Meal prep!

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LaVidaDeNiki
LaVidaDeNiki Posts: 22 Member
in Getting Started
Just getting started on this diet thing! MEAL PREP - overwhelming but I'm getting the hang of it! However, my options seem so boring! Fish and veggies mostly! Ideas???? Friends??? Support???? GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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  • BIGChrisCB
    BIGChrisCB Posts: 6 Member
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    I usually alternate my weeks between chicken and rice one week, beef and rice the next and finish out with pork and rice. I add veggies and fruit to each one and I look up different recipe's every Friday so come sunday I can prep for the work week.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    I don't do meal prep, and the reason you posted (boring) is one of the big reasons I don't. The other is because eating what is essentially leftovers, by the end of the week, that's just fun.

    Food should be enjoyed, IMO. Part of this journey, to me, is learning to establish a good relationship with food. Freshly prepared and cooked food should be a nice and pleasant part of one's day.

    Obviously, if you feel meal prep helps you, go for it. For me, it makes me loath mealtime, which is a bad thing.
  • rmboehm67
    rmboehm67 Posts: 17 Member
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    BIGChrisCB wrote: »
    I usually alternate my weeks between chicken and rice one week, beef and rice the next and finish out with pork and rice. I add veggies and fruit to each one and I look up different recipe's every Friday so come sunday I can prep for the work week.

    Depending on how strict you are trying to be sauces are great way to add variety. I'll switch salsa and Japanese mayonnaise back and forth between rice and proteins for different flavors.
  • LaVidaDeNiki
    LaVidaDeNiki Posts: 22 Member
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    colors_fade wrote: »
    I don't do meal prep, and the reason you posted (boring) is one of the big reasons I don't. The other is because eating what is essentially leftovers, by the end of the week, that's just fun.

    Food should be enjoyed, IMO. Part of this journey, to me, is learning to establish a good relationship with food. Freshly prepared and cooked food should be a nice and pleasant part of one's day.

    Obviously, if you feel meal prep helps you, go for it. For me, it makes me loath mealtime, which is a bad thing.

    Yeah, well I mentioned I was new to this. I think giving meal prep a try was smart. But, I do think it's easy enough to prep meals daily as well. My main issue is that I just started in the kitchen. So I need to work on seasonings and things like that so stuff actually taste GOOD. Ha! Thanks for the advice! I should def change it up throughout the week!
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    I do meal prep, but for the purpose of freezing and cooking later. If I'm going to make baked ziti, I'm making 30 servings and getting it over with. If I'm dealing with slicing lamb for dinner, I'm going to do 3 entire shoulders and have 18 meals. Ziploc bags are my friend. Buying in bulk and taking time to do meal prep is how we eat well on a fairly small budget.
  • Here4Ponies
    Here4Ponies Posts: 116 Member
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    I get overwhelmed by it, too. I have found a couple of things that work for me and my SO.
    1) We have go-to breakfasts, lunches, and snacks that are always in our lunch bags. Things like nuts, apples, string cheese, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, frozen fruit. We each have a standard sandwich if we don't do leftovers.
    2) I cook one main protein in bulk each week. Sometimes I freeze some of it to be used another week. This week I made chicken teriyaki in the slow cooker. Portioned it into plastic containers. Added brown rice and broccoli for six meals.

    Yes, it can be boring. Yes, it is leftovers. But. For me, it's either this or haphazard dietary habits that don't contribute to my long term goals.

    If you want assistance with cooking technique, I highly recommend How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson.
  • LaVidaDeNiki
    LaVidaDeNiki Posts: 22 Member
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    Here4Cookies wrote: »
    I get overwhelmed by it, too. I have found a couple of things that work for me and my SO.
    1) We have go-to breakfasts, lunches, and snacks that are always in our lunch bags. Things like nuts, apples, string cheese, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, frozen fruit. We each have a standard sandwich if we don't do leftovers.
    2) I cook one main protein in bulk each week. Sometimes I freeze some of it to be used another week. This week I made chicken teriyaki in the slow cooker. Portioned it into plastic containers. Added brown rice and broccoli for six meals.

    Yes, it can be boring. Yes, it is leftovers. But. For me, it's either this or haphazard dietary habits that don't contribute to my long term goals.

    If you want assistance with cooking technique, I highly recommend How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson.

    Thanks so much! Yeah, I mean we gotta do what we have to for our goals. I'm doing more research on seasonings and things so my repetitive meals at least taste delicious!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I am fascinated with meal prep too, but fresh made food is important to me, and I don't spend much time cooking anyway. I prep in components - freezing and defrosting, mostly; some soaking and cutting. I usually alternate between beef, pork, chicken, lamb and salmon - rice, pasta, potato, sweet potato, corn, barley - green peas/beans. Sometimes soup, casserole, or pancakes. When you are used to fresh whole foods, prepared correctly, you'll appreciate their subtle but rich and diverse flavors, and you won't need much seasoning. Salt and pepper is enough for most meats/fish, red chili for mashed sweet potatoes. A variety of vegetables can be used in soups and casseroles.
  • Damien_Scott
    Damien_Scott Posts: 108 Member
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    If you're just losing weight don't worry so much about WHAT you are eating, so long as you get your protein and whatnot. I've lost 22lbs in 3 weeks simply by remaining at a 1000 calorie deficit. Of course I cut out empty calories, but I still eat most of what I used to.
  • EmmaFitzwilliam
    EmmaFitzwilliam Posts: 482 Member
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    I'm a big fan of advance prep. I choose to use simmer sauces, but bake chicken breasts in advance. I also have a salad I prepare - cucumbers, tomators, red bell pepper, and red onion. The key is to seed the tomatoes. It makes a huge difference and my salad mix stays crisp for a week.
  • qbnGains
    qbnGains Posts: 22 Member
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    I don't prep at all, I like my food fresh. I just make sure to have watever I'm eating that day in the fridge. I alternate every meal, never eat the same thing twice in a day. Also if I eat chicken Monday I probably won't eat more until like Thursday or Friday. I'm a cook so I have a lot of recepies that I can use which fit my macros. Hit me up if u need help in anything. (FYI) I'm in shred mode ATM so meals very low calories if u looking to loose weight.

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