If you had told me at 18 that I would one day be a fitness girlie, exercising daily and meal prepping because I enjoyed it, I would have laughed in your face. Healthy eating has become such an important part of my life, and meal prepping has made it so much easier. Having a healthy meal in the fridge between classes helps me to resist the urge to get takeout or fast food and has improved my overall health and well-being. That being said, I would love to share a few of my favorite meal prep staples and tips! Consuming healthy meals is an investment in yourself and has loads of benefits, so think of this as a healthy eating how-to guide!
First and foremost, it is absolutely essential to have a solid set of Tupperware. I use the $2 Tupperware I got at Target, but a lot of fitness influencers and meal prep fanatics would recommend getting a glass set as it keeps your food fresher for longer and preserves the flavor. I also love this set I found bought from Amazon. The last time I purchase it they were around $30, so keep an eye on it for price drops!
Regarding the food itself, I find it helpful to plan out my meals for the next two weeks in a meal calendar. This allows me to ensure I do not overbuy at the grocery store. After figuring out the exact meals you want for that time period, I make a list of exactly what I need before going shopping and always stick to a budget. Costco is a lifesaver for meat, and I typically stock up on chicken or salmon once a month for a pretty low price. Those cost around $20 per bag, and I rotate what type of meat I use. The rest of my groceries typically cost roughly $40 to $60 every two weeks.
I build meal prepping into my schedule so that I always have the time for it and do so every Sunday and Thursday so that I consistently have my meals ready and have enough to eat. Treating meal prepping like an appointment will help you to prioritize getting it done, and depending on what you make, cooking can be really fun! I love to draw inspiration from various YouTube channels and have been working on developing better cooking skills. My favorite cooking channels are the Basics with Babish series, and Joshua Weissman’s But Cheaper series.
My absolute favorite meal prep staple, however, is a feta stuffed chicken burger. I had one at a restaurant in Tampa a while back and decided to recreate it at home. It is absolutely delicious, and I would encourage everyone who is new at meal prepping to give it a try! For your ingredients, you will need ground chicken, feta, avocado, light mayo, diced garlic and burger buns. For the side, you will need two whole sweet potatoes.
First, form burger patties with your chicken, wrapping it around the feta as you do this. Then, cook on a pan or grill until it cooks thoroughly. Next, mash the avocado into a spread and put it on one side of the burger bun. Whip together the garlic in a bowl with the light mayo, along with any other spices you like, and put that aside for when you eat your burgers. For the side, simply cut your sweet potatoes into fry shapes and bake until crispy, and store! I normally make this meal for four days at a time and love it!
Overall, meal prepping is a great way to invest in your health. It helps you save both time and money and helps you to learn valuable cooking skills! If you need recipe recommendations, I would definitely recommend checking out the YouTube channels listed earlier in the article. Happy cooking!
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