Unlocking the Secrets of Sustainable Nutrition: A Comprehensive Guide to Meal Prepping, Planning, and Smart Snacking
Embarking on a journey toward better health and wellness involves more than just dietary choices; it's about cultivating sustainable habits. As we all know, life is full of twists and turns that quite frankly are just straight up inevitable. To make sure that everyone has the tools and resources to put them in the best possible position to succeed, we have developed a list of tips and tricks for meal prepping, planning and smart snacking!
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Mastering Meal Prep and Planning
Meal Prep Magic: Building Foundations for Success
The phrases meal prepping and planning often get thrown around alot in a way that makes it seem like it is the easiest thing in the world. While the concept of the two are very simple, “Think of meals that you like and are geared towards your goals for the week and then cook them”, the actual action of them can be quite difficult for people. To be able to come up with around 21 different meals (7 for breakfast, lunch and dinner) while making sure they have the correct portions of protein, carbohydrates and fats can be quite challenging. Now let's throw in the variability of making it so none of the meals are the same! Whew, now we are into something crazy! Below we will look at some tips and tricks that have worked past and present clients as well as trainers for meal prep and planning!
Set Clear Objectives: Define your health and wellness goals to tailor your meal prep approach.
The #1 priority before doing anything is to make sure you know what your health and wellness goal actually is! This is the foundation that we will base our meal prepping and planning around.
Planning Your Menu: Craft a diverse and balanced weekly menu that aligns with your nutritional aspirations.
This is where most people can get stuck due the creativity it can take to keep coming up with different meals! If you are a person who can eat the same thing every day for each meal then you may not have a problem with this. For those that do, the way that has worked in the past for people is to choose 3 different types of protein, 3 carbohydrates, 3 fats and 3 veggies. From here you can create different combinations of the 4 different categories and have a variety of meals quickly. Then adding in different seasonings or sauces….man oh man, you can do a lot!
Efficient Grocery Shopping: Stick to a thoughtfully prepared shopping list to avoid impulse purchases.
A good tip is to use grocery stores curbside pick up services in order to avoid going into the store all together!
Batch Cooking Basics: Embrace time-saving techniques for essential ingredients like proteins, grains, and vegetables.
This method of cooking is great for those that like to do everything in one sitting rather than multiple times a week! Cooking whole packs of foods at once and then portioning them out is so time efficient!
Portion Control Practices: Invest in portion-controlled containers for organized storage and mindful eating.
Another way to make sure you have all your portions in control is to use your hand!
~1 palm = ~1 Serving of Protein
~1 fist = ~1 Serving of Veggies
~1 cupped hand = ~1 Serving of Carbs
~1 thumb = ~1 Serving of Fat
Some other tips and tricks to consider!
Labeling and Dating: Keep an organized meal storage system with proper labeling and dating.
Adapt to Your Schedule: Create flexible meal options that suit your lifestyle, allowing for adaptability.
If you know that one area in your day is busy, focus more on that area during your planning and prep!
Revitalize Leftovers: Get creative with repurposing leftovers into fresh, new meals.
If you feel like you are eating the same thing over and over again, take your prepped foods and switch it up
Consistent Review and Adjust: Regularly evaluate and adapt your meal prep strategies to optimize effectiveness.
If you have been missing meals or not adhering to what you thought of in the beginning, your plan might not work for you! Take some time and adjust!
Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate every achievement along your journey, no matter how small.
Smart Snacking Strategies
Now that we have some guidelines and tricks to follow for our meals, what about snacks? The first thing we should ask ourselves is, do we actually need them? The reason for this is that most people are so used to eating little tidbits here and there just because they are in front of them, not because they are actually hungry! So let's go over some things to keep in mind when those “snack times' ' come around.
Mindful Munching: Distinguish between physical hunger and emotional cues before reaching for a snack.
Snacking can be used as a fulfillment or coping mechanism for most people. Oftentimes when people are bored, stressed or sad, they use snacks as a well to cope.
Balanced Bites: Opt for snacks that combine protein and fiber for prolonged satiety and stable energy levels.
Just like our meals, our snacks should be built around the same premises. Protein and fiber should be prioritized because this will help us feel full!
Portion Control: Use smaller plates and pre-portioned snack packs to avoid mindless overeating.
Snacks that come in bulk quantities can be a big obstacle for some people. One way to get around this is to portion them out into snack baggies or buy the snacks that come in pre-portioned.
Hydration Matters: Stay hydrated and drink water before reaching for a snack to distinguish between thirst and hunger.
Try drinking a cup of water before grabbing a snack. Oftentimes you are not hydrated enough! Aim for half of your body weight in ounces or at least 64 oz!
Timing is Key: Strategically plan snack times between meals to prevent extreme hunger.
The most common place where I hear snacks being consumed are in the afternoon or late at night. The reason for this is because people “forget to eat” or “didn’t have time” for lunch. This means, assuming the person eats breakfast around 8-9am and dinner around 5-6pm, they go without eating a meal for 8-10 hours! This causes the person to start snacking or eating a lot more than they normally would at one sitting. Finding which times you know where you can fit a snack in will help curb those hunger cues!
As you embark on this holistic journey of nourishing your body and embracing sustainable nutrition, remember that the path to wellness is a collection of positive habits and thoughtful choices. May these insights into meal prepping, planning, smart snacking, and delicious recipes guide you toward a healthier, happier you. Here's to unlocking the secrets of sustainable nutrition!