How to Incorporate Variety into Your Meal Prep & 3 Easy Recipes to Get Started

 

You might have heard the saying “a failure to plan is a plan to fail”. There’s a lot of truth in that sentiment as it applies to your nutrition. When it comes to your diet, a failure to meal prep is usually a plan to fail in sticking with nutritional goals.  

There are a couple reasons I tend to hear when someone tells me why they don’t meal prep. The first is that they don’t have time. But in my last post on meal prepping we debunked the myth that it has to be overly complicated or time-consuming. In fact, it almost always ends up saving you time the rest of the week. In this case, the person usually just hasn’t attempted meal prepping yet and may feel a little uncertain about the process (I’d greatly encourage them to check out my post 3 Ways To Meal Prep Like A Pro).

The second reason I hear for why someone doesn’t meal prep is that they would get bored “eating the same meals over and over”. This concern often stems from the notion that “healthy” food is boring food, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. You can enjoy as much variety as you want in your meal prep throughout the week, with healthy, wholesome foods!

I really began enjoying healthy food when I started branching out and challenging myself to try new foods, recipes and preparations. I can’t stand raw or steamed asparagus, but I discovered I love it baked with some garlic and coconut oil. Cauliflower never seemed particularly interesting, until I learned there were so many different delicious ways to prepare it. So rather than worrying that meal prepping with healthy foods will somehow limit you, see it as an opportunity to discover new foods to enjoy!

My favorite way to meal prep is by preparing staple components of meals (fruits, veggies, carbs and protein sources) in advance and then mixing and matching them based on my cravings. Those same ingredients can turn into a sweet or savory wrap, salad or sandwich, tacos or a burrito bowl, a stir-fry, hearty soup, breakfast hash or omelet!

Like anything else in life, you get out of it what you put into it. So make sure you are having fun and using your imagination! Today I’m going to share three easy mix and match meal prep recipes that I threw together throughout the week from staple components. Each one took between in 5-10 minutes to toss together. They’re quick, healthy and completely delicious!

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Quick & Easy Veggie Stir-Fry

I whipped up this easy stir-fry in probably under 10 minutes.

Everything was prepped and kept in the refrigerator in advance and it was as easy as tossing everything into a pan, heating up and then chowing down.

Some of the staple components I prepped that week and used in multiple recipes were:

• Several Green bell peppers, chopped and refrigerated
• 2 Onions, chopped and refrigerated
• 1 Package of boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled
• A pre-packaged bag of chopped cabbage

Quick & Easy Veggie Stir-Fry

▪5oz grilled chicken, chopped
▪1/2 cup of green bell peppers, chopped
▪1/4 cup white onions, chopped
▪1 cup of cabbage, chopped
▪1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
▪1 tablespoon of coconut oil
▪A splash of low-sodium soy sauce

Grease skillet with coconut oil and saute peppers, onions and cabbage over a medium heat. When veggies begin to wilt, stir in chicken, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Cover with a lid to let everything steam (this will help keep the chicken from drying out).

Stir occasionally as needed. When veggies are fully cooked and everything is heated through, pour stir-fry into a dish and enjoy! Add a cup of cooked Jasmine rice for complex carbs! Makes one serving.

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Sweet And Savory Grilled Salad

This week, my husband and I grilled most all of our meal prep components on our charcoal grill. Among the components we prepped that week were:

• 1 Package of Brussels Sprouts, halved and grilled
• 1 Pag of whole carrots, grilled
• Several large zucchinis, sliced and grilled
• 1 Package of boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled
• Several pears, chopped and refrigerated
• 1 Package of spring mix lettuce

Sweet And Savory Grilled Salad

▪1 Cup spring mix lettuce
▪ 5oz grilled chicken, chopped
▪1 Small pear, sliced
▪1 Grilled carrot, chopped
▪6 Grilled Brussels Sprouts
▪1/2 Grilled zucchini
▪Handful or Craisins
▪Drizzled of fat-free Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

Place all ingredients into a large salad bowl, drizzle with fat-free Balsamic Vinegar Glaze and enjoy!

If you want the grille components of the salad served hot, pre-heat them in the microwave first and serve them over the bed of lettuce. Makes one serving.

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Wilted Kale And Veggie Hot Salad

I’m a big fan of hot salads.

To be honest, you could play around with how you served this recipe and turn it into a sandwich, wrap or a basic veggie-dense meal with individual components on a plate.

But I like to mix all of the flavors together in a big bowl and call it a “hot salad”. Among the components we prepped that week were:

• 1 Package of boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled
• 1 Large eggplant, seasoned and grilled
• 1 Container of chopped mushrooms, sauteed in coconut oil, garlic and oregano
• 1 Bunch of kale, sauteed in coconut oil, salt and pepper
• 1 Batch of Southernly Savory Roasted Onions

▪1 Cup sauteed kale
▪ 5oz grilled chicken, chopped
▪3 Slices of grilled eggplant
▪1/4 of one roasted onion
▪1/4 Cup sauteed mushrooms
▪1/2 of one avocado, cubed

Layer all the ingredients into a bowl on top of the kale and pop into the microwave for a few minutes to reheat. Dig in and enjoy! Makes one serving.

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All writing and images copyright © 2018 Rachel Elise Weems Woods