5 Tips to Meal Prep Success

One of the most important parts of living a healthy lifestyle is to be prepared.  The more healthy foods you have on hand, ready to eat, the more likely you will grab them to eat than something that you might regret.  My hope is that as you go through these 5 tips you will have a better understanding at what makes meal planning and prepping a success with out added stress or anxiety.  These tips I'm about to give will walk you through the steps needed to get you on track to meet your goals!  

It all begins in the kitchen! 

1.  It's a DATE! 

SO SO Important!!  This right here will make or break you.  Set a time and date that you are going to go grocery shopping and then another time and date for meal prepping.  Could be all in the same day. Whatever you choose MAKE IT STICK!  Like its an important meeting with the boss.  This right here is why so many struggling with meal prepping - you dont make time.  Believe me, other things will creep up and you will want to push this aside, but if you want to meet your goals - you will keep this date set in stone!  

You have set a date and time! 

2.  Take Inventory.  

Before you even start looking for recipes take inventory of what you have in your pantry and refrigerator to see what you have that you need to use.  Make a list of the produce, meats, fruits, and grains that you already have and use that as a guide to making meals.  This cuts the cost of your grocery bill and helps reduce wasted food.  

I Wish I had a pantry like this :) 

3.  Pick 2-5 ideas for each meal category. 

 For breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner choose only 2-5 options.  Two options being more for snacks and breakfasts, and the five option dinners because you will take in account for leftovers.  You don't need a different option everyday.  Getting a couple ideas for each category keeps your food bill lower and makes things less complicated.  To do this get out your cookbooks, or my favorite place.. Pinterest!  Start a "board" on Pinterest for just your meal planning.  As you're looking at recipes make sure you're taking in account the list you have made with items in your kitchen that you need to use.   



So, you have your meals planned out and you have a grocery list of what you need.... 

4.  Use All Appliances. 

Make prepping a breeze!  Use your stove, oven, crockpot, rice cooker, grill.  Use it all!! :)  This is what saves me so much time when I'm meal prepping and taking care of 2 kids at the same time.  Get the hubby involved and let him grill or smoke some meat on the grill! 

Look at your meals and think what you can prep that will save you the most time during the week.  

An Example of how mine usually goes! Im a basic cooker - nothing fancy and usually do the protein/starch/veggie thing

- Hubby puts some chicken and pork roast on the grill

- Roasting veggies in the oven

- Quinoa on the stove 

- Sweet potatoes (over night in crockpot) 

- Pot of chili using the ground beef - or - burgers - or - make it into meat loaf and bake

When you use everything, it makes meal prep go by so much faster! As you're planning your meals, think of how you will execute them. Get that game plan going!

5.  Portion Out Food! 

This will make it easier when you want to throw together a meal really fast or you're short on time.  Having everything portioned out in the right portions will make putting a meal together a breeze.  Especially for my 21 Day Fixers - use those containers to portion out your food and place in little baggies or tupperware containers.  Then you can just grab and go!  Last I heard, target had colored ziplock bags that matched the color of the containers!  Perfect! 

Tada, You're done and you are ready to conquer the week!!  I hope that this has inspired you to tackle meal prepping and take steps to reach your goals with a healthy lifestyle.  The more you follow the steps above the more this will become a habit for you.  It's a wonderful thing when a diet crosses over to a lifestyle.  You're on your way and the fact that you're reading this right now shows that you're determined to take control over your life! 

On occasion I run a Meal Prep Workshop where we give tips and support each other and ask questions!  Make sure you like my Facebook page, A Clean Appetite, to get the latest updates! 

Why is Clean Eating so Expensive?

Its Not.  

I feel that this is a misconception for many.  I find that there are several reasons why some are spending way too much and making it too complicated.  The good news?  There are ways to make this a simple and painless journey.  Its going to take a learning curve but once you get into your groove, you're going to find its not as expensive as you thought.  I hope these tips inspire you to change your mindset.  To think positively about the process.  Its a journey of progress and not perfection so do allow yourself grace.  This ride you're about to get on is probably one of the most important ones of your life.  You're stepping up for you and your family and making your health a priority.  Be Faithful with the little things and you will be trusted with more! A lesson I learned at Dani Johnson and it couldn't be more true!  So as you go through these tips go ahead and write down the ones you can take action on now.  Be open minded and stay positive!

Tips for Clean Eating on a Budget.  

• Budget.  Let's look at your budget.  I highly suggest you print off your bank statements and take a personal audit.  Where is your food budget going to now?  Coffee Shops?  Eating out?  Grocery Store?  Highlight the different categories with different highlighters and see where you're money is going.  This weekend a friend and I went to a Dani Johnson seminar.  This was one of the topics she covered and for my friend it was truly eye opening.  During this talk she realized she was spending $5 on a latte 6 days a week.  She was spending $120 a month on coffee.  You will be surprised at how the little things add up quickly.  Now that you have an average of how much you want to spend in groceries.  I would say its easily doable with $100 - $150 a week on groceries.  The average family already spends $150 - $248 on groceries right now.  I personally spend around $125- $150 (and that includes some non food items in there).  Make Goals!

• As I talked in my first blog of this series of clean eating posts - its all about the mindset.  Know that this is a great thing you're doing.  Health should be one of your top priorities.  Knowing that your setting your family up for success.  You're taking control of the habits and creating new ones that will last a lifetime.  Its amazing to me to watch my 5 year old and see how much she already knows about food and her body because I have gave her the knowledge.  We are the role models and set the tone for our children's diet.  We alone have such a great power in grooming the way they eat, respect food, and their bodies.  

• Buy in Season.  Produce is generally cheaper when its in season.  Before you go grocery shopping check out your local grocery stores flyer and see what is on sale in the produce then make your meal plan accordingly.  

• Farmer's Markets.  This is one of my favorite things.  Not only because I find produce cheaper there but its fun for the whole family.  My kids love going.  Generally this is music playing and fun activities for the kids.  It's a great way to educate kids on different foods and to show support to local farmers.  A fun idea is to give your child a reusable shopping bag and some money.  Let them pick out some things they would like to try and pay for them.  Teaches them to step out of their comfort zone and how to budget.  Encourage them to try new things!  It makes for a fun experience as you transition over to clean eating and creates memories! 

• Should I buy all Organic?  I do believe that buying all organic is a luxury and is something you should do as you are able to do.  A great list that helps is called the "Dirty Dozen".  These are the foods that can contain the most pesticides and should be bought organic is you're able too.  The biggest thing is for you to get produce in you - organic or not snacking on non organic carrots is better than a bag of potato chips.  

• Coupons.  I love coupons!  I really do.  I once got a little too into it and man can your time be consumed!  I still use them but in a different way so that Im using my time wisely.  I first make my meal plan and grocery list before I grocery shop.  I find when I do this I'm not printing off coupons for things I don't really need and is a waste of my money.  I only print off the coupons that go with something on my list.  You will find that you don't buy a-lot of package products with clean eating so there are not many coupons - but there still great to save a couple bucks on your grocery trip.  I like to use Coupons.com and MamboSprouts.com.  With Mambo Sprouts its coupons all geared toward organic and natural products.  

• Meal Plan and Prep.  Absolutely important!  Not having a plan will lead to disaster.  Knowing what you're going to make for the week gives you a grocery list with exactly what you need.  Sticking to this, is sticking to your budget!  No meal plan = extra expenses on things you really don't need... its just things you want.  Prepping is right up there with planning.  As soon as you get home start prepping those veggies, fruits, and meat.  Get them ready for the week.  Not only will it save you time but it will also save you from getting fast food or making bad choices.  If you have good food ready for you in the fridge you're more apt to grab that then something to so good for you.  (Make sure you like A Clean Appetite to hear about my next Meal Planning and Prep Workshop!)

• Shop Perimeter and Stick to the List.  What does "perimeter" mean?  Stick to the outside of the grocery store.  This is where all the produce, meat and dairy is.  This is where the most nutritional items are!  What do you find in the center?  All the prepackaged products that are mostly processed.  Don't get me wrong, there are some things you will need to get on the inside aisles like canned tomatoes, beans, rice, oatmeal.. ect.  But STICK TO YOUR LIST!  Where you get in trouble is when you veer off the list and pick something that "looks good" or is "on sale".   Sticking to your list is a must if you want to save money and stick to a budget.  

• Portion Sizes.   This has a huge effect on your food expenses.  I have found during my 2 years of coaching that we all eat more than we should in portion size.  The fast food industry has our minds warped as to what a portion size should look like.   Ive seen countless times with my challengers that are using 21 day fix (teaches portion control and balanced plates), that the portion sizes they were eating were too much.  Just getting their diets balanced with the right portions saved them hundreds on their grocery bills.  Check out this picture below to see what portions should be looking like.  

• Progress not Perfection.  Please don't think you have to be perfect.  I'm not perfect and Im learning as Im going.  Im just happy to share tips I have learned on my journey.  If this seems too overwhelming for you, do this.  Try changing just 1 thing a week.  What in your diet can you change today that will make a difference in your health,  your family's health.  Maybe its the amount of fast food you eat?  The fancy coffee drinks?  Packing a lunch instead of eating out?  Carrots and hummus instead of chips?  Try 1 thing this week to get you back on track.  Changing just that 1 thing each will will have a compounding effect.  Before you know it, you won't even recognize yourself.  :)  

What are you going to implement in your life? 

I hope this has inspired you and that there is something in this blog post to help you on your journey to a healthy lifestyle.  I get so sad when I see people give up before they even try.  Anything new is going to be scary and maybe even a little overwhelming but as I see it, if its outside your comfort zone its where you want to be.  This journey will transform you and is totally worth it.  When you're healthy you're happy and more confident.  You deserve that and so does your family! :)  

If you need help don't hesitate to contact me at A Clean Appetite  My heart is to help! 

Thanks so much for reading and hope it inspires you! 

Amanda Cheasty 

How do I get my family on board?

Having the talk...

Let me just start off by saying that I am super excited to write blog posts that not just pertain to individuals getting healthy but really making it easier for the family.  I hope that these posts help and inspire you to pursue a healthy lifestyle, not just for you but the whole family.  

With this first post I thought it was necessary to start at the very beginning.  How to get the family on board.  I know this isn't always easy.  Here are some tips that I hope make it an easier transition for you.  

My Crew :)

Mindset.  

This is serious business.  Switching to a healthy lifestyle might sound easy but depending on what your diet looks like right now it can be a rough transition for the whole family. My aim is that this post will ease the process but your mindset has to be fully committed.  There are going to be times when its just easy to pick up fast food or give the kids chips as a snack but in your mind you have to weigh the long term effects.  What are we setting our children up for?  Do we want them to have the same issues we had with body image growing up?  Do we want them running from fad diet to fad diet trying to find a quick fix?  No.  We want to give them the knowledge they need to make the right choices.  As parents we have that power now.  We can start grooming that into them.  Its going to take a committed mindset.  A mindset that knows WHY this is so important. 

A great way to keep in the forefront of WHY this is important to you is to write it or find a quote that summarizes it then post it somewhere you will see it everyday.  So when you are not motivated or feeling frustrated you will remember WHY you're doing this.... because its bigger than YOU!  

 

Communicate.  

It sounds simple enough right?  Talk it out.  

Really though, bring the family together to have a sit down talk.  A talk coming from the heart about why you want this so badly. Let them know why you think its important.  This is what I have always done with my children.  My daughter is now 5 years old and knows how her body feels different after junk food.  We talk about it and because we communicate about food choices, I have seen her turn down chocolate because she really didn't want her belly to hurt.  I have also been told that she makes healthy choices at class parties.  I was a little shocked by that second statement but then as I thought about it I realized our kids truly listen to us.  The more we talk about the importance choosing the right foods, the more they will make the right decisions when we are not there to make it for them.  We have already set the example.  

Set a goal for the family.  I love how Lisa Leake of 100 Days of Real Food did this.  As a family they made a goal of 100 days but you could start with 30 days.  Then decide on a reward as a family for when you complete it.  I really feel that if you sit down with the family, share from the heart,  explain the importance and why its important to you, you won't be perceived wrongly.  

Also know that this does not have to be an all or nothing.  Maybe try changing just 1 thing every week.  As a family decide on the things you want to change.  The more involvement with the family the more likely they will support this new journey.

Make it Fun.  

Get the kids involved.  Have them grocery shopping with you and let them pick out some produce that they like.  Have them looking up recipes to try.  Have them cooking in the kitchen with you.  The more involved with the process, the more apt they are to trying new things.  Take meals you're already making now and just clean them up a bit so its not completely new.  Also, check out your local farmers markets.  Give the kids a reusable bag and some money.  Let them pick out the produce they want to try using the money.  Gets them seeing what is locally produced, trying new things, and learning to budget!  Get 

creative! 

Anna helping me in the kitchen 

There will be bumps in the road...

Something I have learned on my journey, is to stay positive.  Encourage your kids to try new foods.  If they try it and don't like it, don't get discouraged or be upset with them.  Thank them for trying it - be really enthusiastic about the fact that they did that.  Explain to them how you will try cooking it a different way and see if they like it like that.  I find that being honest and upfront with my kids and their experiences really adds an added trust with them and makes them feel apart of the journey.  Always stay positive.  

My kids don't always like all the veggies I cook so I try to get creative in my attempts to get them to eat it.  Last night I told my daughter that the asparagus would give her stinky pee.  Of course she had to test this theory out - mom win! :)  I know my son (1 year old) looks up to my daughter and she is a great eater.  So there are times that when I want him to eat something I show him how Anna likes it, and she will tell him how its so good.  It usually makes him at least try it and 9 times out of 10 if I can just get him to taste it, he will continue to eat it.  

I also wanted to point out, don't feel discouraged if your kids are older.  You can still be successful with a switch to a healthy lifestyle even if you didn't start your kids off with it when they were young.  It's never too late!  You can still plant the seeds giving them knowledge for the future.  It's never to late to start.  The time is NOW!  If you need help, please contact me, but I feel as you go through this blog post you will have a great start to your journey.  

Be Consistent.  

We as parents are role models.  Our kids are looking to us for guidance and that includes our diet.  We only have 1 body in this lifetime, we need to take care of it.  Our society has gotten carried away with convenience.  I know we live busy lives but we should make our family's health a priority. 

 

But what if that doesn't work.. 

Say your hubby or kids don't want any part of it.  Be the leader and they will follow.  I have had countless challengers that had families that wouldn't join in, but as they saw their wife's success, that she was feeling great.. the hubby would join in too.  The more the kids saw the mom eating carrots.. they eventually wanted to try it.  It takes willpower and it takes consistency but they are watching, and they will come around :) 

They come around eventually :)