Preplanning and preparing food for the week

MoniMoni2u

I'm a CPA in the middle of tax season. I know that others are here are VERY busy as well. As I was roasting my veggies for lunch today, I wondered if I could do a big oven-full of veggies and roast them at the beginning of the week to use throughout the week?

I have been instructed to eat gluten-free by my doc and am replacing pasta with roasted veggies, I'm also just trying to eat a wider variety of veggies each day/week.

I'm all about working smart, not hard. Doing small things that may take a few extra moments today but will save oodles of time later. What kind of things do you do to eat better that saves time in the end?

julianpoutram

If I was allowed in my house, I would do all my cooking on Sunday and have it prepared alll through the week! It makes life soooo much easier so why not do a whole load of roast veg? I approve this suggestion!

SherryTeach

I actually do nearly all of my cooking on Sunday afternoons, including roasting veggies. I usually do some of the following: chicken pesto pasta with walnuts, turkey chili, red quinoa with wilted kale and pine nuts, turkey sausage casserole with peppers, sirloin steak teriyaki stir fry, steamed green beans with almonds. Today I made ham and bean soup.

I buy those Ziplock screw on lid containers to portion out individual servings and I typically leave some in the fridge for the current week and freeze some for the next week. Then I have plenty of variety and pretty much no prep during the week.

KirstenTheFamilyCoach

I just did this yesterday. I roasted a mix of root veggies and squash (turnips, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, beets, sweet potato and kabuki squash) I saved some to eat during the week and mixed the rest in my Vitamix to create a great soup. I baked a ton of chicken breasts too. Some of that went in my soup, some cut up for salads, some mixed in with buffalo spice for sammies later today and some for chicken lasagna. A few days ago I slow cooked a roast for tacos, chili and salads. Sure makes things easier to have the bottom two shelves full of yummy HEALTHY food ready to grab.

Cr01502

I steam/ cut/ roast all my veggies for the week and cook my chicken/salmon a couple of days in advance and then reheat and devour as necessary.

enid42

I cook for three adults, two on a diet and one type one diabetic.

Last Sunday, I made three huge trays of roasted veggies. We use them as a veggie side, a quick snack and as a filling for a veggie omelet. I bake potatoes and sweet potatoes whenever I think about it. I'll cook a whole chicken in the crock pot and use the meat for sandwiches, stir frys and to go on salads. I portion it out in four ounce baggies. I've been making two-three batches of soup a week and I honestly eat leftover soup for breakfast because I hate to cook anything when I first get up. We also portion out trail mix, nuts and crackers, so everyone can grab what snacks they need for the day. I used to write the calorie count on the bags, but everyone knows it by now.

I probably do crock pot cooking 3 times a week, meaning that meat is cooked for dinner and I just need to come up with a carb and a veggie, that makes dinner less challenging. I keep backups of chicken sausage links, turkey tenderloins (with a long shelf date) and a few frozen meals for poor planning.

here's a few of my mainstay meals
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/01/chicken-pot-pie-soup.html
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html
http://www.friendsfoodfamily.com/friends-food-family/2012/10/lebanese-lemon-lentil-soup-with-swiss-chard.html

julianpoutram

I cook for three adults, two on a diet and one type one diabetic.

Last Sunday, I made three huge trays of roasted veggies. We use them as a veggie side, a quick snack and as a filling for a veggie omelet. I bake potatoes and sweet potatoes whenever I think about it. I'll cook a whole chicken in the crock pot and use the meat for sandwiches, stir frys and to go on salads. I portion it out in four ounce baggies. I've been making two-three batches of soup a week and I honestly eat leftover soup for breakfast because I hate to cook anything when I first get up. We also portion out trail mix, nuts and crackers, so everyone can grab what snacks they need for the day. I used to write the calorie count on the bags, but everyone knows it by now.

I probably do crock pot cooking 3 times a week, meaning that meat is cooked for dinner and I just need to come up with a carb and a veggie, that makes dinner less challenging. I keep backups of chicken sausage links, turkey tenderloins (with a long shelf date) and a few frozen meals for poor planning.

here's a few of my mainstay meals
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/01/chicken-pot-pie-soup.html
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html
http://www.friendsfoodfamily.com/friends-food-family/2012/10/lebanese-lemon-lentil-soup-with-swiss-chard.html

Serious organisational skills! Can I come stay with you guys? :P

lucy529

Since i usually end up cooking something different for the hubs i make all my meals once a week, i steam my veggies, make a batch of quinoa and grilled my chicken makes it so much easier. I am slowly working on getting him to eat some of the foods that i eat and some have gone good other not so much but what can i say he was raised on home cooked meals everyday, heck am happy he is willing to eat left overs til they are gone

MoniMoni2u

bump...any more suggestions of steps you actually take to preplan for the week?

Rodderick89

I pre-portion out nuts into little bags of 25g

Also, I prepare and measure out fruit (banana, strawberries, etc) into bags - enough to make 1 fruit smoothie with (just add almond milk) and write the recipe into MFP so it's quick to add.

I also prewash all my fruit/veg so it's ready to go and repack my gym bag with post-workout snacks (protein bars/ raisins/ nuts/ dried apricots) etc.

Also make a batch of these mini-egg muffins - I make enough for 2 days (3 a day for breakfast) and keep them in the fridge, but I'm sure you could keep them for longer.. heat in mircrowave for 30 secs to eat:

4 x eggs
50g wafer thin ham
30g light cheese
handful of chopped veggies (mushrooms, peppers, cooked brocolli, etc)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix everything together in a jug, grease a muffin tray/line with silicone liners, divide out the mixture, Bake at 375(f) for 22ish minutes! About 80 calories, 7g protein, 5g fat each.. could just use egg whites for lower fat and cals!

Anyone got any tips for preparing high in protein foods?

GoTeamMeaghan

I prepare & preportion all of my food on Saturday & Sunday. I measure out 1/2 c servings of cereal, chop strawberries, measure out 3/4 c servings of greek yogurt, make pumpkin protein bars (soooo good-i put half in the fridge and freeze the other half) and egg white muffins (these can be frozen). For lunch, I make a big batch of healthy soup-broccoli cheese, corn chowder, roasted potato, white beans, etc and put about 2 days worth in the fridge and freeze the rest in individual serving containers. For snacks, I hardboil a dozen eggs, measure out 1/4 c servings of raw almonds, chop veggies (sweet peppers, snow peas, etc). For dinner, I like to steam or roast veggies, especially spaghetti squash that I can just add a protein to (that way I'm not eating the exact same dinner every night). Then for post workout I have an apple and a protein shake-no prep needed there Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.

bpn80

I cook everything for the week on Sundays, portion it out in tupperware, and have it ready to go and grab so I don't have to think about it. Brussel sprouts with olive oil and salt, and roasted in the oven are a huge one for me. I also grill chicken breasts, make a big batch of beet/apple/carrot/lemon/ginger juice, and make a pot of black beans. SO much easier!

Spokez70

I do most of the cooking in our home so I just plan on making enough dinner for an extra lunch or two. I find it tends to work better for me if I keep it current enough I don't need to freeze anything so the most I usually prep is two days ahead. It makes logging it easier too since you can just copy the entire meal.

jillybeanpuff

My boyfriend and I both hate cooking, so if we do it, we do it big. If we make chicken, we make enough for at least 4 meals for each of us. Same with soup. I would much rather cook a ton of food at once and portion it out than make a new recipe each night. Usually we eat the same thing for 3-4 days but so far we haven't gotten sick of it. I will usually use our pre-done meals for my lunch so packing it for work is easier.

HartJames

I find most things taste a little off after 3 days or so. I cook chicken and hard boiled eggs 2x a week and will often cook enough of things like roasted veggies or sweet potatoes at the same time.

I decide what I'm eating for the week (2 dinners, 2 lunches, 2 breakfasts,4 snacks) because I don't mind eating similar main dishes (just easier and faster) plus it means less waste.

ktsmom430

I make a big pot of soup on Saturday. Sunday I use the George Foreman grill (or grill outside spring - fall). Package up leftovers in individual portion sizes, for lunches and dinners during the week. We eat salads M-Thurs for supper, so I chop up veggies and leftover grilled meat for our salads so everything is read for the week. Always prep carrots, celery and radishes for the week ahead. Make sure fresh fruit is prepped too. Melons cut up, strawberries hulled, apple washed etc. Sometimes I do crock pot steel cut oats and freeze individual servings for bringing to work for breakfast. Both my husband & I have a long commute to work, so it saves time for me during the hectic work week.

axelorate

I spend a few hours on Sunday chopping vegetables and meat, making sauces, assembling spice mixtures and casseroles, forming meatloaves, or whatever I plan on eating for the week. If I can safely do it without compromising the food's quality, then it gets done on Sunday. It also helps that I make it a point to eat foods that can be easily prepped ahead of time.

Everything is kept in the fridge and I do all my cooking when I get home from work each evening.

I make large meals on evenings before I have school, so when I get home at 10:30/11 p.m. the next night I can just microwave some leftovers. This has helped curb the late-night trips to [insert deliciously disgusting fast food joint here] on the way home from school.

Last week (the first week I did this) was mostly things I just needed to pop in the oven for a bit, which was nice because I could go exercise and then do my homework. I didn't have to watch over anything.

This week is mostly stuff I will have to pay attention to, but shouldn't take much time to actually cook.

I will also be trying to incorporate the ol' slow cooker into the mix. I just can't seem to break away from chili and pot roast whenever I use that thing.

I'm still experimenting with what works best, but so far I'm very pleased with how things are going.

axelorate

I prepare & preportion all of my food on Saturday & Sunday. I measure out 1/2 c servings of cereal, chop strawberries, measure out 3/4 c servings of greek yogurt, make pumpkin protein bars (soooo good-i put half in the fridge and freeze the other half) and egg white muffins (these can be frozen). For lunch, I make a big batch of healthy soup-broccoli cheese, corn chowder, roasted potato, white beans, etc and put about 2 days worth in the fridge and freeze the rest in individual serving containers. For snacks, I hardboil a dozen eggs, measure out 1/4 c servings of raw almonds, chop veggies (sweet peppers, snow peas, etc). For dinner, I like to steam or roast veggies, especially spaghetti squash that I can just add a protein to (that way I'm not eating the exact same dinner every night). Then for post workout I have an apple and a protein shake-no prep needed there Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.

I must know more about these pumpkin protein bars.

Klem4

Great tips, I really really need to start doing this.

Dino924

I'm an attorney who works a ton, I don't think roasted veggies are that great after a day or so (or maybe if you freeze them?) but I'll cut up a bunch of raw veggies for crudite (and buy the carrot chips). The crock pot has been a lifesaver, I freeze individual portions from whatever I make. also, eggs/omlettes are a quick dinner.

spaingirl2011

I'm a PhD student who works 2 jobs and I've decided that my freezer is my friend. I make up batches of turkey pasta sauce and put that over broccoli slaw. I crockpot chicken with bbq sauce, put leftovers in the freezer and they're ready for nuking with a side of veggies. Anything I can freeze, I will freeze because it saves precious time when I don't have time or I'm simply too tired. All the best to you!

tamaramsay

Best idea ever, because I end up cooking everyday and on the weekends I get so tired and go back to snacking. I will start prepackaging my veggies and fruits/ and portion out my carb intake for the week.

GoTeamMeaghan

[/quote]

I must know more about these pumpkin protein bars.
[/quote]

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/873178-homemade-pumpkin-protein-bars

soooooo good!

Love2lift72

Planning is a big problem for me. Something I'm gonna work on so I'm bumping this because you all inspire me.

CharityGC

When lean ground beef or turkey breast goes on sale, I stock up. Then I come home, cook it, add veggies and either taco/Mexican or Italian seasonings, let cool and portion out into Ziploc bags for the freezer. The same can be done with chicken. I'm big on prepping and freezing when I have spare time. I even freeze cookie dough in individual sizes for when I want something sweet but don't want to tempt myself with three dozen of something.

kacysuzanne

I have several tricks that help with breakfast - getting two kids and myself fed & out the door can be tricky some mornings. When we are staying home for the day, I will make a huge batch of pancakes or steel cut oats. The oatmeal will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and is great for my kids - just add a dab of milk, microwave and add whatever each family member wants (cinnamon, raisins, mini chocolate chips, fruit, honey, maple syrup - you get the idea). The pancakes do great frozen and reheated in the toaster.

For meat, I buy a turkey breast - bone in or just breast - thaw it in the fridge, brine it in salt/honey for a day, then bake. I serve it as dinner one night, then use the rest for sandwiches instead of buying slimy deli meat (not everyone thinks it's slimy, but it's a texture thing for me).

annabellep1

I will also be trying to incorporate the ol' slow cooker into the mix. I just can't seem to break away from chili and pot roast whenever I use that thing.

Oh, my, you are missing out. You can make almost anything that gets cooked in a crock pot. I make steel cut oatmeal sometimes with pumpkin puree, which can be eaten for breakfast throughout the week. I also make ribs, soups, chicken and stock for use in other meals, vegetable curry, breakfast casserole, meatloaf, and so much more. I love going to sleep and waking up to the smell of crock pot cooked food, or leaving the house and coming back hours later to a wonderful meal. Try looking up some slow cooker recipes online.You'll be surprised what you find.This goes for the OP, too. It's an easy way to plan ahead and cook smarter.