Weekly Meal Prep Tips!

Hello readers! This is my first post of the new year so I had to make it a good one! I know that losing weight or getting healthy is a popular New Years Resolution and I hope that you all have remained dedicated. As for myself, I know that I have not been eating too healthy. I recently graduated from college and like many other poor, unfortunate souls, I have not had the best luck in finding a job. Well, what do you do when your future is threatened and it looks like you'll have to a homeless hottie or a stripper? Well you give up luxuries that you cannot afford anymore. It is basic survival. Humans live to protect themselves and my physiological need for shelter and security were being threatened. Sadly, I was at a crossroads where I knew I needed to eat but didn't know if I could have risked losing the money. It was a sad place to be and can only imagine what other students or unemployed undergrads are going through. Thankfully, my family came to visit me and I was able to get a ton of groceries (plus my mother cooked some delicious foods so I have leftovers). It was literally the best thing to ever happen to me since all I had in my fridge was a jar of salsa and three frozen tilapia fillets. The struggle was mad real for ya girl but back to the topic at hand...

1. When it comes to meal prepping, I like to start out by dividing my animal proteins. That means that my beef, pork, chicken, salmon all get divided into two day portions. I buy a bulk bag of chicken breast but I have found that fresh beef, salmon, and pork is cheaper and freezes and thaws out perfectly! If I buy ground beef (which goes perfectly with corn tortillas) I cook and season the meat before freezing it. Then, whenever I want to cook it, I just heat it up on the stove top and voila!
2. Buy fresh and frozen produce. I like to eat the fresh foods first and then dip into the frozen stockpile. While it is tempting to devour the edamame immediately, I know that I have to finish my fresh green beans first.
3. Cook your vegetables and carbohydrates. My grainy sides usually consist of brown rice and more brown rice. I always cook  more vegetables than grains since I love having a colorful plate. 
4. Portion out your plate! I am not sure what dietary restrictions or plan you are on but the key step in meal prepping in putting all that delicious and healthy food into Tupperware! Storing it makes it super convenient to grab and eat on the go and it might prevent you from overeating. 
5. Don't forget to prep your snacks too! Things as simple as portioning out nuts in a sandwich bag or making smoothies/juices ahead of time makes it easier (and cheaper) to get through the next day. If you don't know what kind of snacks to prep, below are some of my favorites

• Mango's and berries
• Bananas and crunchy peanut butter
• Almonds
• LARA bars
• Kale juice (recipe below)

Homemade kale juice

Kale Juice Recipe

-1.5 C green tea

-1/2 bunch of kale

-1 extra large green apple

-2 kiwis

-1 banana

-1 cucumber

-splash of fresh lemon juice to taste

Fun, Fun, Fruit!

Hello readers! Yesterday, we had on office potluck and of course I signed up to bring the only healthy dish! My wallet this past week was particularly slim but since I love my staff so much, I did not want to show up completely empty handed so I made a fruit tray. Making a fruit tray turned out to be more fun than I thought, all you need is a couple different colored fruits and you are set! Let me show you how I did mines:

1. Find a ton of delicious fruits! Luckily, many of the fruits I found were on sale
2. Clean and cut the fruit
3. Place a small bowl (I used a $1 guacamole dish) in the middle of the tray (which I found at Party City for $1)
4. Get any yogurt to place in the middle. I like to use regular, unsweetened yogurt and fold in strawberries in the middle for taste. You can also add honey for a sweeter taste since plain yogurt is an acquired taste
5. Arrange your fruit anyway you see fit! I did mines with bright kiwi in the center as an eye grabber and berries on the corners for a color contrast. The color contrast really made the yellow/orange from the mango, pineapples, and tangerines stand out!

Here is how much everything costs:
-Raspberries $1.25

• Antioxidant support, anti-inflammatory phytonurtients, Vitamin C, Manganese (defends the body against free radicals), Fiber

-Blackberries $1.50

• Known to have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties; their dark color also gives them a high antioxidant factor; high in Vitamin C, and Fiber

-Kiwis 3/$1

• These tiny fruit are packed with Vitamin C and Vitamin K (a fat soluble vitamin that acts primarily in blood clotting)

-Tangerines 3/$1

• These cute little citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C and have a long shelf life; like most fruits, it has a natural antioxidant that is best for giving your body a natural defense system

-Mango .68c each

• Not only is mango one of my absolute favorite fruit, but it easily one of the best tasting things on the planet! Mangoes are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Fiber (which helps aid in digestion and elimination)

-Pineapple $1.98

• This tropical wonder is made for more than just pina coladas! Just like the other fruits above, pineapples are a great source of Vitamin C but also contain Manganese and Vitamin B1 for energy production and antioxidant support.

Total - $10.09 
Why did I name this article fun, fun, fruit? Well because fruit is a colorful and delicious way to get many key vitamins. Why would you settle for fake fruit flavored snacks and drinks when you can have the real thing for a cheap price? Processed foods, particularity those aimed at tasting like fruit, are laced with artificial sugars and ingredients that are created to mimic the taste of the real thing. Don't be fooled by the labels of many popular fruit snacks, while they claim to be gluten free, fat free, and have no preservatives don't forget the other funky ingredients who are secretly eating. This list includes:
-Corn Syrup
-Artificial Flavors
-Sodium Citrate
-Carnauba Wax
-Red 40
-Yellow 40
-Blue 1
It is almost as if you are consuming gummy bears...with marginal amounts of health benefits.
In all, fresh fruits is the best snacking choice out there!
-Eating Clean in College