Food Prep 101

The first time I ever food prepped was about ten years ago. It took me eight hours on a Sunday, and I burnt things. I wanted to give up! I was never taught to cook, but I learned how to cook one thing at a time. Cooking is one of the best things you can learn to do for your health and for your family’s health.

Some common mistakes people make when doing food prep are thinking it needs to be this extravagant meal and seasoning the food in a way that doesn’t allow it to be versatile throughout the week. It is honestly best to not heavily season your food when cooking it. An example would be, let's say, your main protein for the week is ground beef. You could make spaghetti with it for one dinner, tacos the next, and bbq for the third. See the variety? If the beef is already cooked, all you have to do is throw it in a pan or pot and add your sauce. More examples are below:

Base Protein for the Week: 

Chicken

Meal Options: 

BBQ Pulled Chicken *Ingredients: Chili Powder, bbq sauce(low sugar, high fructose corn syrup free).

Fajita Chicken *Ingredients: Chili Powder, Salsa, Cilantro, Lime Juice.

Stuffed Chicken 

Bruschetta Chicken *Ingredients: Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Oregano, Tomatoes, Basil. 

 Base Vegetables for the Week: 

Veggie Slaw *Ingredients: 1 Bag Broccoli Slaw, 2 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 TBL Mustard, 1/4c Paleo Chipotle Mayo, 2 TBL Lemon Juice, Pumpkin Seeds Optional (Combine all ingredients in a bowl)

Hearts of Palm Noodles -Chopped Sundried tomatoes (When ready to cook, place in pan on high heat and cook for 2 min)

Base carbohydrates for the Week:

Potato, sweet potato, chickpea noodles, or rice.

I generally cook one of each base on Sunday and another on Wednesday. Food prep has a learning curve; it takes time. Start with one thing, and it will become a staple! Just like anything, with practice, you’ll get better and better. Food prep takes 2 hours a week—one hour on Sunday and one on Wednesday. I like to use things that cook for me, like my Ninja, to get stuff done while it’s cooking. I can simultaneously have one thing in my Ninja and one on my cast iron skill. I use my $5 rice steamer every week. Our veggies are 85% frozen unless we eat a salad or raw veggies. That is what works for us, and you’ll find what works for you too!