If you weren’t already excited for June and the nicer weather, then I’m about to take it one step further! All month, we’re focusing on…..Meal Prep! It’s all about food, so you know it’s exciting!
Or is it just me that enjoys all food talk?
And I want to be clear, when I talk meal prep, I’m not talking about elaborate planning and full meals ready to go. I, of course, lean more towards the keep it simple and possibly lazy kind of meal prepping.
So with that said, all month long, I’m going to deliver tips, tricks and recipes for meal prepping that will be easy to implement and get you building some routines/habits that will make eating nutritious (and delicious) a piece of cake. (Ha!).
Oh and there may or may not be a free challenge to join in on the week of June 12!
To kick things off, I wanted to leave some real life reasons why meal prep will do you good and include a great starter recipe to meal prep with!
Why is Meal Prepping Helpful?
Limit Temptation: Ever been hit with hunger and have nothing on hand to eat? And of course, the only thing close by is fast food or that leftover birthday cake your co-worker brought into the office. Well meal prepping helps you have much better options because you’ve planned in advance and brought your own food (or have something easy to grab from the fridge if you get a case of the munchies while watching TV). This makes sticking to healthy habits much easier!
It’s Control Freak Heaven: Control freaks unite! By cooking your own meals or planning what to eat in advance, you gain complete control and limit usage of unwanted ingredients like added sugar, salt and fats. You are also ensuring you get the best-quality options and more fresh ingredients because you are selecting them yourself. In short, meal prepping is good for weight loss and for maintenance.
Time Saver: Whether you simply pre-chop ingredients or cook all your meals for the week each Sunday afternoon - you’ll save tons of time! Think about it….getting home after a long day and having to take the time to go to the store or even cook. You’ll have more time to spend with the kids or workout or just relax!
My Fav Meal Prep Recipe - Shredded Chicken
This is such an easy recipe and gets you easy to add to anything protein for the week!
Ingredients
2-4 chicken breasts
1-2 tablespoons of your seasoning of choice - I suggest a mixture of garlic powder and something spicy. (Sometimes I even just add a small jar of salsa!)
Add salt and pepper to taste
1 (32 ounce) carton reduced-sodium chicken broth (you can omit this if you use salsa!)
Directions Step 1 Place chicken thighs in slow cooker and sprinkle on seasonings of choice. Pour broth (or salsa) over all. Step 2 Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Step 3 Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred meat. Add enough of the cooking liquid to moisten meat. Tips Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can use this chicken to make wraps, add to soups or pastas or make #nosadsalads with it!
Are you ready to meal prep? Let me know!
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