UFC Performance Institute
Three UFC PI Tips For Successful Meal Prep
See what the UFC Performance Institute had to say about meal prepping:
Are your weekdays so busy that you wish there were more hours in the day? Do you struggle to find time to cook meals? Do you have nutrition goals but not sure how to get there? Meal prepping is a great option that helps save you time and money while allowing you to eat healthy home cooked meals every day.
Here are three tips to help make meal prepping as easy and stress-free as possible:
Make a Meal Plan
The best way to be successful with meal prepping is to be organized. Having a meal plan and writing down what you’re going to eat each day will help your sanity and save you time. Make a detailed list to get through the grocery store faster with less trips (which is definitely a plus during this pandemic).
5 Health Tips From The UFC Performance Institute
Plan what days you are going to prep food. Shopping and prepping on the weekends are helpful when you have a busy work week. Plan to prep all your food on one day (i.e Sunday) or split it up into two (i.e. Sunday & Wednesday). Prepped, cooked meals will generally last between three to five days in the refrigerator. You can always freeze and thaw for the second half of the week if you do decide to only prep one day out of the week. Options such as rice-based stir frys, dense soups like chili, and pasta dishes tend to freeze nicely. If you’re just starting out with meal prepping, make two days’ worth of meals and build from there.
Mix and Match
Meal prep does not have to be boring. When making a list of foods for the week, a good place to start is by choosing three types of protein, three types of carbohydrate, and a large variety of non-starchy vegetables.
Cook them up and then mix and match the different foods throughout the week. To switch things up, buy bulk of the same protein, carbohydrate, and veggies and cook them all differently. Buy chicken and marinate it in different sauces, prepare sweet potatoes mashed, sauteed on the stovetop, and baked, and use your veggies raw and cooked to add variety. Excellent fat sources to have on hand include oil-based salad dressings, avocados, and nuts which can really add flavor to any dish.
Looking for a delicious sauce so your food isn’t boring? Check out Trifecta’s delicious Romesco Sauce here.
When prepping for breakfast, overnight oats or crockpot oatmeal make for a fast and easy option. If you like more of a savory breakfast, try a breakfast bake or quiche with eggs, chopped veggies and potatoes.
Check out Trifecta’s Egg White Frittata recipe here
This recipe would pair great with roasted sweet potatoes to add more carbohydrate and overall calories.
Invest in Meal Prep Necessities
Investing in the right equipment like sheet pans, baking dishes, pots, pans and meal prep containers will help make meal prepping fast and easy. Crockpots tend to be a lifesaver to make easy meals hassle-free.
Check out this tasty crockpot pulled pork recipe from Trifecta
This pairs great over rice and cooked veggies or on top of a salad.
Stock up on meal prep staples and quick go-to items to help ease your prep and cut down on time. Pre-cooked brown rice or quinoa makes for quicker cooking and no pot to wash, and seafood such as frozen shrimp or salmon defrosts quickly. Other items to have in bulk to speed up the process are plain oats, canned beans or other canned/frozen vegetables and fruits. These require very limited cooking. Salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil are excellent staples to flavor food.
Want to really save some time by having your meal prep delivered to you? Check out Trifecta’s meal prep program here.
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