Protein can be the hardest macro for most to eat but it has the important job of helping to build and maintain cell structure and muscle mass, because of this it makes it very hard to be put onto the body as fat. It is also the most satiating macro which is why it can be the most important when dieting or just wanting to have stable energy levels. Because of these important roles, I’ve found it best to try to have at least 30g of protein at each meal. And in order to keep that consistent, I need always have some type of readily easy accessible protein in my fridge or pantry, here are my go-tos:
Chicken breast, turkey breast, lean ground meat(turkey, beef, or chicken), lean cut steak, canned tuna, white fish, egg whites, greek yogurt, edamame, lentils, tofu, tempeh, protein powder, and protein bars.
How to Prep Protein when you have time:
- An easy way to prep a lot of protein for the week is buy 16 oz of your desired protein and marinate it with lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and maybe cayenne powder if you want a little spice!(Marinating protein with Frank’s Red Hot and a little lemon juice is an easy low calorie way to add a lot of flavor too!)
- After it’s done marinating, an easy way to cook proteins is in the oven OR on the BBQ! In the oven you can just lay meat out on a foil lined sheet tray with 0 calorie cooking spray and bake (cook times vary but can be easily found online or you can contact me for a suggestion 🙂 ) OR grilling protein can add A LOT of smoky flavor for no calories!
- 16 oz will give you four 4 oz servings of protein which is equals to 20-26g of protein depending on the cut of meat, this is a solid protein foundation for any meal!
How to Get Protein when you DON’T have time:
Vegetables:
Packed with micronutrients and fiber, vegetables are another key essential to making us feel our best! And because they’re typically SO LOW in calories, then we can have a large amount of them without overdoing it on the calories 🙂 When just looking at the overview of my meal preps, you will see that volume wise there is more vegetables than anything else! This is because I aim to have about 6 servings a day so I want to make sure I have A LOT on hand! I aim for this amount for my health AND because they can add so much more volume to a meal which can make it more filling and satisfying.
How to Prep Vegetables when you have time:
- Similar to protein, an easy way to prep a lot of vegetables for the week is to buy YOUR favorite veggies (This is important to making sure you will WANT to eat them!) chopping and marinating them with lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and maybe cayenne powder if you want a little spice!
- An easy way to cook vegetables is in the oven OR on the BBQ! In the oven you can just lay them out on a foil lined sheet tray with 0 calorie cooking spray and bake (cook times vary but can be easily found online or you can contact me for a suggestion:) ) OR grilling vegetables you can either chop and place on kabobs, roast whole, and slice so that they don’t fall through the grill! BBQing can add A LOT of smoky flavor for no calories! Here’s also a handy tool for BBQing veggies!
How to Get Vegetables when you DON’T have time:
- Getting Veggies in when you don’t have time to prep them comes down to either buying options that are Fresh and Pre-Cut and can be steamed in the bag or in a bowl with water to cook OR Pre-cooked and frozen so they just need to be reheated.
- Here are some of my Pre-Cut go-to’s: Green Giant Veggies and Mann’s Veggies(these are at most grocery stores!) Trader Joe’s also has a ton of similar Fresh Pre-Cut Veggies with their Butternut Squash Zig Zags being one of the most fun and my favorite :).
- For Frozen Veggies, my go-to is pretty much ANYTHING Birdseye! They have a lot of basic and seasoned options!
- And veggie options that don’t necessarily require cooking: carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumber, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and chopped bell pepper. Some of these just need a great dip to make a great snack! Check out my low calorie dip options which can make these veggies more enjoyable 🙂
Greens:
Greens are another type of vegetable but since it can play a different role in meal prep I have it placed separately. I typically have 4-6 cups of greens a day with low calorie dressing which is why each week I will always either buy a small salad bag for each day of the week OR buy a HUGE bag and have about 1/4 a day.
Here’s more info about why a salad a day is great for keeping on track with your fitness and health goals 🙂
My favorite bagged greens are: Ready Pac, Fresh Express, Little Salad Bar(from Aldi), and Trader Joe’s has a great variety too!
And if you go for the smaller bag a day option then try out this tip on enjoying it with less mess 🙂
Fruit:
Packed with different kinds of micronutrients than vegetables means that getting in a serving of fruit daily is great for your health and a delicious way to fill your carb macros 🙂 I will typically buy mine frozen to make protein smoothie bowls with OR fresh and have banana protein oats or a sweet yogurt dip with sliced apples or strawberries! Fruits don’t really need prep, but I will suggest if you think they are doing to go bad more quickly than you will be able to eat them (like a browning banana) then throw them in the freezer to preserve them and use for a smoothie later on!
Healthy Fats:
Fats have the role of balancing hormones and other bodily functions, which is why it’s recommended that at least 20% of anyone’s calories be made up of fats. I typically like to stick with at least 25% to aid in that hormone balance and fat is also satiating so it helps with staying full and having balanced energy levels throughout the day. Besides complementary fats (like fats that are in more fatty proteins or fats we cook with like oils) most fats don’t need to be prepped. Fat rich foods: oils, nuts, nut butters, butter, avocado, egg yolks, cheeses. Besides avocado, fats can typically have a little bit longer shelf life so they can be purchased every other week (like eggs and cheese) or can last much longer than that (like nut butters and oils). I’ll typically also have peanut butter and EVOO in my cupboard and cheese in my fridge to have fats readily available, and alternate getting avocado or whole eggs instead of egg whites if I want something different for the week.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates have the main job of supplying fuel for the body to move and recover. This is why I suggest to have a large amount of daily carb intake around my workouts so that I eat a good amount before the workout to have fuel for the workout, and then eat a good amount after to help with muscle recovery.
Carbohydrates are also broken up into two categories: simple and complex. And the easiest way to determine if a carb is simple or complex comes down to if it is higher in sugar then it is a considered a simple carb, this is because it can be simply broken down by the body to be used for fuel. This is why after having something with a lot of sugar, you may get a “Sugar crash” later because your body quickly metabolizes the carbs for energy and then quickly feels drained and wants more.
Complex carbs are carbohydrates that are higher in nutrients and have more fiber in them. They are complex because it takes the body longer to metabolize and digest them which helps us in feeling fuller longer. This is why it’s best to have complex carbs be a majority of your diet as it helps with keeping fullness and hunger levels balanced.
Complex Carb rich foods: oats, potatoes, grains, legumes, fruit, whole wheat or multigrain pasta, bread, wraps, or tortillas. Simple Carb rich foods: candy, cake, chips, refined grains and flour products like white rice, white bread, wraps, tortillas.
And BOTH Simple AND Complex carbs can be in a Macro Balanced Meal Prep! While complex carbs are more nutrient dense, simple carbs can just be more fun! And sometimes having too many complex carbs when you’re having a lot of fruit and veggies can cause GI discomfort from having too much fiber (you can read about that here)
