Prep Ahead Guide for Delicious Meals

For a lot of people, a major barrier to healthful eating is that there just isn’t enough dang time. No matter what your goals are - more fiber, more protein, more veggies, less takeout, more family meals - achieving them and sustaining them requires a lot of time and energy week after week. When anyone asks me what I think about diet fads and health food trends, I always tell them that if you can’t keep up with a habit long-term, you won’t retain the results. This all goes to say that setting yourself up for success and making realistic goals is the best way to achieve good outcomes long term

Meal prepping is a great way to ensure you stick to the plan. Though it can be limiting and unappealing for those who don’t want to eat the same thing every day. I think a lot of people only see meal prepping as making many containers in bulk using the formula: rice + green vegetable + lean meat. While this works for some, it might be, as I said before, limiting for others. So, for those who think this is the only way meal prepping can look, I invite you to shift your perspective to include ingredient prepping. I wanted this post for June because I think it's a great time to give it a try with all of the amazing summer produce coming to the market. 

My ingredient prep strategy uses a mix of key combinations. Mine looks like meat + marinade, veggie (roasted and raw) + dressing, grain + legume. You don’t need to prepare every piece every week, but preparing each ingredient with a counterpart will help your meals feel complete and exciting. Taking 1 - 2 hours or so on Sunday to prepare everything will allow you to have multiple healthy dinners ready in 10-20 minutes the rest of the week. 

Meat + Marinade

If you're a meat-eater, like me, having it marinating and ready to cook can save a lot of time and really boost the flavor. This all-purpose meat dry rub can be used for chicken, beef, and pork. Mix all the ingredients to make a large, shelf-stable batch. Then you can add it to your meat early in the week and the flavor will only increase. It can be used with fish, but I would only let it marinate for 20 minutes, up to an hour. You can add olive oil, soy sauce or Worcestershire, and citrus to make a saucier marinade. The measurements don't need to be precise, but adding soy sauce will make it saltier. 

• ½ cup paprika, or ⅓ cup smoked paprika

• ¼ cup kosher salt

• ¼ cup freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup chile powder

• 3 tablespoons ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Roasted Veggies

Choose 2-3 veggies you want to include for the week and prep them, start to finish. Broccoli and sweet potatoes and the two I reach for most often. I’ll cube the sweet potatoes and roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper at 425 for 20-30 minutes. Same for the broccoli, but more like 15 minutes. This way, when it's time to make dinner, a flash in the oven, microwave, or sauté pan will be all it takes to refresh them. 

I’ll make about 2 cups of vinaigrette early in the week to have it ready for salads and veggies. I like to toss my roasted veggies in a little vinaigrette for a punchy flavor. It’ll work well with potatoes, green beans, carrots, or pretty much any roasted veggie you like. 

Blender Vinaigrette

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (or any vinegar of your choosing)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or sugar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• A pinch of kosher salt, about 1 teaspoon

Add all your ingredients besides the oil to the blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running at medium to high speed (very) slowly stream in the oil. After you add about half the oil and pour a little faster until the dressing is thick. It may splatter while you're blending, so having a towel to cover the opening is helpful. You can make this with an immersion blender or by hand with a whisk, you'll just need to mince your ingredients more. Whisking my hand may not fully emulsify the vinaigrette, which is fine; just give it a good stir or shake before use. 

Make A Grain Base

Part of my weekly prep usually includes a grain. I switch between rice and couscous mostly and make a quart or two to last the week, depending on how many people I’m feeding. Couscous is truly the easiest starch to make and fits into so many recipes, both cold and hot. After cooking your gain, adjust the seasoning and add a little olive oil to keep it from getting too sticky. Cool it on a sheet tray or shallow container to help cool it faster and keep it from overcooking. Cooking ahead of time can also increase the healthfulness of the grain by developing resistant starch. Resistant starch is a complex carbohydrate that takes longer to digest, helping stabilize blood sugar and keep you feeling full for longer while supporting good gut bacteria. I like to mix my grain with a bean or pea for a boost of plant-based protein. Using canned or frozen options makes it very easy. 

Cut Everything!

I mean everything. Having veggie mix-ins ready to go will make your whole life easier. Wash and cut your salad greens early in the week. This does decrease the shelf life but but if you put them in a bag or container with a moist paper towel they will last the week. While youre cutting your veggies to roast, cut everything else too like cucumber, carrot, tomato or anything else you like in a side salad. Remember, you already made your vinaigrette! If you have nuts you want to add, chop them ahead of time. If you like to add chees (not a veggie, I know) cube or shred ahead! Even herbs you might use for a garnish, if you chop them with a sharp knife and don't over chop, store them like the lettuce with a moist towel, and they'll keep for several days. If you choose to cook meat during your prep, you can cube it and store it as well. Imagine having and fresh, homemade, healthy meal ready in 20 minutes without having to even use a knife. This goes for any snacking foods you want to keep around, too. If they're as easy to grab as a bag of chips, you’re more likely to make a healthy choice. I like to cut up melon, papaya, and pineapple early in the week for snacks throughout. 

If this feels daunting, don't get discouraged! It can be easy to burnout on a big goal if you try to do too much at once. Try incorporating this in pieces and see how much prepping ahead just one thing saves you time. When you get into the groove of ingredients, you’ll be amazed at how gorgeous your fridge looks. I hope it inspires you to whip up something delicious!