meal prep

Hi Everyone,
I'm a 29 year old mother of 3. I am busy pretty much all the time and as of september I will be working part time. I am just starting to eat Paleo. I am hoping it will help with my IBS. My question is what do you eat and do you prep for the week or everyday? I like to cook on sundays and wednesdays since I'm soo busy. I would love to have meal plan from someone who eats Paleo..
Thanks

Replies

  • Lyndseed
    Lyndseed Posts: 79 Member
    The cookbook "Well Fed" has a great weekly meal prep section. It makes it easy to throw lunches and dinners together in a hurry throughout the week. The regular recipes are great too!

    http://www.amazon.com/Well-Fed-Paleo-Recipes-People/dp/061557226X
    http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/wellfed/
  • homesweeths
    homesweeths Posts: 792 Member
    I second the book "Well Fed"!

    In addition, off the top of my head, I remembered this website has four weeks of menus and is all about doing paleo cooking on a budget:
    http://www.koastrength.com/the-paleo-experiment.html
  • Ultimatefitmama
    Ultimatefitmama Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks. I'll take a look at the book and website for sure.:smile:
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    I chop veggies ahead as much as I can. Also, if you don't already have one or the other, look into a slower cooker or pressure cooker! I also make extras when I do dinner to have for lunches, or for more dinners. I've also cooked up an entire 3lb bag of chicken on a Sunday or package of bacon, then I'm good for a couple days, at least. You can top salads, put with a veggie, make fajitas or wraps (use lettuce), etc. Feel free to browse my diary for ideas.

    You could also look up once a month cooking - OAMC. I think there's even a whole 30 OAMC online. :)
  • leighn62
    leighn62 Posts: 142 Member
    Every Sunday I make something for breakfast for the week. I will make a crustless quiche with left over meat, cheese, veggies. Cut it up into 5 pieces and microwave it at work. I made some scotch eggs last week. (hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage and baked) Again warm in up in wave at work. My favorite breakfast is making egg "wraps". Mix up eggs and maybe a little spinach and pour it in a well greased cookie sheet so and bake so that you have the worlds thinnest "quiche". Let it cool and cut into portions for the weeks. I bag them up individually and fill them at work with smoked salmon and goat cheese or bacon and cheese and avocado or whatever. Warm the egg first in wave. Leftovers for lunch or tuna salad wrapped in lettuce. Sometimes I make soup or stew on the weekend for options during the week. Make meatloaf on Sunday. I always plan to do very little actual cooking during the week so I can work out a little before dinner. Good luck. Sounds like you are good at planning ahead. It will really pay off!
  • brista128
    brista128 Posts: 17 Member
    My favorite breakfast is making egg "wraps". Mix up eggs and maybe a little spinach and pour it in a well greased cookie sheet so and bake so that you have the worlds thinnest "quiche". Let it cool and cut into portions for the weeks. I bag them up individually and fill them at work with smoked salmon and goat cheese or bacon and cheese and avocado or whatever. Warm the egg first in wave.

    Oooh, this sounds like a great idea. Especially with those fillings you use. I'll have to try this!
  • tracy1344
    tracy1344 Posts: 51 Member
    I am a busy mom too. Here are a few of the things I do that have made meal time easier. I have a "meal map" that I use to make my menu from each week. Sunday is leftovers (I don't cook on Sundays). Monday is always Pernil (roast pork) or a beef roast and that makes plenty for leftovers (lunches and/or dinners) for the rest of the week. Tuesday is always 2 roast chickens. We eat roast chicken for dinner, I debone what is left and that is used for lunches and/or dinners the rest of the week. The bones are used for bone broth immediately or put in the freezer for later. Wednesday is something with ground beef/pork
    or a leftover protein from Mon or Tues. I love the Well Fed cookbook and ISWF for quick meals using ground meat. Thursday is either salmon or tuna cakes or another ground meat hotplate. Friday is always cuban style chicken leg quarters with crispy skin. Saturday I make a big pot of vegetable beef soup using up veggies that wasn't used during the week and any ground meat that is left over. Saturday's are the day that I do a big cookup for the week ahead, since I don't cook on Sundays. I make several side dishes on Saturday, prep veggies and fruit and cook up the ground meats for the week.

    Maybe my plan will give you some ideas. I chose foods that my family loves and doesn't mind having from week to week as anchors for a Meal Map. One of the things I hate most is actually figuring out what to feed my family of 6. I work in new recipes to try once a week, usually on Saturday.
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
    Today I did the "Well Fed" food prep marathon...the sunshine sauce and stir fry sauce are delicious. And the caramelized coconut flakes are addictive. I'm going to be well prepared this week with hot plates and will make the eggplant strata in a couple of days.
  • happyheathen927
    happyheathen927 Posts: 167 Member
    Well Fed's cook-ups and hot plates revolutionized the way I meal plan/prep & cook for my very busy family of 5. It was worth every penny. As a matter of fact, knowing what I know now I'd have probably paid double for it. I use it several times a week and have made the mayo and stir-fry sauce so many times I could probably whip them up in my sleep.
  • dandelion39
    dandelion39 Posts: 514 Member
    Love the idea of the egg wraps--those sound so good. And you organized folks are inspiring me. I'm definitely going to start weekend cook-ups, right after Labor Day. Can't believe it's already here!
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Welcome to Paleo, it will help you if you commit fully.

    I do both. I usually do a weekly cook up on the weekend, but sometimes I do mini cook ups during the week. For me, I eat a lot of simple things: pork chops, steaks, chicken thighs, stir fries, ground beef mixtures. I cook up a big portion and then eat them with whatever veggies I have on hand. I am able to stick to Paleo (was Primal for a year before quitting dairy) even if I don't have something pre-made (yesterday I split a leftover with my child and then added a can of oysters; eggs are another good last minute item). I never make excuses and I always find a way.

    PS. Feel free to look at my diary, I keep it open. I'm not big on Paleo substitutes and I'm pretty simple, but I do love the way I eat. Oh, and I'm ketogenic if you are wondering about the macros. It's the healthiest lifestyle for me.
  • sportyredhead01
    sportyredhead01 Posts: 482 Member
    Another vote for Well Fed!
    Paleo or not the food is delish.

    The mayo is slap-your-momma good. I was cleaning out my fridge last week trying to figure out what ELSE I could put it on. And that Tex-Mex Tuna Salad has been my go to meal while my husband has been on night shift.

    Also the peach almond crisp is fab.:drinker:
  • primalkiwi
    primalkiwi Posts: 164 Member
    There's some great ideas above esp Tracy with a Meal map - knowing roughly what you are going to have each week makes the shopping easier, means less waste and less stress. Some weeks I write out a menu but I eat simply and have a general plan in my head that goes something like this:
    Breakfast - last nights leftovers or omelette or can of sardines
    Lunch - leftovers or salad with pre cooked meat (see below) or a standby can of tuna
    Dinner - either prepared earlier and defrosted or stirfry or meat on the bbq with veg or salad.

    If I'm cooking a dinner I haven't prepared earlier then I generally try to think of it as cooking once for the next 3 meals (dinner then breakfast and lunch the next day).

    I also tend to go for the 'big cook up'. Generally I take a large quantity of ground meat then make burgers that I cook on the bbq and freeze. They are an excellent standby - I'll eat them defrosted for breakfast or crumbled over a salad for lunch. With that meat I'll also make a big pot of chilli or bolognaise and meatballs in a chilli tomato sauce which I freeze in individual serves. I also cook a big batch of steak on the bbq and freeze - great for slicing up and adding cold to salads for lunches.