Meal Prep Ideas For Those Who Don’t Meal Prep

I probably get the most questions from clients about how to incorporate easy, healthy meals during the week when they are so tired after work or they just don’t seem to have the time. I personally get so overwhelmed when scrolling Instagram and see busy people with what looks like Bento boxes of meals for the ENTIRE week. I am talking 3 meals a day, 5 days; that’s 15 meals, all perfectly laid out and stacked in the fridge; some are even labeled. If this is what works for you, then of course, don’t stop what you’re doing, but I can’t remember a time that I ever prepped meals like that OR if I did, actually eating those meals for the entire week. Its a confession that shocks many people who think I may be one of those people who makes bento boxes for the week, but guys—I just can’t nor do I want to do it. I am all about setting yourself up for success, but the key to that is that everyone finds a way that works for them. 

***This is going to be my second installment of easy meal prep ideas. The first installment is here

I know that you’re thinking that if you want to eat real, unprocessed foods then you MUST meal prep. And that its impossible to stay on track without meal prepping for the whole week. Well, this is sort of right. There MUST be some component to planning in place in order to have healthy, unprocessed meals, but as I mentioned above, there are SO many ways to do it and now more than ever, people have more flexible schedules, or unconventional work schedules that allow them time to meal prep in a different way than just 4 hours on a Sunday. Now, if you are competing in a fitness/physique competition and have very specific eating restrictions, I get that you must meal prep; I did that 6 times myself.

Another reason I don’t meal prep anymore is because….Life.

I have friends,family, work, events and I have no idea what I am doing even tomorrow night. I hate wasting food and the idea of pre making all of my food for the week, knowing that I could be going out to dinner or training a client later in the evening or just want something that I didn’t prepare would make me feel terrible about wasting the food that I already cooked. It just doesn’t work that well for my lifestyle.

I know my body and I know myself, and I just can’t eat the same exact thing every single day. (there is NOTHING wrong with doing that if it works for you) It’s like knowing exactly which movie you want to watch when you sit down for a movie; I usually have to scroll through a bunch until something tickles my fancy. I can’t plan that far in advance. SO, this blog post is dedicated for all of you who just don’t have the time, nor desire to plan meals for the entire week. I wanted to share my tips and tricks and some things that work for me. Maybe you can come away with one of these bullet points to incorporate in order to make your life just a little bit easier.

#1 Grocery Shop:

Meal prepping or not, we all have to grocery shop. I personally love going to the grocery store, but I always go in with a plan. I think about the next couple days and base what I get around that. Of course I have staples (which is my next tip) but other than those, I like to switch up the fruits, vegetables, proteins and fats that I use! Make a list of foods that you like and pick a few from each category to buy at the store for the week. This will break up the boredom of eating the same thing every single day. Once you’re home, pre wash and pre cut the veggies and fruits that you can. Store them so they are easy to use in recipes. Write a list and stay focused on it!

>>> CLICK HERE FOR PDF HEALTHY SHOPPING LIST <<<

#2: Always Have Staples:

I will say, that my cabinets and fridge alike, are both stocked with items that I always tend to use, daily, if not every other day. For those who follow me, I stick to a modified FODMAPS diet, which basically means that my body doesn’t process certain foods very well including fruits and vegetables such as garlic, onions, shallots, asparagus, artichokes, leeks, spicy foods, apples, pears, stone fruits, artificial sweeteners and a bunch of others, but these listed are the biggest culprits to give me gastric distress. Knowing this, I always have tons of herbs, spices, oils, citrus, mustards to flavor my food. Pictured below is Himalayan sea salt, pepper, lemon, balsamic vinegar, dried basil, avocado oil, coconut oil and olive oil. I also love limes, ghee, other vinegars, mustards and always tons of fresh herbs. I use lots of other seasonings but these right here are ALWAYS in my kitchen. When I’m low-I reorder or restock! I also love Fody Foods seasonings and sauces for marinades. They are all low FODMAPS and delicious!


This picture below are more staples for my smoothies, breakfasts, snacks, dressings etc.I usually have gluten free oatmeal at some point almost every day and I really love this new brand that I found at Whole Foods, Engine 2. It is gluten free and contains hemp and chia seeds. I also always throw chia seeds, cocoa powder in smoothies. The Nuttzo is new to me, but represents any amount of nut butter that I ALWAYS have on hand to eat with my yogurt, oats, on rice cakes, in protein bites etc. I also love making salad dressing (for the week!) using maple syrup, mustards and tahini because well, tahini is delicious! I put it on salads, avocado toast, veggies, sweet potatoes—you name it! Healthy fats and super creamy, rich and filling.


#2 Pre-make or Pre Marinade and Freeze
Whenever I DO make my own condiments such as salad dressings or sauces, low FODMAP pesto; I always double the recipe and if I won’t use it that week again, I freeze it. The freezer is your best friend. Use it to make double batches of food and store for later! As soon as I buy chicken, I throw it in a ziploc bag and pour some marinade in there such as Primal Kitchen honey mustard dressing or a simple combo of balsamic vinegar, oil, mustard and maple syrup. Then I freeze the chicken in the bag so it marinades/freezes in there! Now, I automatically have a meal or two that I can take out in the morning and by evening it will be defrosted. I also buy frozen organic vegetables when I am REALLY short on time to throw in my air fryer so I know that I always have veggies to pair with a meal. If you want to take it a step further you can freeze little baggies of pre cut potatoes and veggies to take out in the morning to defrost. When they’re defrosted, just throw the in a pan, oven or air fryer!

#3 Roast/Air fry Tons of Vegetables:
I always, and I mean ALWAYS have vegetables in my fridge. I didn’t put it in my ‘staples’ picture but I can assure you, my fridge Is packed with them! When I cook veggies in my air fryer, I usually make twice as much as I am going to eat and keep them in the fridge so I can always throw together easy meals, guaranteed veggies! I really don’t eat raw vegetables that much besides snap peas, cucumbers and baby carrots, so having cooked vegetables on hand helps SO much when it comes to throwing together quick meals.

#4 Prep Ingredients, Not Meals:

This is probably one of the best tips in this post! When I discovered that I could have ‘parts’ of meals cooked but not the entire meal, this became a game changer for me! Although I don’t make these full blown out meals ahead of time, I will say that I like to pre cook (at minimum) protein, so I have enough for a few days. I can bank on the fact that I will almost always be home for lunch during the week and will always have some sort of animal protein with my lunch. I always cook up a different protein that will last for a few days such as ground turkey, ground beef, chicken thighs or breasts in the slow cooker or shrimp. I make my salad top with the protein and done! You can also do the same for a whole batch of roasted potatoes, brown rice/quinoa or even oatmeal. Having these components on hand makes throwing together meals SO easy. You can easily throw together meals because your components are already made.

2 poached eggs, veggies/potatoes/zoodles made in the air fryer at the same time as the eggs were cooking! 15 minutes 🙂

#5 Have Fun With It!

For me, cooking is a de-stressor. I have always loved cooking and being in the kitchen from an early age (thanks mom and big bro!) My brother, who is an AMAZING cook and mother, have lead the way for me to be super creative and take a huge interest and passion in cooking. Another reason, I choose not to meal prep is because I love coming up with fun, creative and delicious meals in the kitchen. I find inspiration from the internet, cook books, family, friends and clients. At the end of a long day, I enjoy stepping into the kitchen and creating delicious flavor. It’s how I unwind. The thought of sitting in the kitchen for 3 or 4 hours, making a weeks worth of meals, takes the fun completely out of being in the kitchen in the first place. I get in a whole different mind set when it comes to food and I encourage you to do the same. Think of it as a creative space for you to put together amazing flavors and combinations. Sure, you may make something that ends up not being that great, but you did it and you learn from it! I challenge you to think about cooking the way you think about exercise. It shouldn’t stay the same, day in and day out, and if you try something, don’t like it, you can ALWAYS adjust. The key is stepping out of your comfort zone and trying it!

I tried a new way to cook this cod. I made it with maple syrup, lemon juice and dijon mustard. I cooked it in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. While the first was cooking, in the air fryer goes broccolini/peppers and sweet potatoes!

#5 The Kitchen Sink Meal:

This is the best formula when it comes to making a meal. It is usually what I follow when I am extra tired, have plenty of food so I don’t want to buy take out but also don’t want to cook an extravagant meal.

Choose:

  • Base : This can be roasted potatoes, cauliflower rice, brown or white rice, greens, eggplant, quinoa, farro
  • protein: Anything goes here! Chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, chicken thighs, shellfish, salmon, bison, lamb, tofu, chicken sausage
  • Flavors + sauces + Extras: Sauces (marinara. I buy Fody Foods brand. Pesto (make my own) Any bottled sauce or dressing that you like. Condiments (mustards, coconut aminos, vinegars, oils, citrus, spices, herbs, avocado) cheese, bacon, nuts/seeds sprinkled on top.

Nothing fancy here, but this simple formula lets you build easy meals to have in under 30 minutes. The key is having the ingredients to do so, so I would suggest focusing more on filling your kitchen with options.

BASE: Zoodles PROTEIN: Shrimp cooked with ghee, salt and pepper. I threw some tomatoes + mushrooms in the same pan. EXTRAS: Arugula topped with some olive oil and lemon juice. I also added some parmesan cheese afterwards.

#6 Know What You Like & Have It On Hand

I shared some of my staples above and I can’t tell you how having those items on hand, always, makes SUCH a difference! You must try to think about what you know you can always lean on for certain meals. Foods that you will always enjoying eating and fuel your body properly. Mine are hardboiled eggs + baby spinach. Its a fast meal that I can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner in a pinch and I can’t tell you the last time that I DIDN’T have those items in my fridge. Having those ‘fall back’ foods ensure that you will always have a yummy meal that you enjoy.

Pre cooked brown rice that I made ahead of time. Shrimp cooked with lime and cilantro (8 minutes) sauteed kale and brussels sprouts (also 8 minutes)

This is a sample of how my day looks when it comes to food

Breakfast:

I usually eaten after my first few sessions. I don’t eat first thing in the morning; I never have. I am just not super hungry and find that a big glass of water with lemon, followed by coffee works for me for a few hours. When I do eat breakfast, its usually one of the following:

  • 1 Greek yogurt + ½ C oatmeal (cooked the night before and eaten cold which is my favorite way!) with 1T nut butter
  • 2 hardboiled eggs with veggies + avocado
  • Smoothie made with Primal kitchen collagen protein, 1 frozen banana, 1T coconut oil, spinach, almond milk, chia seeds, frozen cauliflower rice
  • Green Protein pancakes made with 2 eggs, 1 banana, 1T almond flour, cinnamon, spinach
  • 1 Banana + 1 packet nut butter + 1 hardboiled egg (on the go!)
  • Left over protein like chicken with veggies + sweet potato + coconut oil.
A post workout meal. Poached eggs over greens (cooked the greens in the microwave for efficiency) Quick oats (took 90 seconds in the microwave) with some greens and blueberries.

Lunch:

I always am usually home for lunch because I walk my dog and live in walking/biking distance of work. I usually make a big salad; its here that I get most of my veggies. I air fry veggies, go walk Ozzie and by the time I am home, they’re done! I top the veggies over spinach and pair with a protein that I have pre cooked in the fridge like chicken or ground beef, ½ avocado and top with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Dinner:

This is when I use my own tips and tricks to cook up a quick meal. Of course, I am human and have take out or meet friends during the week so I am not cooking every night but for the most part, during the week, I am utilizing my air fryer and these tips to throw together quick meals in under 30 minutes! I choose a base, protein, and topping! DONE!

Seared scallops in avocado oil. Zoodles and peppers (made in the air fryer) Potatoes (made in the air fryer) 30 minutes and done!

Snacks: I don’t usually snack too much since my meals are pretty substantial but some snacks that I do have if I do:

  • Nuts
  • Beef jerky
  • Hardboiled eggs
  • Berries or other fruit
  • Protein bites (homemade, click here for recipe)
  • Dark chocolate
  • Chicken sausage (always have on hand! I buy them from whole foods or Savenours)
  • Nut butter packets or tablespoon of nut butter right off the spoon!
Quick meal of 2 whole eggs, swiss shard and air fry sweet potatoes. Ingredients to plate in about 10 minutes.

What it comes down to is what works best for you. I think that the term “meal prep” has become one of those buzzwords that if you are a fitness professional or lead a healthy lifestyle then you must spend 3-4 hours every Sunday making beautiful bento boxes of meals for the week. It can be a hard thing to admist that no, I actually don’t meal prep and don’t have a desire to do so. I still take time to think about the fuel that goes into my body and do have to put mechanisms in place for me to get those meals to the table, but I do it in a way that I have found works for me. I used to look at those tupperware meals on Instagram and think that I was some sort of imposter for NOT meal prepping in the most traditional sense. I use these tips that I have shared with you and live my life! I want everyone to feel empowered in their food choices and not letting themselves get sucked into certain ‘food rules’ that can become engrained in our brains. You never have to force something to work in your life if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle so play around and go to the beat of your own drum.