Before I started coaching, before I started really picking a part my eating habits to see why what I was doing wasn't working, I thought I was doing it all right. I would set off to the grocery store and buy all sorts of healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables, items to assemble for an easy grab snack when in a hurry. I would get home and put my groceries away and think, "This week I am going to see a difference!" And you know what? I wouldn't! NO change would happen!
Why was that? Well, as a started my journey into losing weight and getting into shape, I realized two things 1) I wasn't making sure my good, healthy, food for fuel was prepped for me to grab in those busy, hurried moments. When I wanted to grab it, it wasn't washed, or cut, or put into a container or baggie for me to throw in my diaper bag as we dashed off to the zoo, play date, fill in the blank; and 2) I was STILL buying junk. And since my nutritious food wasn't ready, I would grab that easy cereal bar, crackers, fill in the blank. Better than a going through a drive thru? SURE! Better than non-processed whole foods? NEVER!
So what was a busy, working mom of two boys with a husband away 5 days a week to do? Make a plan, set aside some time just like I did for my workouts, and laundry, and play, and PREP my food! And, stop buying the junk. Now-- I can feel the eye-rolls of mothers everywhere as you think, " You haven't met my child who eats nothing!" "I don't have the time to make everything from scratch!" I ABSOLUTELY hear you! Don't hate me just yet! I have littles too! So I made a very conscience effort to do my homework. LOTS of things geared towards our sweet little beans are full of things that are harmful. So I stopped by the top offenders (goldfish, fruit snacks, sugary granola bars, cereals (if that is something you buy)) and bought dried fruits, fruit bowls (packed in juice), cereal bars (these are still something I try to work away from), ingredients to mix up some trail mix. My kids get two snacks a day typically. Hudson knows he can get a pantry snack once and the other is mama's choice (fresh fruit, cheese and GF crackers, veggies and dip, apples and peanut butter, etc) Your kids won't notice.
The first few times I came home the task seemed overwhelming. All this food that needed attention. How should I store it? What was the best way for my family and I? Over the past few months, I've gotten better and this is something I now look forward to. It often, depending on the amount of prep I do, saves me time on dinner prep.
Here is a look at how I make sure not to sabotage my hard work in the gym (my house! ha!) with poor choices in the kitchen.
Before I go to the store, I make a menu. Now that I stay at home, and because we try to eat as clean as possible, I plan breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. I don't want to have any surprises. Does this mean I cook three meals, seven days a week? No! But it does allow me to have an idea of what needs to be prepped, what I already have in my pantry, and what needs purchased.
I tend to shop for 2 weeks at a time, knowing I will have to go back and restock some produce, milk and eggs too usually. This has always saved our family money (What mama doesn't love sticking to the budget and saving some to boot??!!) I plan my fresh produce meals for the first week and can get away with using frozen veggies or different starches the second week so no food goes bad and gets wasted.
Then I SHOP! I used to love grocery shopping as a newlywed. It was such a domestic task and I had all the time in the world to walk leisurely up and down the aisles. Now, I usually have both my boys with me, and am trying to fit it in between their snack and lunch, snack and dinner, snack and nap (see the theme here--they love to eat!) Plus, let's just be honest; there are about 1,000 things that are more fun than the store.
When I get home, I begin prepping. My boys (almost 3 and 1) know that after we carry in groceries, "Mama has to work in the kitchen for a little bit." I get some things out for them to play and then I get busy. (Mama tip--dump all the puzzles on the floor and see how long it takes to put them all together. I'm talking peg puzzles but if you want a challenge, do some larger ones ;)
I put away all my dry goods first. I then put away my fridge/freezer items that don't require prep (almond milk, frozen veggies, shredded cheese, etc) Then, while looking at my menu, I see if I need to prep or separate any meat. This past trip, I separated our chicken into separate freezer bags. This keeps me from over-preparing and helps control our portions. If any of my chicken needed a marinade or if it was going into a soup, dish, etc- I wrote those other key ingredients on the freezer bag. This is a HUGE time saver.
Next I fill my sink with water and some vinegar to soak my produce. I usually soak my fruit in a batch then my veggies later. This mix helps keep my veggies fresh longer and washes off all the dirt and grime that I don't want to eat.
While the first batch is soaking, I preheat my oven to cook my turkey bacon. I always have cooked turkey bacon in our fridge. I can make lettuce wraps, serve it with breakfast, crumble some onto a salad or baked potato. It is such a lovely thing to have at hand. And, to be honest, I would never take the time in the morning to cook a couple of slices. So having it ready allows me to use that great protein conveniently. I then set water to boil to make some hard boiled eggs. These are also a staple. Such a great protein/healthy fat to grab as a quick snack or to top a salad.
While those things bake, I rinse, dry and prep all my fruit. Berries, apples, grapes, all washed and ready to eat. If you work outside the home, you can put them into individual containers or baggies that you can grab each day before heading out the door. I do my veggies next; carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli. Doing this has saved me and our budget. I used to throw away food that went bad because I put off prepping it and then when I would go to use it, it was no good. Such a waste!
Now, if I am really trying to go the extra mile, I look at that menu. My boys love pancakes and waffles. Sure I could buy some frozen or use Bisquick (believe me, I used to) but now I whip some up. There are so many healthy ways to make your pancakes. You could switch to whole wheat flour. Use stevia instead of sugar. If you like to stay away from wheat or gluten (I try to limit our wheat on what I can) use a different flour.
Make a double batch and freeze some saves me time in the morning and gives my boys a healthy breakfast that last for many mornings!
I also will look at my menu to see if I can prep anything further. You can ground your turkey to be used later in chilli or tacos. I was making clean tortilla soup and needed bell peppers and onions. I chopped them and put them in the freezer to just toss in the slow cooker when I needed them.
As you begin to do this, you will find a rhythm all your own and your own system. It will be such a game changer for you as you embark on trying to eat better, cleaner. It will save you time too! I'd love to hear what you do to prep in your kitchen!
