The two biggest hurdles in becoming an athlete (whether you’re a beginner or elite) tend to be time and money. We’re going to talk about the former today in relation to meal prep. I’ve written before about meal planning for the month and how that has helped us, but let’s get down to some specifics regarding the actual cooking!
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As I’ve mentioned before, having protein cooked is key – this is the hardest thing to grab quickly. When in a rush it’s easy to grab some carbs (an apple, some granola, etc.) or some fat (nuts, seeds, etc.), but try eating a raw chicken breast… no thanks.
Batch Cooking
When I am anticipating a busy week, I batch cook on Sunday evenings. Here’s what I do:
- Salsa chicken: Three pounds of chicken breast in the crockpot with a jar or two of salsa (just shred when it’s done!) …or Grilled chicken!
- Beef roast: Roast in crockpot with a bottle of wine (so good!)
- Sweet potatoes: 20 baked in the oven (yes, 20… my husband Caleb eats for three!)
- Frittata: I use about 18-20 eggs. This is great for any meal. (See the clip below)
Veggie Prep
Other than that, I cook and prep vegetables nightly. I prefer the taste when they’re fresh! Here are some of my favorites:
- Broccoli: Baked until slightly crispy, I add evoo and salt/pepper after it’s cooked
- Kale salad: This is boring, but just raw kale and my favorite dressing
- Veggie foil packs: Preferably grilled, my favorite is kale, onions, and fresh garlic
These are some of my easiest, go-to items that help get us through a busy week. The more you meal prep, the more you find out what works for you. Have a great recipe or meal prep suggestion – let us know. Or even better yet, you can come join us on our online nutrition team and let the entire facebook group know!
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