no grocery shopping, no need to prep or clean any dishes aside from utensils.

• A lot of different choices

Variety is something that is a benefit here. You can find options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there is usually a rotating menu to keep things interesting. You will get all the important nutrients and avoid repetition with meal prep.

• There are different diet options

A variety of diet plans is something that meal delivery usually offers. It can be very helpful if you have dietary preferences or needs. Additionally, if you just want to eat dairy-free, clean, gluten-free, Keto, Paleo, plant-based, and the list goes on, you can get that with a meal delivery service.

The final word

We mentioned some advantages of meal planning, meal prepping, and meal delivery. But everyone has to decide which meal choice is best. Look at the responsibilities, options, goals, and wallet, and make the choice.

The common thing for all three is that you are making a good choice for your health. Additionally, you will also save time on grocery shopping, cooking, and prepping if you organize well.

The good news is that there are different options to choose from. Find the right combination of cost-effective, healthy options and convenience. We can help you, too, if you need our help or have any questions. Whatever option you choose – enjoy your meals!

Meal prepping is a great thing. Ether you are trying to work through a busy schedule, you want to follow a special diet, or you just want to make your meal time and cooking easier. That might seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn`t have to take a lot of time and not everything has to be perfectly prepared. It will get better and easier every week as soon as you pinpoint where to start meal prepping.

When we are not prepared, it can be easy to lose sight of our health and fitness goals. Meal planning and prepping is an excellent way to keep your nutrition goals in the right place. Learning more about meal prepping will help you make delicious meals for the whole week in an easy way.

The hottest food trend lately is meal prepping. It is a great way to save money, and time and reduces waste in the kitchen to a minimum. If you are someone who wants to start meal prepping, we have some information for you. We will help you figure out how and where to start and help you decide when to prepare all your favorite food.

When should you meal prep?

It is always best to start prepping early in the week, but that is not something that works for everyone. The best thing would be to just make sure that you don`t overwork yourself by trying to cook all meals at once. Meal prepping should never be something that will make you feel overwhelmed or tired. This might lead to not wanting to meal prep anymore.

For this to work, you need to find a time that is best for you to cook. For most people, Sundays work best because they are the closest to Mondays and your food will be fresh throughout the week. Additionally, it is the weekend so you have time off.

Even if you don`t have a lot of time on Sunday, you will only need somewhere around two or three hours. Also, try to get the shopping out of the way or prep out a part of meals which is a great solution on where to start meal prepping. That will still save you time during the week. If this is something that still won`t work, you can make your Monday night shopping and prep night.

If it is easier, you can slip up meal prep into Sunday and Wednesday night cooking fest.

Think about your schedule, things that you do the whole week, when can you eat your healthy meals, and meals that you might have somewhere else. For instance, you might need only breakfast and dinner if there is an office meeting with a team lunch. Maybe you are going on a business trip. In that case, you can think about meal prep when traveling or you can decide to prepare less for that week. Make sure to think about exactly how many days and meals during those days you need to prep in advance.

The right answer is to find days or days when meal prepping will be a fun activity for you, not a difficult responsibility. Just figure out your schedule, when you have time for shopping and cooking and it will be a success for sure.

Who should meal prep

Meal prep is not for everyone, but is good for people who like efficiency and convenience over variety. When you meal prep, you generally eat the same things for a few days, so If you don`t like leftovers, or you easily get bored with food, then meal prepping is not for you.

If you like having control over what you eat or you want to maximize your budget or time. Additionally, it is not important to eat differently every single day, then meal prepping is your ticket.

People usually meal prep for themselves or one more person. It is not impossible to meal prep for the whole family, but if there are picky eaters, it can be challenging. This is because it is easier to please one person than a few more and it would require a lot of containers.

Where to start

Firstly, we need to say that meal prep is the right choice for you if you want to stress less about mealtime, save time in the kitchen, or make healthy food choices. You should try it. However, this can go from preparing freezer smoothies for breakfast to cooking complete meals for the upcoming week. 

Secondly, there is no right method to do meal prep. You need to choose the way that is best for you. In another word,  find what works best for you. You don`t have to spend the whole day cooking. Half an hour of planning and a few hours of cooking are just enough. This will make your life easier and you will eat well during the whole week.

Further, you need to know that meal prepping is, simply said, the act of preparing meals or recipes and then portioning them to create grab-and-go meals for later. You already know how to do it if you ever tried packing leftovers and taking them for the lunch next day.

Simple steps to help you start

1.     Find the method that works for you

Based on your schedule, meals that you want to prep ahead, and your cooking style, you might choose some of these meal-prep methods:

• Bach cooking or freezing – preparing multiple batches of a recipe. Make portions and freeze them for meals in the weeks to come. For instance, double the chili recipe or steam more rice to freeze and then use later(next three months)
• Make meals ahead – if you don`t have enough time to prepare meals during the week, cook complete meals in advance and reheat them at mealtimes.
• Portion meals individually – when you have specific health goals or you need grab-and-go meals you can prepare food and make portions into separate servings.
• Ingredients that are ready for cooking – for those who like to cook meals right before eating. Prep and chop everything you need. That way you will cut down on kitchen time.

2.     Make your plan

When you know what type, or types of meal prep you want to use, spend some time creating a plan to help you organize. Write a menu and prep plan and consider:

• Choose recipes and meals you want to prep – prep smoothie packs to reduce the time you spend on making breakfast. Also, make dinners that you can reheat ahead if you have busy evenings.
• Make your menu – rely on some recipes that you cooked before. Keep things simple so you don`t overwhelm yourself. Choose your meals according to seasonal produce to get the best flavors.
• Schedule time for your prepping – setting time is important. If you can, choose the same day you go shopping so your groceries can be fresh. It might not be possible to cook many meals simultaneously, so you can set the time for preparing some ingredients and that time for making the recipes.

3.     Stock up and go shopping

Wondering where to start meal prepping? When you finish menu planning, make a shopping list. However, before you go shopping, check the inventory of your pantry and fridge. Buy enough spices, whole grains that you can keep longer, quinoa, beans,  and similar things. Eggs can stay in the fridge for some time. Freezer-friendly food is also something that you can easily transform into a meal.

Making a shopping list is essential because you will go through the grocery store quickly and be organized. Make sure that you have all the ingredients that you use weekly. For example, onions, brown rice, and olive oil, and add them when it is necessary.

Stock up on food containers. Depending on which type of prepping you choose, make sure that you have all storage containers that you will use. Glass or plastic containers with lids, mason jars, freezer, or zip-lock bags. The best ones might be plastic because they are lightweight and easier to take with you.

4.     Prep your meals and store them afterward

Before you start chopping, make the most of your time by beginning with food that requires the longest time to make. Prepare ingredients that will be cooked first and preheat the oven. Boil water for food that needs longer cooking. If you have two recipes with the same ingredients, chop, and prep those things for both.

When using a cutting board, cut the produce that you will eat raw first. Then, cut the product that you need to cook. Always use clean cutting boards and utensils after preparing poultry or meat.

Think about the time that food can stay in the refrigerator. Cut vegetables can stay for 2 to 3 days. Vegetables that you wash, dry and keep in the refrigerator can stay fresh for up to 4 days. Also, freeze properly so you can keep the food quality. First, make sure that you cool the meals before freezing them. Wrap, close, and store carefully in the freezer. Put a label with the name and date as a reminder.

5.     Enjoy your meals

When you get a hang of it, you will soon experience all the benefits of meal prepping. Whether you prep ingredients for one meal or work lunches for half or a whole week, make double batches to freeze, you will see that any amount of time you spend doing so, will come back to you as a reward.

You will need time to decide what is the best kind of meal prep for you. But, keep in mind, have patience in the beginning and you will soon become a pro meal prepper.

What food can we meal prep?

This is something that might be different from person to person. But here are some ideas of food that works well for meal prepping:

• Cooked meat
• Seeds and nuts
• Roasted veggies
• Fresh veggies like carrots, peas, celery, peppers, cabbage, kale, radishes, etc.
• Cooked grains and pasta
• Cheese
• Whole fruit like oranges, apples, berries, etc.
• Dips and sauces like hummus, salad dressings, sour cream, salsa, etc.
• Cooked beans

Food that you should try to avoid because they usually do not go well with meal prep:

• Crunchy food like crackers, chips, fried food, etc.
• Softer veggies and fruits
• Food that does not reheat well

But, if you want to try to use these foods, just pack them individually and they should stay fresh longer and will not change the other ingredients. When you store the food properly there would be no problems.

The bottom line

So, thet’s where to start meal prepping. Making your meals ahead is a convenient way to help you meet your health goals. Also, it will encourage better eating habits and make your life easier. If you are following a special diet, or you just want to eat healthily, meal prep is the way to do so.

As long as you have a little patience, the right ingredients, and enough food containers, you don`t have to worry. These are all things that will help you make nutritious and tasty dishes. That way, you can do other things throughout the week during the extra time you will get. Even if it can sound confusing at the beginning, be persistent, keep planning and you will be a meal prep expert in no time. Let us know if there is something about this topic, or diet in general, that we can help you with. Enjoy your meals!

When we want to prepare our own meals we need to decide what food can last longest, and what meals are best for meal prep. Depending on what you like to eat and what you know and want to make, you can choose the food that is appropriate for you.

The most common problem is that we are sometimes unsure about how long meals can last in the fridge. We don`t want them to go bad, and we need to know when is certain food going bad. But, it happens that is safe to eat but not very tasty, and the worst part is when you need to throw the food away.

These are all valid concerns about meal prepping. In this text, we will mention what meals are best for meal prep and how long different types of meals can stay in the fridge or freezer.

How to start and how many meals a day should you prep

If you are new to meal prepping, you might find it confusing at the beginning. But, don`t worry, once you get a hold of it, you will see that it will save you a lot of time, and money and that is healthy.

First, when you decide to start, make sure that you have enough food containers. You can use reusable plastic or glass containers. The best kind is inexpensive, lightweight, and can hold plenty of food. You may find them online or in grocery stores.

Secondly, you don`t need to cook meals for the whole week. Start small, and make meals for 2 or 3 days at first. That way you will cook only a few times a week, instead of every day.  The main focus should be on creating fun, delicious, nutritious and balanced meals.

After a while, figure out your meal prep schedule. If you have time or want diversity, cook 2 or 3 times a week and prepare 3, or 4 different meals. If you want to save time, and you don`t mind eating similar meals throught the week, you can cook once or twice a week, and prepare as many meals as you wish.

Further, you can make meals for three to four days. For example, if you are using seafood make meals for 3 days, if you are using beef or chicken, 4 days or even more. Food doesn`t get soggy if you keep sauces on the side and add them before you eat.

Lastly, there is no right amount of meals that you should make a day or week. Find the right schedule and number of meals for you and your own needs. You will have a well-rounded, healthy diet that has all the important nutrients. Your body will thank you.

What meals are good for meal prepping

Starting meal prepping includes making meal plans first. You need to decide what food you like to eat and what to make. Additionally, you need to choose food that can stay some time in the fridge, or food that you can freeze.

Prepared meals can stay in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you are not sure that you can eat your meals within four days, you should freeze them. When they are frozen they are safer for a longer time.

As long as you cook your meals properly they will be safe to eat even within seven days. However, after the fifth day, they might not be as tasty.

Meals that include chicken are great for meal prep because they last up to four to five days in the fridge after you have cooked them.

Bach cooking is a good idea, too. Prepare your ingredients, measure and chop them and your cooking will be easy. You can do that for overnight oats, pasta dishes, green salads, sheet pan meals, soup, chili, stew, rice and grain bowls, and as previously mentioned meals with chicken.

Here are some ideas for meals that you can prep and safely store in the fridge:

Pasta dishes

They last up to four days in the fridge but, you can usually eat them for five days. You will find them delicious after that time, too. These dishes can get a little dry because the pasta will soak up extra sauce overnight. But, don`t worry, just add more sauce before you reheat it, a few drops of water, or put more sauce than you would normally do when you cook it.

Overnight oats

This is one of the best meal prep breakfasts. There are many ways to prep and store them. Add some fruit and you can store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can even stretch them to five days or eat them within two. It is up to you to decide. Leave the fruit on the side until you decide to eat them, then, mix them together.

Grain and rice bowls

These make great meal preps. You can leave them in your fridge for up to four days and they are usually freezer-friendly. The great thing about meal-prepping rice is that if there were any issues with cooking it, you can microwave it and fix them. For example, if rice is mushy microwaving will be a great solution to that.

Green salads

Those are salads that have a base of kale, spinach, lettuce, or green leafy vegetables of any kind. They can be tricky to prep because there is a risk of getting soggy if you don`t prep them properly. The trick you can use is to keep the dressing, cucumbers, and tomatoes (because they are watery) on the side until you eat the meal. Most salads are good within 4 days.

Stews, soups, and chili

These are amazing meal prep because they last longer than most meals. They can last up to five or six days. Additionally, they are very freezer-friendly. If you are a beginner to meal prepping and not sure how food will taste after a few days, you should start with stew, soup, or chili.

Sheet pan meals

These meals are easy to prep. But, the tricky part can be keeping the texture of what you cook. You should not expect potatoes to stay crispy unless you reheat them in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven. They can last in the fridge for up to four days, but they are not freezer-friendly.

Baked goods

Another delicious and easy meal prep options are baked goods. Muffins and bread can stay for a few days on the counter or up to one week in the fridge. Freezing is also fine.

Burrito bowls

These dishes can last up to four days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer. Start with a base of rice, corn, black beans, and cooked meat. Store toppings like salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, and sour cream on the side.

These meals will give you variety and help you start your meal prepping. If you are unsure how long a meal can last, think four days. For instance, if you cook on Sunday, eat your meal by Thursday and it will still be safe and tasty.

Additionally, we will provide a list of food that you can or can`t keep in the freezer. That way you can organize your meal prepping even better.

What food can you freeze?

Freezing food can help you save money. You can buy foods on sale and then save them for later. Most foods will freeze well. But, there are some that you need to prepare before you place them in the freezer.

Foods that you can freeze:

Dairy products:

• Cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Butter
• Raw egg whites
• Milk
• Ice cream
• Whole eggs
• Whipped cream

Seafood, meat, poultry:

• Fish
• Crab
• Lobster
• Shimp
• Scallops
• Beef
• Bacon
• Lunch meat
• Pork
• Sausage
• Wild meat
• Chicken
• Tukey

Produce:

• Cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Beets
• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Avocado
• Berries
• Carrots
• Cherries
• Mangoes
• Greens
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Melons
• Squash
• Peas
• Pineapple
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Strawberries

What can be in the freezer, but only in certain circumstances:

• Garlic, only in oil
• Cabbage can be soggy but you can use it in cooked dishes
• Celery, only to use it in cooked dishes
• Herbs, you can freeze them in water or oil and use them in dressings or cooked dishes
• Peled, overripe bananas

Produce that you can freeze in syrup packs:

• Citrus fruits
• Apple
• Plums
• Grapes
• Pomegranates

Nuts, grains, and seeds:

• Seeds
• Flours high in oil content
• Nuts, and nut flour

Baked goods:

• Brownies
• Cakes
• Muffins
• Croutons
• Cookies
• Banana bread
• Donuts
• Pies
• Fruit cake
• Pizza
• Yeast bread

Batters, pastries, and uncooked doughs:

• Uncooked pizza dough
• Cookie dough
• Pie shells
• Yeast dough
• Cake batter

Other:

• Wine
• Pesto sauce

Food that you should not freeze:

• Cooked egg whites
• Cucumber
• Deserts with meringue
• Cream-based soups and sauces
• Frostings or icing that has raw egg whites
• Fried foods
• Gelatin
• Fully cooked rice
• Fully cooked pasta
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Mayonnaise and mayo-based salads
• Sour cream
• Lettuce and other leafy greens
• Pudding
• Non-fatty fish

Make sure that the food you want to freeze is completely cool before you put it in the freezer. If you want to freeze bread, make sure that you wrap it. It tastes great when you reheat it in the oven. You should debone and chop turkey or chicken. Also, ground beef should be in freeze-in-cup portions for easy use later.

All food must be properly placed in the wrapper because it will not be exposed to oxygen, which can change its appearance and taste, and it can be dry. Additionally, it can absorb other odors from the freezer.

Your freezer is an extension of your pantry and fridge. Make the most of that space and get a headstart when you have unexpected guests or don`t have time for cooking. Food in the freezer can come in handy if you have to postpone your meal prep day.

Conclusion

Prepping meals ahead can be a great game-changer. Additionally, you will not feel stressed about your next meal because you will know that you are eating nutritious, healthy, and delicious food. Start slow and keep expanding your menu. Therefore, you will soon see all the benefits that this can bring.

There are many ways to do your meal prep. You are the one who is deciding how many meals you want to make, how often, what food to choose, etc. That said, it all depends on your schedule, goals, and meal preferences. You can make full meals, large batches that you can freeze, or separate portions that you can combine as you wish.

Your meal prep plan will help you with your routine and needs. Variety is essential in providing your body with minerals, nutrients, vitamins, and all the beneficial things you need. For anything else that you need, we are here to help you with answers, advice, and ideas.

When we travel we want to carry different things with us. It is a tricky question for all passengers what is allowed to bring. Different kinds of liquids, souvenirs, and especially food for those who are following a special diet might cause some problems. Thus, doing a great meal prep when traveling will make your life so much easier.

Meals and food we can buy on airplanes are not something that we eat at home. Some travelers have allergies or food restrictions, or just want to have their own prepped meal during the flight.

To bring your meal-prepped food, the most important thing to know is what kind of food you can or can`t bring onboard. If it is a long-distance flight or you just like to prep your meals, you need to be sure that you are carrying the right things.

Let`s see what food is allowed and if can you adjust meal prep when traveling for air trips. Also, there are things that we need to pay attention to, so we can have a careless trip.

Airplane food

Foods that we usually get during the flight are warmed-up plastic meals, bars, and nuts and we do not have enough information about that. We don`t know anything about the preparation procedure, meal selection, or where it came from.

Meals are usually produced on the ground near airports. Catering facilities are making them and then they stay in refrigerators for the cabin crew to heat and serve on board.

It is safe to eat airplane food. But, when you make meals yourself you know what you eat, where it came from and the process of preparation. It is better to get your prepared meals because you are sure that they are good for your diet.

Food that you can take on the airplane

There is a rule for carrying food on the plane. You can carry your snacks as long as they comply with TSA regulations. The liquid rule 3-1-1 applies to spreadable foods, like soft cheese, or peanut butter, and liquids like yogurt, chocolate milk, and so on. However, this rule does not apply to liquids and foods bought after going through airport security. You can have as many foods and beverages as long as you buy them at the airport shop.

Transportation security administration will allow you to transport solid food in your carry-on. But, gel or liquid food items bigger than 3.4 oz have to be in checked baggage if possible.

Liquid and gel foods are things that can spread, spray, pour, or spill. If they are smaller than 3.4 oz you can have them in your bag. Remember, only one bag like this is allowed per passenger.

When you go through security you must have natural, whole foods like veggies or fruits. Also, they have to be in a wrapper or a container. Loose cheeseburgers or sandwiches are not things that you can carry. Everything that you carry will go through X-rays.

List of the foods that you can take

When you want to have your meal prep when traveling on the plane you need to know what food you can include in your dishes:

1.     Spreadable food.

If spreadable edibles or cream cheese, peanut butter, or Nutella, are in your carry-on bag, you must pack them by the 3-1-1 rule. Every container must be 3.4oz or smaller.

2.     Cans and bottles.

This food follows the same regulations as spreadable foods if we can spill or pour them. For example, jellies, jams, honey, soups, and dips have to be decanted into 100 milliliters (or 3.4 ounces) or smaller containers. They should be in checked bags if possible because they appear on x-rays.

3.     Packaged food and vacuum-sealed meals.

Their products are safe to travel with because they are sealed and non-liquid. Pre-sealed products or insulated bags are available in lots of stores and are small enough so they can fit in your checked bag or carry-on.

4.     Cakes and pies.

Whole or slices of cakes and pies are acceptable for carry-ons. You have permission to transport brownies, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, gingerbread, fruitcake, and dry baking mixes. They might ask you to place them beneath the seat in front of you, not in the overhead bin.

5.     Seafood and meat.

Meat is something that you can take with you, but it must be properly packed. Wrapping or sealing is important because it will prevent odors or fluids from escaping. Seafood has the same rules as meat.

6.     Solid food and cheese.

Sandwiches, chips, crackers, grains, dry beans, and pasta can be in your carry-on luggage. All kinds of solid and dry foods are good to go, but to be sure, always check TSA`s list of prohibited items. Solid chocolate, cheese, peanuts, and almonds can also carry with you.

These rules, of course, can be different for every state or airline. That is why before you plan your meals, check the rules of the airline you are using and the country that you are traveling to.

Meal prep when traveling

When you travel a lot, and if your flights are long, meal prep can be a lifesaver. You need delicious, nutritious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly food. Here are some easy ideas to try next time you go on a journey.

For breakfast, you can use overnight oats. Make sure that you put something like dry or fresh fruits, nuts, or any other solid food. Avoid peanut butter or honey. It might happen that this causes a problem because it is considered liquid. You can eat a nutritious breakfast and then recycle the container.

You can buy coffee when you pass the security, if you have a plastic or silicon straw and coffee mug, even better. This way it can be easier to handle it on a flight.

Lunch can be something like spaghetti squash with grated parmesan, ground turkey, and spinach. You can put that in a collapsible silicone meal prep container. They are good because they don`t take up a lot of space in your bag.

For snacks, you can make protein bars or balls made of oatmeal, almond butter, and chocolate chips. Pack them in an empty jar so they don`t change their shape in your bag. You can recycle empty jars when you eat them.

Dinner can contain similar food as lunch. For example, grilled chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and anything that doesn`t classify as a liquid. Of course, they need to be properly packed in separate bags that you can recycle later.

You need to make sure that, whatever food you choose, has a proper package and that it does not contain liquid. It has to be in a ziplock bag, a jar that you can seal, or a plastic leak-through container.

How to pack your plane food properly?

Meal prep when traveling is a great thing and has many benefits. Preparing ahead of time and finding the food you enjoy is a great thing and you don`t have to stop doing that when you are traveling. However, taking food on the airplane has some rules that you need to follow.

When you pack food in your carry-on luggage, use tightly sealed, transparent ziplock bags. You can pack meals that you prefer or allergy-free, vegan, or vegetarian food. Prepare some protection or small packs of ice in case you need to carry food that needs preservation.

Pack your items in little bags, so you don`t fill up the whole bag. For example, you can pack two bags of bars and nuts, instead of one bag with a sandwich.

Divide the bags into meal-sized portions for better packing. That is to say, one bag can have veggies, one hard-boiled egg, hard cheese, grilled chicken, and so on. Also, you can get a few more individual snacks or desserts like cookies or cupcakes.

Choose food that you can`t spay, spill, spread, or pour or that is not gel or liquid, pack it according to the ideas above and there should not be problems at the airport.

The bottom line

These days, food restrictions are different and they are more strict than they were a couple of decades ago. So, the advice is to check all the regulations for the airline you are using and the country you are visiting. Stay well informed and there will be no problems.

The good news is that there are a lot of options for meal prep because there is a lot of food that you can have on the plane. So you will be able to find  TSA-approved food and snacks for your next flight.

Follow the rules for meal prep and for carrying food on a plane. This way you will enjoy the food you love and you will, for sure, enjoy your flight.

A meal plan that has a balance is essential for athletes. It is suitable for performance and general health, too.  That is why athletes need to know what types of foods to eat that will provide what they desire.

Most parts of an athletic diet are not much different from diets that other people want to be healthy eaters. However, athletes often need more macronutrients, calories, and in general more meals to keep energy and strength. After all, they usually compete at a high level.

The first part that athletes need to optimize is training and performance through nutrition. They have to be sure that they consume enough calories so they won`t lose weight, muscle mass, or performance abilities. As a result, everything they eat must be in proper amounts of all macronutrients – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

In this text, you can read important things to consider before making or choosing the athletic meal plan you want. If you are unsure always seek professional help so they can help you decide.

Balance is key

As previously mentioned, athletes must find a balanced athletic meal plan so they can reach their goals and stay on the right track. Those meals will help them:

• Have enough protein to help muscles to repair and recover
• Vitamins and minerals will provide health and they will feel well
• Carbohydrates will give them the energy to recover and repair from training
• Fats will provide joint lubrication, vitamin absorption, long-term energy, and hormone production

As an athlete, you are probably wondering what to eat and not getting bored with the lack of variety in your diet. Therefore, if you are not sure what to eat, make your meals including food from these four groups:

• Small amounts of fats
• Lean protein
• Micronutrients or vegetables
• High-fiber carbohydrates

Make sure that the portion sizes and ratios of these groups need to be different. They depend on goals, body size, age, and activity level.

Nutrition has an essential role in exercise

Eating the right food is vital for the ability to recover after training. Exercise can create damage at the cellular level because of the contractions required by your muscles to produce movement during training. It can act as a stressor for your body, which can make it weaker over time.

Without proper nutrition, your body can not receive the building blocks that need to recover. The eating plan needs to provide enough nutrients to repair and recover. If it doesn`t do that, poor nutrition can lead to poor recovery and eventually to poor performance.

The benefits of athletic meal plans are numerous and here are some of the great things you will get when you balance your diet:

• Improving performance
• Reducing the risk of injuries
• Improving motivation and focus
• Decreasing stress
• Needing less recovery time from injury or exercise stress
• Increasing muscle mass
• Decreasing fat mass
• Higher strength levels
• Improvement in the immune system functions

Food is the source of nutrients that our body needs. It is used for energy, but also for cell functioning, repairing muscles, and health. We need to eat a large number of nutrients. This is called nutrient density and it is important for nutritional habits.

Diet that contains food high in nutrient density has many benefits for athletes’ health. For instance, muscles can develop and grow faster, your body will get more essential nutrients, and it will recover faster.

What to consider before choosing an athletic meal plan

Before you choose a meal plan of your preference, there are some things that you need to consider. You should work with the food that you like. However, it doesn`t have to be a perfect eating schedule, it just has to be perfect for you. If there is a food that you don`t like, try to find a healthy alternative.

Try to work with a professional or your trainer so you can be sure that you can find a plan that works for you. It can be very helpful because that way you can build trust by working with someone who has experience in that field. Also, not every sport is the same so, this way it will be individualized and more suitable.

In the beginning, the good idea would be not to change the entire eating habits. Try to do that step by step so you can slowly get used to changes. Additionally, it will help you understand what some foods can do for you and your performance.

Moreover, when you decide to choose a meal plan, make sure it goes well with your lifestyle and your responsibilities throughout the day. Plan your meal time depending on your sleep, work, and training schedule. Try to tailor your meal plan according to the thing you do during the day.

 Meal ideas for athletes

Here are some ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to help you figure out what you should eat.

Breakfast

1. High fiber or wholegrain cereal, protein or cow milk, or calcium or protein enriched alternatives.
2. Ricotta or greek yogurt and fruit toast
3. Eggs (scrambled/boiled/poached), spinach, sourdough/wholegrain toast, and avocado
4. Milk or greek yogurt, porridge, crushed seeds or nuts, banana, and natural peanut butter
5. Greek yogurt, muesli, and berries
6. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, cheese (cottage, ricotta, sliced), and tomato
7. Avocado, french toast, and vegetable sides
8. Fresh fruit smoothie, protein powder or greek yogurt, spinach or kale(or any other vegetable), and nuts or seeds
9. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, tomato, ham, avocado, and mushrooms
10. Green vegetable bowl with sweet potato, poached eggs, kale, and almonds
11.  Sourdough or wholegrain toast, sliced cheese, and baked beans
12. Spinach, mushroom, and tomato omelet, and toast
13. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, peanut butter, and protein shake or greek yogurt

Lunch

1. Roast vegetables, garden salad, mixed legumes, and chopped almonds
2. Sandwiches on sourdough or whole grain bread, salad, avocado, and lean meat
3. Salad, grilled chicken, tuna or tofu, sweet potato, a little bit of extra virgin olive oil
4. Wrap, cheese or lean meat, salad, or cooked veggies
5. Sushi with grilled salmon or chicken, and seaweed salad
6. Pasta salad with vegetables, tuna, or chicken, without creamy dressings
7. Couscous, brown rice, or quinoa salad, roast or fresh vegetables, and lean meat
8. Baked beans or legumes, baked potato, salad, and avocado
9. Ham and cheese toastie on sourdough or wholegrain bread and vegetable soup
10. Wholegrain toast, avocado, hommus, feta, and cherry tomato

 Dinner

1. Tomato and roasted vegetable pasta and chicken
2. Grilled lean meat, baked potatoes, and vegetables salad
3. Stir-fried veggies, beef, pork or chicken, and baked potatoes
4. Slow-cooked casseroles with vegetables and potatoes
5. Egg frittata with sweet potato, feta, and zucchini
6. Tuna in extra virgin olive oil, green beans, or other veggies
7. Potato pie with pork or beef and vegetables
8. Spaghetti bolognese with salad or lots of vegetables, zucchini, or carrot
9. Curries made with lean meat, vegetables, basmati rice, and light coconut milk
10. Lasagna made with ricotta or cheese, vegetable salad
11.  Homemade pizza with a wrap for the base, eggplant, zucchini, tomato, mushrooms, spinach, lean meat, and a little bit of cheese
12. Baked potatoes and grilled fish, steamed asparagus, and broccoli
13. Burrito bowls with cheese, tomato, rice or corn, onion, and guacamole
14. Homemade burger whit wholemeal bread roll, salad vegetables, avocado, or hommus

Summary

The best way of finding your athletic meal plan is to avoid any overly restrictive diets. In another word, they might be more difficult to follow or unsustainable for a long time, so give yourself time to adjust to changes.

Always consider your goals, dietary restrictions, or preferences when selecting a meal plan. Also, as we already mentioned, make sure to ask for help from a professional if you need it.

Make sure to consume enough nutrients, especially if you have high-intensity training. Likewise, keep track of the number of meals that you need and target calorie intake. This is the key to keeping your performance and health at the best level.

It’s incredible what meal planning can accomplish to help us get through a challenging week. Making meals quick and simple to prepare not only lessens stress but also increases our likelihood of cooking when we are tempted to order pizza. However, is it safe to meal prep for a week?

How to prepare a week’s worth of meals isn’t always straightforward. To help make the process simpler and smoother, we wanted to share our best weekly meal prep advice with you.

What does meal preparation mean in practice?

But first, what does meal preparation entail? Why is meal planning beneficial?

Some individuals define “meal prep” as making entire meals or dishes in advance. It usually refers to prepping materials or portions of meals ahead of time. This way, cooking or assembling your meals may go much more quickly.

Meal preparation is, in other words, the washing, peeling, and cutting of vegetables that will be used later on in the week. Making marinades or vinaigrettes is what it is. It involves cooking grains like rice or other grains so they are prepared for use when needed. And certainly, there are occasions when it involves making complete dinners or recipes that reheat nicely.

Making a home-cooked supper may be accomplished in a matter of minutes if you do as much as you can in advance. Knowing that all you need to do on a hectic night is sear some meat, put together a salad, or reheat a prepared soup with pre-made wild rice is a lifesaver. Additionally, you can be more strategic and organized with your activities when you prep in advance. You spend less time cooking each week, waste less food, and therefore spend less on groceries.

Are you convinced yet? Next, let’s discuss the advice!

Prior to meal preparation…

Unbelievably, the majority of the preparation labor for a meal occurs before you begin cutting and mixing. You may make dinner preparation much more successful and efficient by being prepared each week. This will also lower the likelihood that you’ll waste food you’ve previously worked hard to prepare.

Discover how to create a food plan

First things first: Prior to meal prep for a week, you must decide what you will consume. Meal planning is therefore a crucial initial action.

Of course, some people choose to live dangerously and improvise. We strongly advise meal planning as a strategy to save money on groceries and lessen food waste. However, you can absolutely prepare enough vegetables to last a week and figure out how to utilize them afterward.

Try not to “go big or go home”

Okay, so you’re probably already at home if you’re meal preparation. But here’s the thing: It’s alright to start off modestly. Don’t expect to prepare everything. You’ll need for the entire week every week if you want to make meal planning a habit. You’ll appreciate having a head start for the week even if you only prepare one meal. Meal preparation is a habit that you may develop once it becomes established, but all habits take time to form.

Buy lots of containers to meal prep for a week

You need more refrigerator space and meal prep containers when you prep. We adore these glass containers since they prevent aromas from ruining the fridge and because of their tight seal, which prevents leaking. Metal is heavier but less reliable than plastic, and plastic makes it more difficult to recall what’s inside. Regardless of the kind, make sure to get containers in a range of sizes. To make sauces, spice blends, marinate meats, and other things, you’ll need a variety of sizes, from large ones for chopped root vegetables to tiny ones for minced garlic.

Establish a regular time each week

You can only prepare meals if you set aside time for it. Set a time for your preparation today and repeat it every week on your calendar or in your reminder app. This will increase your likelihood of sticking to your plan and make developing a habit of weekly meal preparation much simpler.

Figure out how to cut effectively

Knowing just how to meal prep for a week and cut any fruit or vegetable you’re using will save you a ton of time. Long-term benefits will come from making the effort to acquire and practice these abilities now. By honing your abilities today, you’ll be doing your future self a favor!

Keep your blades sharp

Your preparation will go more quickly if you use the right tools and take care to keep them in good shape. If you can, get your knives professionally sharpened every six to a year; if not, sharpen them yourself at least once every few months. Although some individuals are terrified of sharp knives, you are safer when using ones that have been properly honed. If the knife slides, you’ll need to apply less pressure to the object you’re slicing, making it less likely that you’ll get hurt. A sharp knife is also less prone to slip.

Understand how long components last

Within a day or two after being sliced, cucumber becomes soft. In the refrigerator, tomatoes get mushy. However, most marinades may be prepared a full week in advance. Preparing items that will get rancid, mushy, or sour before you can utilize them will waste your time and effort. Know how long your ingredients will last, both whole and after preparation, and when you want to use them in recipes. Some components are simply not worth preparing ahead of time!

It’s time to begin your preparations now that you have a strategy! Here are some suggestions for speeding up and streamlining the actual preparation so you can go on with the rest of your day.

1.    Your jobs should be batch-processed

Making a list also makes it easier to identify areas where you can group chores. For example, if you’re chopping broccoli and bell peppers for supper, chop the vegetables directly after the sweet potatoes so you don’t need to wash the cutting board twice. To avoid constantly pulling out and putting away the same bottles of vinegar, soy sauce, and oil as well as washing measuring spoons before you’re finished using them, prepare any vinaigrettes or sauces at the same time

2.    From the firmest to the messiest

When cutting vegetables, start with those that are firm and don’t contain a lot of liquid. Then go on to a slightly messier vegetable, and eventually conclude with vegetables like tomatoes that will ruin the cutting board. By doing this, you may save time by avoiding the need to wash and dry the cutting board and knife in between each vegetable. By chopping raw proteins last, you may clean your cutting board afterward and/or put it in the dishwasher to lessen the chance of raw meat and vegetables becoming contaminated.

3.    Keep a trash can nearby

As you work, have a dedicated location for biodegradable garbage. In addition to saving you trips to the trash or compost bin, doing this will keep your workspace free so you have enough room to prepare food without tipping anything over.

4.    Think about what you can prepare together

Are you baking some fish for supper tonight? You could maybe bake the chicken thighs for the salad for tomorrow at the same time. This won’t need much more work and will prevent you from having to preheat the oven more than once. Using one side of the sheet pan for today’s vegetables and the other for later works great for roasting vegetables.

5.    Double your grain intake

It’s entirely OK to use the same grain for both recipes if one calls for rice and the other for barley. Create two batches today to ensure that you’ll be ready later on in the week, or just create extras to keep on hand for lunches. Extra cooked grains may be frozen, which can come in handy in the future if you run out.

6.    To label containers, use dry-erase markers

Not remembering what’s what during dinner preparation is one of the biggest frustrations! To make sure you don’t use the incorrect sauce in a dish or wait a little too long to cook a meal you prepared, label your containers with the date and contents. Our preferred method of labeling is with thin dry-erase markers, which may be applied on glass, metal, or plastic and are simple to remove after the contents have been utilized. Just make sure to thoroughly dry wipe the container’s outside before labeling!

7.    Make it enjoyable!

Play a podcast, get a drink of wine or tea, and ask a friend to join you (or do a meal prep via Zoom). The time will fly if you engage in pleasurable activity while preparing, and you’ll begin to look forward to all the chopping, dicing, and mixing. Additionally, unlike with usual supper preparations, meal preparation is often not done when you’re hungry or under pressure to keep to a timetable, which makes it an inherently less stressful activity. If you approach meal preparation as something you get to do rather than something you must do, you could find that you begin to look forward to it.

How far in advance can you safely prepare meals?

Planning out your meals, including portion sizes, is a component of meal preparation, which begs the issue of how long in advance you should meal prep. Will the meals you prepare sustain you for the entire week? In terms of safety, you shouldn’t prepare meals a whole week in advance if you’re putting them all in the fridge, regardless of whether you wish to eat the same meals so frequently. The USDA advises that cooked meals should only be kept in the refrigerator for about four days before they become unsafe to consume.

The exact timing may differ slightly

A USDA expert claims that bacteria, mold, fungus, and yeast may begin degrading food after about four days, but the precise period depends on a number of variables. For instance, sauces containing citric acid can keep food fresher for longer. Keeping your refrigerator at 30 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 40 degrees Fahrenheit may help extend the shelf life of some items by one or two days. The shelf life of your components will also impact how long they last. For example, whereas cooked pasta has a shelf life of up to five days, rice and quinoa often last another day or two. Avoid overcrowding your fridge because it might alter the temperature overall and use an airtight container to preserve food at its freshest.

According to Insider, you should schedule two different days of preparation each week if you want to have enough food for the full week. Additionally, you may freeze a part of your prepared meals and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. According to FDA rules, various foods keep in the freezer for varying amounts of time, but if you plan to eat them within a week or two, you shouldn’t have any issues. Just keep in mind that not everything freezes well and adjust your meal preparation schedule appropriately.

How can you tell if your meals are still safe to eat after being prepared?

There are a few things you may look out for when attempting to decide whether that fantastic, nutritious dinner you created is still okay if you aren’t getting the answer you’re searching for on the FDA standards. When discussing food safety, some of these strategies can seem more obvious than others, but it’s important to communicate too much.

Texture

Take a look at the texture of your meal if it has passed all the previous inspections. There is a considerable possibility that the food is no longer good if there has been a significant texture change or if it seems slimy.

Mold

Mold is one of the most evident indications that the food you prepared for dinner didn’t last as long as you anticipated.

If your food displays mold growth, you must discard it immediately. Believe us. There is nothing that should drive you to do anything other than throw it out, regardless of how much money or effort you spend preparing the dish.

Smell

All of us have been there. Your dinner has been in the refrigerator for a few days, and you’re not sure if it’s still good.  After then, confidently take a smell.

Color

The color of the meal that you have made is something else to consider. The hue of each component should be the same as when it was initially prepared. If the meat or lettuce is gray, brown, or otherwise strange-looking, it’s best to toss it out.

Color can be misleading, though, if the ingredients you used contained preservatives.

How can you make sure no meals go bad when you meal prep for a week?

When you prepare meals in advance, there’s a strong possibility that the majority of them will survive for three to five days. However, if you want to prepare meals for seven days, you’ll need to do it over the course of two distinct sessions each week.

The other choice is to prepare meals that freeze well. Following that, you may freeze the remaining meals and leave a couple in the refrigerator for the first three days. Then, before going to bed, you may take a frozen meal out to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, guaranteeing that it will be fresh.

Have you thought about using a meal prep delivery service?

The truth is that dinner preparation is a lot of work, despite how good it may appear on your friend’s Instagram page. Cooking may be a very laborious task for those who don’t love it. By using meal prep services, you may save valuable time while maintaining a healthy diet.

Check out our healthy customizable meals if you want to start eating better to support your exercise objectives.

When you want to eat a nutritious diet, you might struggle with a busy schedule or inspiration for meals. Meal prep for athletes can be a good strategy for fueling your workouts and making sure that you have energy for every training.

It will not take too much time and you will always have ready-to-eat meals. We are sure that sounds great. Additionally, you will have the right portions and won`t have to worry about what to eat next.

A few hours one day a week will be enough for you to get started. You will need groceries and containers for your delicious meals. However, there are some things that you need to take into consideration before you start.

What are the benefits when athletes prep their meals?

Meal prep is a great thing when you want to stay on track with your fitness and nutritional goals.  It is an easy way to keep your food consistent when you prep your dishes. There are many benefits of prepping your meals and some of them are:

• You will not waste time thinking about what is for dinner.
• It will not happen that you come home hungry and there is nothing to eat.
• Enough time to think ahead to prepare meals that will help you with your athletic goals.
• Your meals will fit a diet you follow.
• No more getting convenience foods, take outs or drive through
• You will save money and time
• Less time for prepping, cooking, and cleaning

How to start

Here are six steps that will help you start meal prepping and reaching your athletic goals.

1.    Make your own game plan.

Decide what you want to prepare and how. Some people might choose to make full meals. Meanwhile, others just want to prep proteins, vegetables, and starches separately and then pull them together later. It is up to you to decide which way works for you and your schedule.

If you want to make full meals, you need to think about two questions

1. Do you want cold or hot ones?
2. How many times a week do you want to eat the same dish?

When you answer them, you will easily decide what is your next step. You will find a lot of ideas to experiment with. It can be something simple or something that requires more cooking skills.

If you decide to go simple by thinking about putting together a starch, a protein, and a few vegetables, that is a time saver, too. For instance, you can prepare one protein, and figure out a few different ways to serve it. Having grilled chicken in a greek bowl, wrap, or burrito bowl is delicious. You have one ingredient but in different, fun ways.

Once you decided this, it is time to go shopping. Stick to your list and you will see that is budget-friendly for your wallet. Also, it will help you prevent food waste because you will buy exactly what you need.

2.  Find time for meal prepping.

At first, it might seem that you will need some extra time. But, by choosing a few hours on one day, you will soon see that you will have much more time during the week.

Sundays usually work because you will have enough food to get through the week and maybe not enough on the weekends. That can work because usually during the weekend we have more time.

If you need more food or you are not comfortable eating the same food for a few days, you might need an extra day. This can be helpful if you are an athlete with high-calorie needs or you just want to give yourself extra variety.

3. Figure out if you have enough food storage containers.

Before you start, you need to prepare enough storage for the food you are planning to make. Most importantly, there is no right way to do meal prep. Some people like to make and store all full meals for the whole week in separate containers.

Other people like to bulk prepare some things, like a big bowl of roasted vegetables, a few cooked proteins, or a bowl of salad – and then use them to create a meal each night. It is up to you which way is better.

Whichever way you choose, make sure you have enough containers with lids that are big enough. Even better, if they are microwave friendly. The best option might be glass. But, high-quality plastic containers can be convenient, too. They are good to take with you because they are lighter.

Consider smaller containers for things like condiments, nuts, dressings, and other additions to your meals. This is good because if they are together, they might ruin your food or get soggy.

Lastly, stock up on gallon size zip locks freezer bags. They are very convenient for storing things like protein pancakes or frozen breakfast sandwiches, and even soups.

4. Start cooking.

First, look a the recipes or ideas that you plan to cook. It might be something that you like or something that is not too difficult to make. Secondly, from that `pile` figure out what takes the longest to cook or what can go together into the oven at the same temperature. Start by chopping, seasoning, and putting on baking sheets.

Next, you can load up the racks with different pans of roasted vegetables, potatoes, and meats. These ingredients can easily be made in the oven. Set timers for everything so you don`t have to remember everything. That way you will not be overwhelmed and timers will remind you when to take pans out. Meanwhile, you can do other things.

Further, you can start working on any food that you need to prepare on the stovetop. Boil rice, fry chicken, steam vegetables, or anything else. During this time you can also make something that does not require cooking, like raw vegetables or energy balls.

5. Put everything together.

When you are done cooking, and when the food cooled down a little bit, you know that it is time to assemble.

Bulk items go into a container and then into the fridge. Individual meals need to be separated, so layout containers across the table, and assemble them in pieces. Work in a line style. For example, do the carbs first, then the vegetables, and then the proteins. It might be easier than creating one meal at a time.

Some people might prefer putting food containers in horizontal rows then to putting them on top of one another. It is up to you to decide which way works better.

For fresh food, like salads, put a paper towel on top of greens, and toppings, such as seeds, nuts, and berries, just put them on a side, so they won`t get soggy or mixed with lettuce.  Do not put the dressing on a salad in advance. You will end up with a soggy salad instead of a fresh, beautiful, and delicious bowl.

6. Label your containers.

Tops of containers should have a piece labeling of or tape on the lid. When you do this, putting the meal name and date will be more organized. Leftovers can last in the fridge for three to five days, and when you have a date on the lid, you will easily see if the food is fresh or not.

Things that go in the freezer are also easier to manage when there is a date. Food in the freezer will stay safe for a long time, but quality can be different after a few months.

Meal planning and prepping

Meal planning and prepping do not have to be overly rigid or structured. They can work however you want or need them to. It can help you with a busy schedule, not having enough time for cooking every meal separately, or just even because you like it that way.

Meal prep can be different for everyone and it can include:

• Chopping meats and veggies
• Pre-washing fruits and vegetables
• Dividing ingredients or melas into containers for salads
• Sauteeing or baking vegetables for the week
• Making portions of snacks  and putting them in individual bags or containers
• Grilling chicken breasts or baking potatoes at once

When you want to start and you are not sure if it would be a good idea to just prep some components of your meals. This can make things a lot simpler at the beginning.

You can also start with just a little preparation. Check what you already have in your fridge, and what you don`t have in your pantry so you need to buy. Write down your grocery list and take notes if you notice that there are more things that you are missing.

Talk with your colleagues, family members, and teammates about meal prepping. They might give you some ideas and cool recipes. Even better if you make it a team activity.

There are several reasons why people meal prep:

1. Meal prepping will allow you to eat the food you like
2. You will control your macronutrient and caloric intake
3. People can find the schedule that suits them
4. Fewer expenses for grocery shopping and less food waste
5. Easy organizing every day and a whole week
6. Meal planning and prepping will help you stay on track with your diet

The bottom line

The biggest benefit of meal prepping is that you are following your diet for sure. This guarantees results and it will motivate you to continue, which will provide more good results and so on. Altogether it can be quite powerful.

Even if you think starting everything from the beginning is too stressful and requires planning, don`t hesitate to start small steps. Some simple meal prep can do a lot for you, and then you go bigger and take a step further every week.

Meal prepping will give you more time to recover, sleep, and do other activities besides cooking. When you prep almost everything on your day off, you can do other things you like during the week. We are here to help if you have some questions or need some ideas on how to start.

It’s simple to become frightened while beginning a new diet. Having trouble starting is frequently a stumbling block. But if you’re reading this, you’ve already taken the first step—listening to your body and looking into ways to enhance your health and well-being! A legitimate keto shopping list that is simpler to remember compared to your cell number is one of the easiest methods to feel at ease with your new habit. This is a must-have for any novice who needs a base of delectable snacks and trustworthy go-to recipes, particularly with the ketogenic diet.

You’ve undoubtedly heard a lot of talks lately about the ketogenic diet. But is making the switch to this healthy routine worth it? The keto diet plan has very particular needs, such as being low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in fat, much like any other diet.

Your regular schedule will be disrupted by a new diet, but if you continue to see your new routine as “trouble,” your healthy routine will also seem like one. Where is the joy in that, then?

Our straightforward grocery list is based on delectable meals that will help you start your ketogenic diet after the first week. It adheres to the fundamentals, giving you the confidence and inspiration to continue on your terms.

How to put together a keto shopping list for beginners?

Clear out any tempting carb-heavy goods from your refrigerator and pantry before you make a keto shopping list. Processed foods, including sugar, grains and bread, starchy vegetables, and caloric sweeteners like honey, jams, jellies, agave nectar, and the like should be avoided at all costs.

The components of a beginner’s grocery cart for our favorite keto meals are listed below. To make your dishes at home, we advise splurging on fruit and meats!

Produce

Ingredients: red bell pepper, green onions, white onion, avocado, mushrooms, romaine or leaf lettuce, lime, green cabbage, cherry tomatoes, garlic, spinach

Proteins

Ingredients: breakfast sausage, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bacon, ground beef

Eggs and dairy

Ingredients: blue cheese, eggs, salted butter, cream cheese, plain, whole-milk yogurt.

Pantry staples

Ingredients: vanilla extract, almond flour, monk fruit extract, chicken broth, cocoa powder, almond butter, soy sauce, coconut cream.

Spices and oils: sesame oil, ground ginger, salt, sesame seeds, garlic powder, avocado oil, cinnamon, pepper, coconut oil.

Combating the early negative effects of the keto

Although some people may benefit from this diet, there are certain adverse effects you may experience after a few days of following the keto diet. The “keto flu” is one of them.

Many people only have these symptoms for a couple of days, not as long as the true flu would. But if they go on past that or you don’t feel well, pay attention to your body and discontinue the diet.

People commonly encounter the following signs:

• digestive discomfort 
• increased hunger 
• low libido 
• low energy and mental function 
• Insomnia 
• decreased exercise performance 
• Nausea 
• headaches

These signs indicate that your metabolism is adjusting to the state of ketosis and transitioning.

Starting slowly with the diet may be a smart way to counteract (or reduce) these symptoms.

Until you are completely prepared to begin the keto diet, you might attempt carb cycling for 2 to 3 days each week. Some people decide to continue carb cycling because they believe it to be helpful for them. But because every person is unique, just pay attention to your body and what suits you the most.

About the advantages of keto

Did you know that the ketogenic diet was initially developed for persons with epilepsy and has been around for approximately 100 years?

The keto diet has a lot of other advantages outside just aiding those with epilepsy. Lowering hormones like insulin has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Not just diabetes but also a wide range of other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, are greatly influenced by insulin.

You could experience benefits in your insulin postprandial glycemia, secretion, and blood pressure if you stick to this particular eating plan. Of course, additional study is still needed to determine how the ketogenic diet will affect your long-term health.

Weight reduction is another advantage of the keto diet, and if you’re struggling with weight management, it can happen more quickly than you’d anticipate. And this diet won’t make you keep opening your refrigerator to look for meals that have processed components or empty calories.

If you want to know if the keto diet is suitable for you, see your doctor or a dietician.

Set your keto path

Making a keto shopping list prior to getting creative with recipes is crucial. Making a diet pleasurable is the greatest way to stay on it, but making it fully yours is even more crucial. Now that you possess the tools, the options are unlimited. Happy Keto-ing, and good luck!

Prepping your meals is something that can save you time. If you want to start meal prep and you are not sure how to do so, we are here to give you some ideas. There are some healthy and easy tips to plan and make your meals in advance.

When you start a new diet, especially a keto diet plan, prepping food for the whole week can be something that can reduce your stress. When you are late for or from work, or you are dashing out of the house, having a ready meal is the best thing.

Planning will help you will make your own delicious, keto-friendly, healthy meals. That said, there are a lot of good sides to making your meals for the whole week.

What can help you prepare?

Here are four things that can help you start meal prepping the right way: 

1. Start by making a plan – Think about what you are going to cook ahead. Prepare all the recipes for the whole week, and be sure to have your grocery shopping list.
2. Multi-tasking is important – You can cook more than one thing at once. You can roast your vegetables and bake chicken breasts at the same time. This way you will finish faster.
3. Don`t prep too many meals at one time – Try not to prep for more than five or seven days` meals. Most of the food you make can stay in the fridge for around three days, so be sure to freeze the rest.
4. Always think of your goal – If you are trying to save money, just want to eat healthily, or lose weight, always have in mind why you decided to prep your meals. That way, you will less likely to reach out for take-out meals.

How to start

Cooking and planning your meals can be a little bit overwhelming if you didn`t do it before. So, just start by doubling your portions of lunch and dinner. That way, you will have something ready for the next day. After that, two or three easy meals per week will do the trick. You will not get stressed and it is a great start. 

Once you are familiar with that process, you can plan your meals for four, five, or more days. Fast, you will be a wizard of meal prep. 

Find something that can be made in bulk, that is not too complicated, and that you would want to eat day after day. Make your list for meal prep and groceries that you are missing so you can make it. Do the shopping and start. 

This might be the time to invest in food containers, glass bottles, or mason jars. You will need those so you can properly store your food. Containers made of glass are good because you can see what is inside, use them in the microwave, and there are no unwanted chemicals. You can get bowls with dividers when you want to separate ingredients, like veggies and nuts. Mason jars are good for salads, oat, and chia puddings. Glass bottles are perfect for soups and smoothies. That said, you will need to free up some space in your fridge and freezer.

Chose the approach that works for you. Different ways are:

Full-made meals – You will cook the entire meal and save them in the fridge or freezer. 

Batch cooking and storing – You will make several meals, and portions and store them. It can be useful for recipes that you can easily make in large batches, such as soup.

Ingredients prepping – You will just prep the parts of the recipes. It is for those who like to cook and serve food. Just chop the veggies, marinate the meat, and mix spices in advance and when you are ready to cook, you will save time.

Why should you prep your meals for the week?

Once you get a hang of it, you will realize that it can be a great thing that reduces weekly stress. Here are some of the good things about meal prepping: 

It is budget-friendly. Making your meals at home is cheaper than eating out or ordering food. You will buy only the ingredients that you need for your meal prep plan and there will be less waste.

It is a time saver. An hour or two on Sunday for prepping your meals will give you more time at night, or morning. You can spend that time with your family or friends, or watch your favorite shows. It is a great feeling when you don`t have to cook when you have a busy day at work.

It is healthier and keto-friendly – You will know exactly what is in your dish. When following a diet, we can be unsure about the ingredients and calories that other meals have. But, when we make our meals, we don`t have to worry. Not to mention, the portion control that you will have with the help of the food containers. 

Your morning routines will be much easier. No more rushing around and trying to pack a lunch. Just grab already-made food out of the fridge. 

Things to help you stay on track

As we mentioned, it can be overwhelming at the beginning, so we want to present you with some tips to help you stay on track with meal planning: 

Find a companion. If you are making more than one option, the prepping process can be long. So, a partner, friend, co-worker, or family member is good company. You can exchange ideas, remind each other to bring your prepared meal, and even make them together.

Be creative. Once you are no longer a beginner, you can play around with ingredients and recipes. If you use a few ingredients in several ways, you can make a lot of different meals. Repurposing the ingredients is great.

Have more than one option. Even if it`s your favorite food, you will probably get bored of eating it all the time. Choose more than one recipe while you are prepping your food. That way you will not be stuck with the same menu every day.

Remember why. Always keep in mind why you decided to start meal prep. Think about all the benefits, you will save money, improve your health, and save your time.

Schedule your time for meal prep. You will need time to meal prep, so schedule 1 or 2 days per week to do so. Multitask a little, it will help you cut down the time. Kitchen appliances like an air frier, slow cookers, or instant pot can be a great help.

Food ideas for meal prep

Preparing meals in advance is useful for different people. From those who want to shorten their cook time or bodybuilders on the keto diet. However, some foods are not a good choice for meal prep. Food that holds up well in storage and tastes good even after a few days in the refrigerator is a good choice. 

Roasted vegetables, sauces, soups, cooked meat, berries, and raw sturdy veggies make a great base for meal prep recipes. Soft vegetables, crunchy food, and cut fruit will only get soft in your fridge, so they are not such a good choice. 

When you do meal prep, think about how you will reheat your food. Will you have access to a microwave, oven, or stove? Think about recipes that you can enjoy cold or mildly reheat so you won`t risk damaging proteins and fats in your food. 

Meat is a great source of fat and protein so you can consider different kinds of meat and put them together in different delicious recipes. Such as instant pot chicken, lamb keto tacos, bacon pineapple shrimp, steak with rosemary, slow cooker beef, etc.

Vegetables are important in our diet, so you can prep them, too. Something like cauliflower tortillas, zucchini fritters, and Brussels sprouts salad with lemon is a good choice for your meals.

In addition, you can prep your snacks, too. Choose nutritious and keto-friendly snacks that you love. They are delicious, support a healthy lifestyle and there is no cooking required.

The final word 

Better eating habits, meeting your health goals, and making your busy schedule easier are the things that you will get with meal prepping. Also, choosing the right ingredients, having enough storage containers, and patience will help you create nutritious and tasty dishes in advance. 

When you prepare your food in advance, you will be ready to use that time for some other activities. Ready portions will be in your fridge and you will reduce the stress of thinking about what to eat every day.

In conclusion, having your food ready to eat will ensure that you won`t eat something unhealthy that will ruin your diet and that you will regret. It will help you waste less food, eat healthily, and be more organized.