6 Tips for Meal Prep Success!
Meal prepping and meal planning can be a life-saver when life gets busy. Having prepped your meals ahead of time saves you time and energy, makes meal-time less stressful, and helps you to eat healthier and mindfully! When we don't have time to enjoy a healthy, home-cooked meal, we often gravitate to more "convenient" (but not necessarily healthier) options leading us to order takeout a bit more than usual. But, have no fear! We've come up with 6 super easy and helpful meal prep tips for you to consider when planning for the next week's or month's menu so you can ensure you're making healthy choices for yourself and your family.
1. Shop Smart
Probably the easiest tip is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store which is where the produce and fresh food is located. The inner aisles typically contain processed foods that are best enjoyed in moderation. Being mindful of what you shop for is also important, so try to avoid shopping on an empty stomach - impulse buying increases when we are hungry!
Another smart shopping tip that helps with saving on groceries and with easy meal prep are our Inspired Go meals. Don't waste money on a tub of spinach only for it to be thrown out a week later still not even open. Our salads come pre-washed and chopped for you, so the only thing left to do is eat! We have tons of healthy pre-packaged options that are ready to eat whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner-time. Pre-order ahead of time and you are set for a week of healthy meal prep!
2. Eat the Rainbow
Whether you are meal prepping for the day, for the next week, or for the whole month, it is super important to ensure you incorporate all food groups into your meal plan. Eating a well-balanced meal is always good for you! We recommend including grains, veggies, healthy fats, and protein.
At Inspired Go, we pride ourselves on creating not only healthy but delicious, well-balanced meals for you to eat for any meal of the day. Pair one of our salads as a side dish with our sheet pan meals. Add a protein such as pan-seared salmon, flame-grilled chicken, tempeh, or a nice juicy steak for a well-balanced and delicious dinner!
3. Organization is key!
Organization is key when it comes to meal prepping. For this, you will need to set some time aside to put together a list of groceries or a list of meals you would like to prep for the coming week. A good idea would be to sit down with your partner or family members and come up with a list of meals for the upcoming week. Spend a few hours completing all the meal prep in advance so that when the day comes, you can just heat up your prepped food and enjoy it stress-free!
It's super easy to stay organized for meal prepping with Inspired Go! Simply add the meals you would like to your subscription for the next delivery date, and you're finished! Your fresh delivery of healthy and delicious meals will be delivered to your door ready for you to eat throughout the week.
Organization is key when it comes to meal prepping. For this, you will need to set some time aside to put together a list of groceries or a list of meals you would like to prep for the coming week. A good idea would be to sit down with your partner or family members and come up with a list of meals for the upcoming week. Spend a few hours completing all the meal prep in advance so that when the day comes, you can just heat up your prepped food and enjoy it stress-free!
It's super easy to stay organized for meal prepping with Inspired Go! Simply add the meals you would like to your subscription for the next delivery date, and you're finished! Your fresh delivery of healthy and delicious meals will be delivered to your door ready for you to eat throughout the week.
4. Keep a recipe book handy
Have you tried a meal that you and your family absolutely love? Be sure to write down the recipe, so you remember it for next time! Keep a little recipe book handy and full of your favourite meals. When you order our sheet pan meals from Inspired Go, all the ingredients are pre-measured, pre-washed, chopped and ready for you to cook so you won't have to worry about forgetting to add in anything else. If you choose to prepare your own protein for your sheet pan meal, just make sure to write down the seasonings you used to marinate it for next time!
5. Your freezer is your new best friend
Make your freezer your best friend when it comes to meal planning. This is a great way to ensure your foods such as meats and other proteins stay fresh. It is easy to forget about fresh foods and leave them sitting in the fridge to go to waste eventually. Save yourself the hassle! Chop up your protein ahead of time and season it, however, you'd like. Put it into a freezer bag, label what it is with the date you packed it, and pop it into the freezer.
Pro-tip: Buy all your lean protein such as chicken, turkey, or salmon fresh. Marinate it with whatever seasonings you prefer, and put it into a ziploc bag and pop into the freezer for the next time you need it. When the day comes, take the bag out of the freezer in the morning (before you leave for work or school) so that way it has the whole day to thaw. By the time you get home, it's ready to be cooked with one of our delicious sheet pan meals! Yum.
6. Ask for help
Meal prepping and planning is more fun with extra hands! Make it a little family activity once a week. If you're the designated household chef, get your little ones to participate in simple tasks such as washing fruits and veggies while you do the chopping, cooking and packing - a great way to incorporate quality time and family bonding!
Inspired Go is also here to help with family-sized meals such as our family-sized CHAR Caesar Salad and Superfood Salad. Pair this as a side dish with your protein component for a healthy well-balanced meal for you and your family.
