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Meal Prep Your Way to Weight Loss
Laniah Harris • November 9, 2022
Trying to decide if meal prep is right for you? Look no further! Learn how preparing all of your meals can save you time and money. And while you’re at it, try some recipes that are perfect for meal prepping!
What is meal prep?
All it means is planning and preparing meals ahead of time, usually in bulk. Usually, I meal prep for the next 5-7 days. This includes picking out my recipes, grocery shopping, and even cooking my meals in advance. Perfect meal prep meals will stay good in the fridge all week. So, instead of waking up each morning to pack a lunch or cook your breakfast, your meals will already be cooked and ready to go. That instantly saves you 30 minutes in the morning!
What should I prep?
Now, this is where it gets fun! Meal prep is very individualized, and I realize that every person is going to have different tastes or requirements when it comes to the foods that will be used. Keep in mind the palpability of prepared meals will vary.
Awaken180° approved foods that work great for meal prep:
- Roasted/grilled/ or air-fried vegetables
- Cooked meats (ground beef/chicken/ or turkey, hamburgers, sausage)
- Cooked fish (this is based on preference and we recommend prepping fish for only 3 days at a time)
- Eggs (hard-boiled eggs make for a great snack or addition to a salad at lunch)
- Raw fresh vegetables (think bell peppers, celery, radishes, cabbage, spinach, and kale)
- Sauces and dips (salad dressings, salsa, and Simple Girl marinades)
What do I need for meal prep?
Besides food, the most important thing you will need is containers to store all of it. Ideally, you will already have the cooking utensils to make whatever recipe you are creating. Below are a few links to different containers you can use to begin your meal-prepping journey with:
Let’s get cookin’!
I made this recipe recently and found how perfect it was for meal prep. Personally, I really enjoyed this meal prep because it had a variety of ingredients and spices, which kept me excited to eat it all week. It also had the right amount of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats all in one dish. That means I didn’t have to think about bringing (or forgetting) separate healthy fat, protein, and veggie containers on my way to work. All great things to think about as you’re deciding if a recipe is right for meal prep.
I also included even more recipes below for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal prep ideas.
Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients:
- 1- 16 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and drained for 30 minutes – 1 hour
- 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup riced cauliflower
- ½ cup green bell pepper, sliced
- ½ cup yellow onion, sliced
- Other vegetable options: bamboo shoots, bok choy, mushrooms, radishes, summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, etc.
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- Optional ½ Tbsp “Everything Bagel” Seasoning (found at most grocery stores) or sesame seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ tsp Paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder (optional)
- Avocado oil
Instructions:
- To prepare the tofu, place a paper towel and tofu on a plate. Press the tofu for 30 minutes to an hour by placing a heavy dish, pan, or pot on top to let the moisture drain. When finished, slice the tofu into ½ inch thick slices.
- Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F. Coat your tofu in 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Toss in a large bowl and place into the air fryer. Cook 8-10 minutes, then check, flip if necessary, and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until crispy to your liking.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the tofu blocks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 20 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until crispy.
- While the tofu is cooking, heat up a large skillet over low-medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tbsp avocado oil to the pan, and add all of the sliced vegetables. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and other seasonings of your choice.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and optional chili powder. Set aside.
- Saute the vegetables until fork tender, then top with the soy sauce mixture. When tofu is cooked, place the slices on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the “everything bagel” seasoning on top. Plate, and enjoy!
Check out a few other recipes below!
Breakfast Meal Prep Recipe Ideas
Lunch Meal Prep Recipe Ideas
Dinner Meal Prep Recipe Ideas
Ready to begin?
I hope you gained some insight into how helpful meal prep can be. I’ve seen a lot of success in people’s weight loss journey just through preparing their meals ahead of time. It minimizes the need to eat things outside of your structured plan and holds you accountable.
If you try any of these recipes, I’d love to hear how you like them. We can all learn something from one another, so sharing your tips and what has worked well for you may inspire others to follow suit. Happy meal prepping!
