Meal prep lunches made easy

If you hate taking the time out of your busy day to make lunch, try this.

You can make lunch for the next five days in just 20 minutes! Yes, I actually did it in just 20 minutes, it just took me an extra minute to get everything in the photo frame! The key to cutting time out of your busy day is meal planning and preparation. Spending just a few minutes

on the weekend to think about what you’d like to have for lunch during the week saves you so much time and aggravation during the week.

Knowing exactly what you need also saves time and money at the grocery store. And there’s less waste too. Simply jot down your ideas, make a list of what you need and head to the store feeling well prepared. Then simply spend a few minutes on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning preparing lunches for the entire week.

Here are 6 tips for healthy and easy lunches:

1. It’s perfectly okay to buy pre-cooked meats like sliced, grilled chicken or steak, and shrimp. Watch out for the sodium content. Choose a brand that uses the least amount, if any.
2. It’s also okay to buy bagged fresh vegetables and salad blends. The veggies are usually sliced and washed. Some even steam right in the bag.
3. When using bagged salad blends, look for organic brands when available. Some come with added seeds and nuts to give your salad that extra bit of protein and crunch. Toss the dressing and use your own. Those dressings are loaded with sugar and sodium!
4. Stay away from lunch meat, processed cheese slices and white bread, unless you’d like a

   

   side of protein with your sodium, sugar and calories!

5. Use caution with meal replacement shakes. They are not all the same! Most (especially budget brands) are nothing but artificial flavors, sugar, and a bunch of artificial stuff that’s really bad for you. Others are strictly protein, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s an all-natural product. Consider Shakeology, a meal replacement shake that’s both nutritiously dense and has just the right amount of protein.
6. Combine a complex carb and protein with every meal. So if you are having salad for lunch make sure to eat it with some chicken, fish or avocado. Eating some left over veggies? Toss them on top of some quinoa. And dip you apple slices in some nut butter.

Here’s a list of what I made today in just 20 minutes!

Want the recipes? Click on the links or scroll down to see the previous posts.

Black Beans & Rice

Fattoush Salad

Easy Guacamole to eat with mini peppers or homemade chips

Misu soup. I bough organic misu past at a health food store and simply follow the directions on the container. Most brands just mix with water and heat. For something a little different, simmer the soup with some fresh vegetables like kale, cabbage, carrots and green onions.

Bagged salad blends that I simply mix with some vegetables and protein, and toss with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Everything is stored in containers in my fridge, and I don’t have to spend a second thinking about it for the rest of the week. Make things twice as simple by having a Shakeology for breakfast every morning. Not only is is easy (just 30 seconds in the blender) but it’s portable, and great for those mornings on-the-go! It also keeps me feeling full all morning long and helps to ward off cravings for donuts and other tempting snacks. Want to learn more about how to simplify your life with step-by-step meal planning? Or maybe you’re ready to take it one step further and join an online fitness and accountability challenge group. Fill out this form and I’ll be in touch with more information.

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