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

Shake, Shake, Shake

Shake your bootay! Just kidding guys, this will be a serious post shakes and smoothies though. While smoothies are often times seen as quick snacks or desserts, when done properly they can become a meal in a glass that is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, protein, and healthy fats. You can use them to replace a meal such as breakfast or as a post-workout supplement. Best thing is, you can change it any way you can! Let's get started:

First off, you don't have to go to a smoothie guru or fancy shop to get quality shakes and smoothies. You don't even have to spend vast amounts of money to do so. The most expensive thing you will buy is the blend er, but you can find a really good one at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for only 16 bucks.

The List - Here is a list of some basics base ingredients that most smoothies require
Fruit/Vegetables- whether they are fresh or frozen, produce is both a delicious and nutritious way to liven up a smoothie

Here, I previously blended frozen blueberries, raspberries,
strawberries, flax seed, and natural yogurt. Once that was done
to my desired consistency, I filled in the remaining half of the
blender with fresh spinach leaves. Continue to blend until smooth

• Bananas- probably the cheapest and most trusted one fruit of them all. This fruit is found in basically every smoothie recipe
• Berries- although they are expensive, they provide a substantial amount of antioxidants and Vitamin C
• Watermelons, apples, kiwi, pineapple- these 'juicy' fruits are used better when the liquid base is a juice
• Mangoes, guava, papaya- I love how these fleshy fruits add a sweet and tropical taste to anything. Their versatility allows them to be used with a variety of bases and even to sweeten up the taste of protein shakes
• Spinach, kale, avocado- make it lean and green!

Liquid Base - add 1-2 cups of liquid, however the more juice your selected produce has, the less liquid you will need

• Milk/soy milk/ almond milk- of course for the calcium, Vitamin D, and protein
• Juice- if you are feeling tropical or looking for a day time snack- be careful. Combing fruit AND fruit juice will sure put you in a sugar overload so use this combo sparingly 

Thickeners - Now, I LOVE a thick shake so often times I will use 2,3 or even more in one smoothie. Here are some good ways to get the right consistency of creaminess while still maintaining its nutritious content

• Nut butter- whether it's peanut or almond butter, nut butters are packed with healthy fatsit 
• Yogurt/cottage cheese
• Frozen yogurt- mix this with berries and mangoes and you you have a delicious, low fat, natural summer dessert 
• Ice
• Oats

Enhancements - boost the flavor or nutrient density with sweeteners, spices, herbs, and dried fruits

• Honey
• Cinnamon- adds a layer of earthy sweetness without adding extra calories
• Nutmeg- makes it taste like cake, if done right Martha Stewart's Banana Nutmeg Smoothie
• Figs and Dates
• Protein Powder
• Flax Seed
• Fish Oil
• Vitamin Powder
• Cocoa Powder

-Eating Clean in College